Nonverbal communication 1 The basic distinction Nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication 1

The basic distinction: • Non-verbal communication • Verbal communication

Distinguishing between verbal and vocal communication • Four types of communication • 1. Verbal/vocal communication through the spoken word • 2. Verbal/nonvocal communication words are involved but no speaking takes place • 3. Nonverbal/vocal communication interjection • 4. Nonverbal/nonvocal communication nonlinquistic messages, involves only gestures and appearance

• Nonverbal communication has a biological basis. • Human nonverbal communication is linked with certain patterns of animal behavior. • During human evolution – before genesis of a speech -humans used nonverbal communication.

• Many nonverbal expressive means are not voluntary controlled. • Many nonverbal expressions are linked with vegetative reactions and reflexes. • Some features of nonverbal communication do not depend of a particular culture, others appear only within specific social groups or societies.

Interest in nonverbal communication • The research in the fields of etology and social anthropology in the 20 th century. • Importance of nonverbal information channel. • Proportion of verbal and nonverbal message in communication. • Power of nonverbal communication. • Use of knowledge about nonverbal communication.

Proportion of verbal and nonverbal message in communication • Mehrabian (1972): 93 percent of social meaning in face-to face communication is conveyed through nonverbal cues. • Birdwhistell (1970) 65 percent.

The basic elements of nonverbal communication • The basic expressive means: – facial expressions (facial gestures) – Gestures (body language) – Postures – Actions • • Spatial behavior Contact behavior Mutilation behavior Behavior in time

Spatial behavior (proxemic) • Proxemic – research of spatial behavior It covers: • Personal space • Orientation in space in relation to other people • Occupation of a space (table, office)

Territorial behavior • Territorial behavior - naturalness of animals and human beings. • Territory in animals - a part of area, which is protected against invaders (aliens) of the same species.

Territory in humans • Two types of human territory: • Official act. The territory is fenced (fences, barriers) and it is warned that the territory is private property. • Spontaneous genesis of a territory. It is based on unwritten agreements and/or nonverbal communication.

Temporary territory • Temporary territory – the human demands a space, which is not his/her permanent property. • Space, which is used transiently (e. g. a chair or a desk in a classroom, a seat in public transport)

Spatial zones

Four areas of spaces • Hall (E. T. Hall, The Silent Language, New York, Fawcett, 1959) • On the basis of observation of human behavior he distinguishes between four areas of space. Criterion – spatial distance. 1. Intimate space 2. Personal space 3. Social space 4. Public space

Intimate space • Distance approximately 0 - 45 cm • Narrow intimate space It starts with bodily contact and ends in distance 15 cm or less. • Broad intimate space Distance approximately 15 - 45 cm.

Narrow intimate space • It starts with bodily contact and ends in distance 15 cm or less. • Other persons can enter the zone in the case of protection or intimate contact. • Unintentional space violation – in public transport – an apology. A person could interpret our behavior as an attack.

Broad intimate space • Distance approximately 15 - 45 cm. • Relatives, partners, close friends can enter. • Details of skin, make-up, perspiration is very well visible. Therefore the contacts with alien persons is not agreeable.

Intimate space – the difference between urban and rural population • There is the difference in extent of intimate zone between urban and rural population. • Intimate space is more narrow in urban population than in rural one. • In rural population is intimate space approx. twice as broad as in urban inhabitants. • Countrymen shake hands in distance 1 m, while citizens in distance 45 cm.

Personal space • Distance approximately 45 - 120 cm • Narrow personal space Distance approximately 45 -90 cm. • Broad personal space Distance approximately 75 -120 cm

Narrow personal space • Distance approximately 45 -90 cm. • Close friends and relatives can enter. People can not enter to this space without permission. • Discussion with the other person is confidential.

Broad personal space • • Distance approximately 75 -120 cm. To keep distance from people. Contact with friends, social activities. In the case of violation of our personal space we often involuntary shrink back – innate defensive reaction.

Social space • Distance approximately 1, 2 - 3, 6 m. (Greater distance is not appropriate for communication closed places. ) • Narrow social space Distance 120 -210 cm. • Broad social space Distance 210 -360 cm.

Narrow social space • Distance approximately 1, 2 -2, 1 m. • Meeting with alien people and for impersonal acts.

Broad social space • Distance approximately 2, 1 -3, 6 m. • Teaching in school, meetings. It enables communication of several people.

Cultural differences: • Near distances Arab, Japan, South America, France, Grees, Italy, Spain • Intermediate distances Great Britain, Sweden, Swiss, Germany, Austria • Large distances North America (white), Australia, New Zeeland

Public space • Distance 3, 6 m and more. • This distance is maintained by politicians, commanders, officials. • It is called also “an escape area“.

Factors influencing extent of personal space • An extent of personal space depends on certain personal traits. • Introverts tends to keep a greater distance compare to extraverts. • The research in a jail (Kinzel, 1968): • Violent prisoners (violent offence) had personal space twice as broad as non-violent prisoners • Violent prisoners had feeling of danger, if somebody came near, they expected physical attack.

Communication with spatial behavior • Violation or observance personal space is involuntary perceived and estimated. • It results in correct or wrong understanding to intention of other persons. • It can help with our effort to get confidence and contact wit other person.

• The distance, from which we shake hand with other person can play an important role our effect to other person. • It can cause fear, anger or misunderstanding (without saying a word).

Positive effect of violation of personal space • In certain circumstances violation of personal space can increase common sympathy. • It must be complemented with verbal praise or other friendly nonverbal signals (smile). • In this case decrease of distance increases common sympathy, interest and willingness to cooperate.

• Recommendation: • Be able to use whole scale of distances! • The skill of manipulation with zones of other people. • To respect individual and cultural differences.

Spatial orientation • The angle between two persons.

Gender differences • Males occupy mostly frontal position, if they speak to a friend. • Females occupy mostly lateral position, if they speak to a friend.

Seating preferences at a rectangular table • Preffered kinds of a position choice in a table depend of an activity and relation between people setting around the table. • A situation affects the choice of orientation in a space.

The office of a boss – expression of dominance

• Roundtable – there are not more or less important positions

Activity in a classroom • Knapp (1978) – students sitting in front and central part of a classroom are more active and more participate to the other students.

Behavior in time (chronemic) • Temporal characteristics of communication. • Those characteristics can hold a nonverbal message. – Answer to a letter or a mail – how early? – Arrangement of an appointment. How early (several days or a hour)? – How long we wait in the office of our boss?

• Timing causes certain expectations. • Thos expectations influence subsequent verbal communication.

Late arrival • Late arrival, which disturbs rules of a social behavior. • It sends a nonverbal message. A subsequent verbal message has to refute it (or to confirm). • Cultural difference - Anglo-saxonian culture respect a rule „Time is money“, importance of punctuality. Italian and Spains approximation, early or late.

Monochronic a polychronic concept of time • Monochronic and polychronic concept of time (Hall, 1984). • Monochronic concept of time – we are doing one think in a time. • Polychronic concept of time - we are doing more thinks in a time.

Cultural differences in concept of time • Anglo-saxonian a West-European culture is monochronic, while many cultures of South are polychronic. When representants of the both culures meet each other – misunderstanding. • Each country has its own time and¨tempo (French sociologict Gurvitch, 1964). Time in France is not identical to time in Norway etc.

Mutilation behavior and its function in nonverbal communication • Mutilation behavior – results in change of extent, shape or color of human body. • Mutilation and accessories seemingly have not a communicative meaning. They reflect aesthetics feeling, social norms, beliefs, attitudes. • Communicative meaning: an individual transmits information about himself /herself.

Irreversible changes • „hard“ – Teeth zuby: vkládání ozdob, pilování – Bones of sole (China) – "soft“ – tatto

Reversible changes • Changes of color of the skin • Changes of extent and shape of human body.

Changes of color of the skin • Animals – changes of shapes and color of body occur. • Ancient times – warriors colored their faces. • Recent women – rouge, make-up, powder, creams. • Change of hair color.

Changes of extent and shape of the body. • Animals – changes of shapes and color of body occur. • Fight, courtship. • Female haircuts. The differences between extent and arrangement. Female haircuts had been very large. • Males – cut of clothes. Jacket with broad shoulder.

Clothes and accessories in nonverbal communication • Colors • Nonverbal communication with meaning of colors.

Meaning of colors • Meaning of certain colors is equal in various cultures. • Red – alarm function, a symbol of power, fight (color of a blood). Clothes – dictators, kings, bishops. • Black – agression, evil. • White – a symbol of a peace, innocence. • „Warm“ colors activate autonomous neuronal system, increase heart beat and blood pressure.