Welcome Nonverbal Communication Communicating Without Words We all

Welcome! Nonverbal Communication

Communicating Without Words • We all communicate nonverbally • By analyzing nonverbal cues, we can – enhance our understanding – define relationships

Cues and Contexts n We communicate nonverbally through l our bodies and appearance l the environment we create and live in

Cues and Contexts n Nonverbal communication § Perpetual § Frequently involuntary n Verbal and nonverbal messages § Clear messages § Mixed messages –words and actions contradiction

Aspects of Nonverbal Communication n Kinesics – the study of body language l Facial Expressions = emotion display

Posture and Gestures n Posture sends messages: l l l n Content and confident? Angry and belligerent? Worried and discouraged? Flight or Fight The way you feel about those with whom you are communicating Gestures sends messages: l l Movements of arms, legs, hands, and feet send messages about us Gestures do not have universal meanings

Functions of Nonverbal Communication n n Message Reinforcement n “I love you” & kisses Message Negation n “We need to spend less time together” & moving closer Message Substitution n Pointing/gestures/ “OK” sign Message Accentuation n “I’m so angry!” & pulling on hair Message Regulation n eye contact/posture/gestures n Signals flow of conversation

Clothing and Artifacts n Artifactual communication – the use of personal adornments l Extremely important in creating a first impression l Dress and chosen images should change as our roles change l Sometimes the basis for judgments regarding success, character, dominance, and competence

Paralanguage n Paralanguage – vocal cues that accompany language l Pitch n Habitual pitch l Volume l Rate l Pauses n Nonfluencies n Silence

Space and Distance n Distances l l n Intimate: 0 -18 inches Personal: 18 inches to 4 ft. Social: 4 to 12 ft. Public: 12 ft. to limit of sight Spaces l l l Informal: highly mobile and can be quickly changed Semifixed-feature: the use of objects to create distance Fixed-feature: relatively permanent objects to define the environment around us

Territoriality and Personal Space n Territoriality – the need to demonstrate a possessive or ownership relationship to space l Markers – used to establish territory or reserve one’s space

Colors n Color affects us emotionally and physiologically l Some of the emotions colors can trigger: n Excitement n Warmth n Passion and sensuality n Happiness n Relaxation n Persuasion

Haptics n Haptics – the study of the use of touch Culturally conditioned l Correlates positively with openness, comfort with relationships l Can reflect status l Valued differently by different cultures l

Olfactics • Sense of smell • Perceptions of odors/scents – Good – Bad – Yucky! • Curry

Gender and Nonverbal Behavior n Visual Dominance – measured by comparing the percentage of looking while speaking with the percentage of looking while listening l Men – higher levels of looking while speaking l Women – higher levels of looking while listening

Cross Cultural Communication • Video: A world of food tastes and taboos in different cultures

Diversity and Nonverbal Behavior n Contact cultures vs. Low-contact cultures n Different cultures may express emotion or intimacy in different ways n Cultural background also affects their use of touch and personal space n Identical nonverbal cues may still convey different meanings in different cultures

Diversity and Nonverbal Behavior High-context cultures n Information drawn from surroundings Environment q Warmer climates q Gestures q Mood q Low-context cultures n n n Emphasis is on words Nonverbal less important Segment/compartmentalize communication Knowledge is commodity Need to know basis Environment q Cooler climates

Chronemics n Using time to communicate l The meaning of time differs around the world l “Time talks” n Last minute invitations n Habitual tardiness n Leaving early n Allocation of certain activities to appropriate times n Structure time differently

Diversity and Nonverbal Behavior Western Cultures: n Time is manipulated n Time is q Present q Past q Future n Time is resource n Time is aspect of history Eastern Cultures: n Time simply exists n Time in present is more important than past or future n Time is a limited pool n Time has a ripple effect

My Big Fat Greek Wedding Group Discussion • What were the cultural aspects of nonverbal communication readily noticed in the film? – – Cues and context Face; Posture; Gestures Paralanguage Clothing – – – Space and Distance Color Time Haptics Gender – How did the families deal with the differences? – How did the couple handle these differences

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