Chapter 5

NonverbalCommunication

• Describe the power of nonverbal communication

• Outline the functions of nonverbal communication

• Describe the set of communication symbols that are nonverbal codes

• Illustrate the influences culture, technology, and situation have on our nonverbal behavior

Chapter Outcomes

The process of intentionally or unintentionally signaling meaning through behavior other than words

Nonverbal Communication

• Nonverbal communication is…– Communicative– Often spontaneous and

unintentional– Ambiguous– More believable than verbal communication (channel discrepancy)

The Nature of Nonverbal Communication

• Reinforcing verbal messages– Repeating or mirroring verbal

messages– Complementing verbal behavior by

matching it– Accenting specific parts

of the verbal behavior

Functions of Nonverbal Communication

• Substituting verbal messages– Occurs in situations where words are

unavailable, inappropriate, or unintelligible

Functions of Nonverbal Communication (cont.)

• Contradicting verbal messages– May be unintentional or intentional

(teasing, joking, sarcasm)

• Regulating or coordinating verbal interactions– Pausing to let another speak– Interrupting to gain control

Functions of Nonverbal Communication (cont.)

• Creating immediacy, or closeness, with another– Eye contact, smiling, appropriate

touching, mimicry

• Deceiving others to believe something that is false– Using gestures that normally

signal trustworthiness

Functions of Nonverbal Communication (cont.)

Symbols we use to send messages without, or in addition to, words

Nonverbal Codes

• Gestures and body movements that send nonverbal messages (kinesics)– Emblems have direct verbal

translations within a group or culture.– Illustrators help visually

explain what is being said. – Regulators help manage

our interactions.

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Kinesics (cont.)

– Adaptors satisfy a physical or psychological need.

– Affect displays convey feelings, moods, and reactions.

• Facial expressions

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Eye behavior – Oculesics is the study of the use of the

eyes to communicate.– Accepted norms

differ across cultures.

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Voice– Paralanguage: vocalized sounds that

accompany words; includes•pitch (variations), tone (modulations),

volume (loudness), pauses, vocal quality, rhythm, rate

– Vocalizations: cues about emotional or physical state•Back-channel cues

include “ah, um, uh”

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Physical appearance– Attractiveness has advantages– Artifacts (accessories)

matter

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Space and environment includes:Proxemics: the study of the way we use and communicate with space

• Intimate• Personal• Social• Public

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Space and environment (cont.)– Territoriality: the claiming of an area

through occupation

– Environment: arranging our surroundings to encourage or discourage interactions

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Touch (haptics) may include:– Functional-professional touch– Social-polite touch– Friendship-warmth touch– Love-intimacy touch– Sexual-arousal

touch

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Time orientation– Chronemics: study of how people

perceive the use of time and how they structure time in their relationships

– Sending a message using time may be confusing in certain situations.

Nonverbal Codes (cont.)

• Culture– Contact vs. noncontact cultures have

different levels of sensitivity to touch.– Sex and gender influence a person’s

degree of touch, eye contact, or how nonverbal communication is interpreted.

Influences on Nonverbal Communication

• Mediated nonverbal communication– Loss of paralinguistic cues that offer

information– Emoticons and use of font sizes,

punctuation, and capitalization help convey meaning.

Influences on Nonverbal Communication (cont.)

• The situational context determines rules of behavior and roles people must play under different conditions. – Public-private dimension: physical

space affecting nonverbal communication

– Informal-formal dimension: perceptions about personal vs. impersonal situations

Influences on Nonverbal Communication (cont.)