Chapter 5 Nonverbal Communication The Messages of Action

Chapter 5 Nonverbal Communication: The Messages of Action, Space, Time & Silence

Nonverbal behavior is often directly linked to a culture’s worldview and value orientation.

Importance of Nonverbal Communication: Judging internal states – people use nonverbal communication to express attitudes and emotions First impressions Managing interaction

Defining nonverbal communication • any message other than words that we assign meaning to For U. S. & U. K. cultures: - 65% of a message is nonverbal - 35% is verbal - When the verbal message contradicts the nonverbal, people usually believe the nonverbal over the verbal

Functions of nonverbal communication: - Repeating - Complementing (illustrators) – supplement the verbal - Substituting – substitute for the verbal words e. g. “ok” - Regulating – regulate interaction e. g. head nods; backchanneling - Contradicting - Expressing emotion – happiness, anger, sadness - Expressing affection – love; intimacy; endearment - Indicate status differences - Indicate type of relationship

Principles of Nonverbal communication: 1. You cannot stop sending nonverbal messages; You cannot, NOT communicate! 2. Nonverbal communication is often ambiguous 3. In American culture & U. K. , when the verbal message contradicts the nonverbal messages, we believe the nonverbal over the verbal (aka channel consistency vs. . channel discrepancy) 4. Much of nonverbal communication is culture specific; culturally bound

Types of Nonverbal Signals: - Physical appearance – dress; body type, skin color, hair, eye color, etc. Judgments of beauty are learned. Point: we need to be tolerant of external differences so that we do not let these differences impede communication.

• Body movement/kinesics – posture and gestures (using one’s hands and arms) o emblems – substitute for words o illustrators – supplement the verbal o regulators – regulate interaction • Facial expressions – “gosh!”, “really? ? !!”

Eye contact & gaze In the U. S. culture & U. K. cultures: a sign of attention and interest regulates interaction the average length of gaze is 2. 95 sec. (when gaze is < 1. 18 sec. , we tend to think the person is not interested, shy or preoccupied) direct eye contact is considered an expression of honesty and forthrightness

Haptics • a type of kinesic behavior involving touch • reflects a culture’s attitudes and values • types: sexual, playful, control, ritual, greeting or departure, task-related, accidental, etc. • some cultures are more touch avoidant than others.

Smell Odor communicates Smell and memory are closely connected Smell can alter moods and increase alertness

Paralanguage/vocalics • The sounds we generate apart from words: rate, tone, pitch, pauses, volume, laughter, accents, dialects, noises & backchanneling (“mmm hmm”).

Space & Distance or Proxemics • a person’s use of space is directly related to the value system of his/her culture. • personal space – when your space is violated, you react; your reaction is a manifestation of your cultural background. U. S. culture territory: 0 – 18” intimates 1 – 4’ casual personal distance 4 – 12’ impersonal/social distance 12’ > public distance - Seating – furniture arrangement; illustrate power & relationship

Time/Chronemics How we use time communicates something. Culture plays a substantial role in how we perceive and use time. Our use of time is very much dictated by the values of our culture. - Past, Present & future time orientations • Monochronic (M-time) – time is fixed in nature; time is a scarce resource • Polychromic (P-time) – time is holistic; stress people over process; unstructured (p. 196)

Silence • • silence communicates silence is also speech silence holds a powerful message knowing when and when NOT to speak is to gain intercultural competence – e. g. Japanese - “It is the duck that squawks that gets shot. ” American – “The squeaky wheel gets the oil. ”

Types of Nonverbal Ability: Encoding skill Decoding ability (sensitivity) Skill in regulating or controlling nonverbal communication Competence regarding these abilities (skills) depends on knowing the rules of the specific culture.

Nonverbal Communication and Culture: • From your use of eye contact to the amount of volume you employ during interaction, your culture influences the manner in which you send and receive nonverbal symbols. • Being able to achieve interaction goals (becoming competent) depends on knowing the rules of the culture(s) we’re dealing with. • Be careful not to assume that people are communicating only when they talk.