Defintional- Nonverbal Communication

In order to define non verbal communication we have to decipher between what is verbal, nonverbal, vocal and non vocal. If communication is verbal and vocal, speaking will occur. Non verbal and non vocal communication involves things such as hand placement, clothing, and gestures. All of these things can convey confidence in a person. An example on nonverbal/vocal communication would be a sigh or a groan because although I am not using words I am still communicating something. In verbal/non vocal communication, words are used but they are not spoken. An example of this would be a highway mileage sign.
It is incredibly important that we study non verbal communication because, “as much as 65 percent of all social meaning in face-to-face communication in conveyed through nonverbal cues.”(105) Non verbal cues are physical movements that get across a message. For example, when we first meet someone we usually smile. Non verbal cues are incredibly important when it comes to forming first impressions of people. Non verbal messages can replace, reinforce, and contradict verbal messages. An important part of non verbal communication is kinesics, which is the study of body movements. When a person’s verbal message contradicts their nonverbal message we call it a kinesic slip. As humans, we have to understand that everything we do, or everything we don’t do, communicates a message.
An important part of understanding nonverbal communication is interpreting what it means to have personal space. Personal space is defined as someone’s “personal bubble” that they carry with them wherever they go. A violation of personal space can result in a great amount of tension. Research on personal space focuses on the connection between “spatial arrangements…and human feelings and interaction.”(109) Everyone has a differing view of personal space, but it is important that we look for their cues so that we do not make them uncomfortable. Proxemics deals with the way humans communicate through their use of a space. An intimate distance is defined by being 0-18inches apart. This message is usually said in a whisper and is secret. Those with a personal distance are 1.5-4ft apart from each other, and they usually speak softly conveying personal “subject matter.” Social distance will be about 4-12ft, and a person’s voice will be at full volume and their message will be nonpersonal. And finally, public distance will be about 12-25 plus feet and this would include conveying public information to a group.
Throughout the world we will encounter high- and low- contact cultures. An important term when deciding this is co-culture which is a group of people that have distinctive characteristics that set them about from other members of a culture. In a high contact culture you will most likely find people who touch each other, stand closer to each other, make eye contact, and speak higher more often. An example of this would be they way that in Europe a common greeting includes being kissed on both cheeks. Those in a low contact culture will not make high contact and sit as closely as often. The United States is not defined as being high or low because we have such a mix of cultures.
Our orientation says a lot about our relationship with another person. Orientation is the, “angle of your body as you interact with another person.”(113) If you stand side to side with someone you will find that although you are closer to each other, you lack eye contact. If you stand in a vis-à-vis frame you actually stand facing the other person and you maintain eye contact. If we sit directly across someone at a rectangular table, we are usually conveying a sense of competition. The aspect of time is something that adds a great amount to the study of nonverbal communication. Chronemics is the study of how we communicate using time. A lot of times we convey something nonverbally long before we even speak. For example, if a person is running on the street in work appropriate clothes we can automatically assume that they are running late. It varies from culture to culture what is considered early or late. The United States has a reputation for moving very quickly. Time that is monochronic is linear and segmented. Monochronic people accomplish one task at a time and are very committed to their jobs. In polychronic time, many things are happening at once. Polychronic people tend to be distracted easily and they change their plans often.
The most important visual cue is facial expression. We use facial expression to, “identify a person’s social category membership,” to understand personality traits, to examine a person’s attention, to understand sincerity, and to comprehend someone’s thoughts or feelings. (118) Charles Darwin tried to discover whether or not facial expressions tend to be universal. From his studying he concluded that people express their emotions instinctively, and they are not learned. According to Matsumoto, the six universal facial expressions include disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise, and anger. These expressions are also used by animals. Many cultures have different cultural display rules and mold people to express their emotions in a certain way. Thus, if we are members of a culture, we are better at deciphering someone’s emotions of the same culture. We also tend to mimic each other unconsciously, which is called the chameleon effect. The results of this effect include increased liking and affiliation. Being able to discern someone’s facial features says a great deal about their emotional intelligence.
A person who studies eye contact, eye movements, and pupil dilation is concerned with oculesics. A human spends, “30 to 60 percent of our time in eye contact with others.” (120) Rules about eye contact include the knowledge that if someone looks away from us, they are rejecting us. If they maintain our eye contact they are accepting our “invitation”. There is more mutual eye contact between people who are friends. Speakers who maintain eye contact are more, “believable and earnest.” If someone replaces short gazes for long gazes, a person can usually conclude that they view the relationship as more important than the task at hand. Eye contact functions to regulate the flow of communication, assess feedback, express feelings, and communicate the state of the relationship.
If we observe someone’s body movements we can learn a lot about how they feel. If a person is ready for a relationship they will display signs of courtship readiness. This includes the adjustment of a tie or the fixing of hair. Positioning tells us whether or not two people are attracted to each other. If two people sit face to face and lean forward we can conclude that they are eager to get to know each other. If the woman starts flirting with the male she is giving an action of appeal. Ekman concluded that our facial expression and eye contact conveys a specific emotion, and our body gives a person an idea of the depth of that emotion.
Humans are different than animals in the way that we posses great, “manual dexterity.” Our hand gestures rank second in our non verbal cues. A person who stands with their palms up is conveying that they are a nonthreatening individual. On the other hand, if a person stands with their palms down they are putting themselves in an authoritative position. In some cultures, if a person closes their palms and points their fingers it is considered offensive. Pointing is also something that many people consider offensive. A study also concluded that using hand gestures increases our thinking skills. People who are deaf can only use hand gestures to communicate which says a lot about how much we can convey through using them.
Haptics deals with how someone uses touch to communicate. Touch from others is essential for children to grow and for adults to be emotionally stable. Different relationships have different views on touch. Friends will usually hug whereas a couple will kiss. Touch varies in gender and culture. Our touch can increase, “self disclosure and compliant behavior.”(126)There are seven different types of touch researchers have found. Positive affect touches include, “touches of support…affection, physical attraction, and sexual interest.”(126) Playful aggression and affection is conveyed through playful touch. A control touch is used to ask for compliance. A greeting or goodbye is signaled using ritualistic touches. If the greeting or departure includes affection it is a hybrid touch. An example of a task related touch would be saying that you like a certain fabric while rubbing it. When we unintentionally brush someone it is an accidental touch. If a person has touch avoidance they have a negative attitude towards the use of touch, and it can affect, “proxemics and nonverbal communication.”(127)
Our physical appearance can say a lot about us as individuals. Objectics studies how we use physical objects to communicate nonverbally. How we present ourselves to others through clothing speak a great depth about our confidence. For instance, someone who wears sweats and never does their hair is most likely going to be viewed as someone who does not care about their physical appearance. On the other hand, someone who takes pride in themselves and dresses nicely understands that first impressions are formed based on appearance. What someone wears also tells us about their status. A person with a navy uniform is obviously in the navy, and a person wearing scrubs most likely works in a medical field. Objects are also things that convey messages easily. These objects can include displaying an American flag, or a pink ribbon for breast cancer. The norms of clothing, appearance, and objects differ greatly from culture to culture. In America, a lot of people tend to buy large houses and drive sports cars because they know it conveys their social class.
There is a huge difference between what is said and how it was said. Paralinguistics is, “the study of vocal phenomena.”(130) There are two components of paralinguistics- voice qualities (pitch, range, resonance, lip control, and articulation and control), and vocalizations such as laughing, sighing, or crying. If emotions are similar, our ability to identify them becomes less. If we speak at a low volume we become a source of interference for the listener. Researchers have found that aggressive people tend to speak loudly, whereas submissive people tend to speak quietly. In order for us to know whether our volume is appropriate we have to look for feedback from the listener. Rate of speech is defined as the, “number of words you utter within a specified time.”(131) The normal speaking rate is around 125-150 words per minute. Faster speech has been linked with feeling nervous or scared. Speaking rate differs from person to person, and some people have the ability to maintain control despite their emotions. Speaking rate differs from person to person, and some people have the ability to maintain control despite their emotions. Our rate of speech and number of pauses affects our fluency, or our ability to stay consistent. This is why it is important to refrain from using, “like, um, or er.” Our pitch is the high or low level of our voice. A speaker who varies their pitch is usually more captivating than a speaker who stays monotone. A person who is expressing something naturally will usually use a variety of pitch tones which conveys sincerity. Every person in the world has a different voice quality which makes us unique. Factors that affect this are the size and shape of our bodies. In our culture we do not like hoarseness or harshness. It is true that having, “an attractive voice is a distinct advantage.”(134) We can improve or vocal quality with training.
The study of nonverbal communication can be incredibly important in helping us to determine whether a person is lying or telling the truth. Research has found that humans are far better at detecting truth than they are at detecting deception. Even if we have a close relationship with someone, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we will have an easier time telling if they are deceiving us. People who lie tend to display more nonverbal cues that connect with deception. This might include a higher rate of speech or frequent pauses. Liars usually decrease their movements, which is a common misconception. If someone smiles and maintains eye contact it does not mean they are telling the truth either. When it comes to eyes, blinking and pupil dilation can tell us a lot about whether or not the individual is being truthful or not. A person who is deceiving will usually speak in a higher pitch with greater “vocal stress.” These two things are defined as leakage or signs of deception. If a speaker responds quickly, it can usually indicate that he or she is presenting a prepared lie. Someone who is telling the truth will usually take a moment to gather their thoughts. If a person’s voice is flat and deeper toned we can usually conclude that they are experiencing “over control” because they fear leakage. A technology that has been used for almost 15 years is voice stress analysis, and it can be very helpful in, “registering subtle emotion changes.”(137) Our feedback says a lot about whether we believe a person or not.
As we study non verbal communication, we not only become more fluent ourselves, but we also become more emotionally intelligent. Non verbal cues are all around us! All we have to do is sit back and take them in.

Bibliography:
Tubbs, Stewart, & Moss, Sylvia (1974). Human Communication. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill .