Non Verbal Communication Textbook Notes PDF

Preview

Summary

Download Non Verbal Communication Textbook Notes PDF

Description

Non Verbal Communication: Basic Perspectives • Everyone possesses a wealth of knowledge, beliefs and experience regarding non verbal communication • 3 aspects of non-verbal communication  sending non-verbal messages  

receiving non-verbal messages complex interplay between sending and receiving • The goal is for the receiver to understand you through a non-verbal cue  Tone of voice, posture, facial expression • Non-verbal messages can be sent unintentionally • People live in a sea of static and dynamic non-verbal messages  They come to you when interacting with others and when your alone • Verbal messages are meaningless unless someone’s there to interpret them • The process of receiving non-verbal messages includes giving meaning to or interpreting messages • A receiver may focus on one cue • We are experts at non-verbal communication, but not in the scientific way Defining Non-verbal Communication • Non-verbal communication: communication effected by means other than words, assuming words are the verbal element • Separating verbal and non verbal behavior into two distinct categories is virtually impossible  E.g. ASL o Gesticulations are mostly linguistic (verbal), but hand gestures are actions, not words • Our definition doesn’t indicate whether the phrase “by means other then words” means the type of signal produced or the perceivers code of interpretation Processing Non-verbal Information • Each hemisphere of the brain processes different information  Right side processes visual/spatial and analogic relationships



Left side processes sequentially ordered, digital, verbal and linguistic information

• Non-verbal messages can be processed by either hemisphere • Both hemispheres can work simultaneously Awareness and Control • Non-verbal behavior is encoded with varying degrees of control and awareness • When we use speech independent gestures, pose for pictures, or select attire, a high level of awareness and control is present • People may enact a certain behavior unconsciously or consciously • Decoding non-verbal behavior may be performed with varying degrees of awareness Classifying Non-verbal Behavior • Theory and research associated focus on 3 primary units  Environmental structures and conditions o Physical  People change environments to help accomplish their communicative goals  Environments can affect moods, choices of words, and actions o Spatial  Proxemics: study of the use and perception of social and personal space  Small group ecology: concerns itself with how people use and respond to spatial relationships in formal and informal group settings





Personal space orientation: studied in context of conversation distance and how it varies according to sex, status, roles, cultural orientation



Territoriality: proxemics to denote the human tendency

Physical characteristics

o Static non-verbal cues include a persons physique or body shape, general attractiveness, height, weight, hair, skin color/tone o Artifacts: objects associated with ineractants that may affect physical appearance 

Body movement and position o Gestures; movements of limbs, hands, feet and legs o Types of gestures  Speech independent  Gestures have a well known verbal translation in their usage community  E.g. gesturing “okay” or “peace” 

Speech related  Gestures directly tied to speech and often serve to illustrate what is being said verbally  Movements may accent or emphasize a word or

phrase o Posture determines the degree of attention or involvement  E.g. forward leaning posture represents a higher involvement o Touching behavior can be self or other focused  Many self focused actions are called nervous mannerisms o Facial expressions  Configurations that display various emotional states  6 primary affects 

anger, sad, surprise, happiness, fear, disgust o Eye behavior  Where we look  

When we look How long we look during an interaction o Vocal behavior  Two types of sound 

Sound variations made with vocal cords during speech that are a function of changes in pitch, duration and loudness



Sounds that result primarily from physiological mechanisms other than vocal cords

Non-verbal Communication in the Total Communication Process • Verbal and non-verbal systems operate together as part of a larger communication process • Common misconception: non-verbal behavior is solely used to communicate emotional messages and verbal is for conveying ideas • Non-verbal actions may communicate more then one message at a time • 3 fold perspective  Immediacy o We react to things by evaluating them as positive and negative 

Status o We enact or perceive behaviors that indicate various aspects of status to us



Responsiveness o Our perceptions of activity as being slow or fast

• Ways that non-verbal and verbal signals interrelate during interaction  Repeating o Non-verbal communication can repeat what was said  Conflicting o Verbal and non-verbal signals can be at variance with one another o They can communicate contradictory messages o 3 step process to reacting to conflicting messages  confusion and uncertainty   

search for additional information that will help clarify if clarification doesn’t work, then react with displeasure, hostility or withdrawal

Complementing o Non-verbal behavior can modify or elaborate verbal messages o When the messages are complementary rather then conflicting, our messages decode more accurately o Complementary messages are useful for recall



Substituting

o Non-verbal behavior can substitute for verbal messages o When substituted non-verbal behavior doesn’t 

Accenting/moderating o Non-verbal behavior can accent (amplify) or moderate (tone down) parts of verbal messages o Accenting is like underling or italicizing



Regulating o Non-verbal behavior is used to regular verbal behavior  Coordinating our own verbal and non-verbal behavior in the production of our messages  Coordinating our verbal and nonverbal message behavior with those of our interaction partners

Historical Trends in Non-verbal Research • Primarily a post WWII study • During the 20th century, there were isolated studies of the voice, physical appearance and dress and the face • Many popular research books • These books aroused the publics interest in non-verbal communication, but they incurred fallout  Readers were left with idea that non-verbal cues were key to success 

Once non-verbal code was broken, we would be totally transparent – everyone would know everything about us

• Many different ways that non-verbal search continues to change Non-verbal Communication in Everyday Life • Non-verbal signals are a part of communicative endeavors • Non-verbal signals are the most important part of the message • Understanding and using non-verbal behavior is crucial to every social encounter • Non-verbal cues are just as important as choosing the right words

01/08/2016 •

01/08/2016 •...