Non Verbal Communication

1. Non Verbal Communication A presentation by Dr NiranjanaVanalli Associate Professor Center for Proficiency Development University of Mysore

2. What is communication? • Communication is meeting of meaning between two or more people- Revel L Howe • The process of one individual stimulating meaning in the minds of another individual by means of message- James Mc Gosky • One of the postulates of communication says it is impossible to not to communicate • A man is as dead as he can’t communicate. He is as alive as he can communicate • Communication requires an element of commonality to occur at all

3. Elements of communication • Any process of communication requires the following elements • Sender • Receiver • Message • Medium • Feedback • Noise is not an element. It is any disturbance to communication process. It can affect any element

4. Levels of Communication • Intrapersonal communication • Interpersonal communication • Group communication • Mass communication

5. Types of Communication • Basically there are two types of communication They are Verbal and non verbal communication • Communication using words that are either spoken or written is verbal communication • Communication using signs or symbols but not words either spoken or written is non verbal communication

6. Human Communication • Human communication is a fine blend of verbal and non verbal communication • For effective communication integration of the two is essential • In other animals none of the two types of communication has grown effectively • Communication techniques make all the difference in the world we live today

7. Verbal communication • Words formed out of letters give meaning • Oral and written presentations through words • Verbal communication derives meaning on previously agreed terms • It is definite and limited to the accepted meaning • Verbal communication employs the learnt language

8. Nonverbal communication • It goes with verbal communication in human interactions • All living creatures communicate nonverbally • Most part of human communication is nonverbal • It is communication through signs, symbols and body language • Formal language is not required

9. Types of nonverbal communication • Paralanguage • Sign language • Action • Object • Touch • Space • Time • Silence

10. Paralanguage • It is through variations in the voice • Pitch and tone of the voice give different meaning • The word ‘no’ can be told differently • People are measured by how they use the paralanguage

11. Sign language • Sign language is dominant in all cultures • Markers are important signs of human communication • Colours are part of sign language • There is a sign language for duff and dump • It is estimated that we use more than seven lakh signs in human communication

12. Action language • Action has been part of communication from the beginning • Actions can be through body movements or through facial expressions • Action may be controlled or uncontrolled, knowingly or unknowingly sometimes • Some are good in acting and some are not

13. Object language • Objects represent many things • They may be culture specific • Our stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata are full of object languages • We use objects in day to day activities • Remember how birth and death are shown through objects

14. Touch language • Touch can mean different things to different people • We neglect the impact of touch usually • Remember the habit of touching some one while talking may be irritating

15. Space, time and silence • Space suggests many things • There is intimate space, personal space, social space and public space • Time is communication • Silence is a major communicator

16. How to improve your communication? • Listen carefully • Interpret the body language • Be open • Ask right questions • Be confident • Remember we are what we communicate