Nonverbal Communication

1. Nonverbal Communication

2. Nonverbal communication: A message expressed by nonlinguistic means. • How does nonverbal communication work for us? Against us? • Does all nonverbal behavior have communicative value? • Can we control our nonverbals? Research: • DePaolo: People who don’t use nonverbals are considered dull, aloof, uneasy, deceptive • Researchers argue that unintentional behavior should not “count” as part of a communication exchange

3. Obvious Types of Nonverbal Communication • How do we feel when someone doesn’t make eye contact? • What do we infer about people who use too many hand gestures? Too few? • What messages do we read into a firm handshake? A weak handshake? • What is an example of paralanguage eliciting a different message from what is intended? • What stereotypes arise out of paralanguage? • Face and eyes • Body movement • Touch • Voice and paralanguage (the “way” we say something)

4. Less Obvious Types of Nonverbal Communication • Chronemics—Someone who can make you wait • Physical attractiveness: Clothing, personal hygiene, appearance. • Environment (the layout of a room) • Proxemics (Edward T. Hall)

5. Differences Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication • Single versus multiple channels • Discrete versus continuous • Deliberate versus unconscious • Degree of impact

6. Facts about Nonverbal Communication • Nonverbal communication is primarily relational • Nonverbal communication is ambiguous • We “count” nonverbal communication anywhere as 25%-90% more telling than verbal communication, depending on circumstance • We jump to conclusions more quickly with nonverbal messages

7. “Leakage”: Deceiving behaviors—more likely to play with personal affects. Hey, taxi! What nonverbals do we use to indicate that a meeting is coming to an end? A party? Functions of Nonverbals • Repeating • Substituting/emblems • Complementing/ accenting (illustrators—running fingers through hair, snapping fingers) • Regulating • Contradicting