8: Nonverbal
8.1: Principles and Functions of Nonverbal Communication
Artifacts: Objects and possessions that surround us such as clothes, jewelry and space decorations
Immediacy behaviors: Verbal and nonverbal behaviors the lessen real or perceived physical and psychological distance between communicators; includes smiling, nodding, eye contact, and occasional social, polite, or professional touch
Mixed messages: Messages in which verbal and nonverbal signals contradict each other
Nonverbal communication: A process of generating meaning using behavior other than words; includes vocal elements (paralanguage) and nonvocal elements (body language).
Paralanguage: Vocalized, but not verbal, part of a spoken message such as rate, volume and pitch that add meaning to communication
Tie signs: Nonverbal cues that communicate intimacy and signal the connection between two people
8.2: Types of Nonverbal Communication
Accenting: A function of vocalics in that vocalic cues allow us to emphasize particular parts of a message, which helps determine meaning; for example, “She is my friend” or “She is my friend”
Adaptors: Touching behaviors and movements that indicate internal states typically related to arousal or anxiety; for example, clicking pens, shaking legs, etc.
Chronemics: The study of how time affects communication; includes how different time cycles affects communication and the differences between people who are past or future oriented, etc.
Complementing: A function of vocalics in that vocalic cues elaborate on or modify verbal and nonverbal meaning; for example, using pitch and volume to say “I love pickles” would add context to the meaning of the sentence, such as the degree to which the person loves pickles or the use of sarcasm
Contradicting: A function of vocalics in that vocalic cues may contradict other verbal or nonverbal signals; for example, a person could say, “I’m fine” in a quick short tone that indicates otherwise
Emblems: Gestures that have a specific agreed upon meaning; for example, a hitchhiker’s raised thumb which in the US would mean, “I need a ride.”
Haptics: The study of communication by touch
Illustrators: Gestures used to illustrate the verbal message they accompany; for example, using hand gestures to indicate the size or shape of an object
Intimate space: Within 1.5 feet of our body; reserved for our closest friends, family, and romantic/intimate partners
Kinesics: The study of hand, arm, body and face movements
Monochronic: Cultures where people tend to schedule their time rigidly and value punctuality
Oculesics: The study of eye behaviors on communication, especially eye contact; sometimes considered a subset of kinesics
Personal presentation and environment: How the objects we adorn ourselves and our surroundings with, provide nonverbal cues that others make meaning from; how our physical environment influences communication; for example, the layout seating positions in a room influences communication
Personal space: 1.5 – 4 feet away from our body; thought of as our “personal space bubble”; reserved for friends, close acquaintances, and significant others
Pitch: A tonal quality that helps convey meaning, regulate conversational flow, and communicate the intensity of a message
Polychronic: Cultures where people do not view time as a linear progression and tend to be more flexible with expected scheduling
Proxemics: The study of how space and distance influence communication
Public space: The space zone four or more feet away from our body; communication in this zone is typically formal and not intimate
Regulating: A function of vocalics in that vocalic cues help regulate the flow of conversations; for example, falling pitch and slowing rate of speaking usually indicate the end of a speaking turn
Repetition: A function of vocalics in that vocalic cues reinforce other verbal and nonverbal cues; for example, saying “I’m not sure” with an uncertain tone
Social space: The space 4-12 feet away from our body, typically in the context of a professional or casual interaction, not intimate or public
Substituting: A function of vocalics in that vocalic cues can take the place of other verbal of nonverbal cues; for example, saying “uh huh” instead of “I am listening and understand what you’re saying.”
Territoriality: An innate drive to take up and defend spaces
Vocalics: The study of paralangage, which includes vocal qualities such as pitch, volume, rate, vocal quality, and verbal fillers
Verbal fillers: Sounds that fill gaps speech between words
8.3: Nonverbal Communication Competence
Civil attention: A social norm that leads us to avoid making eye contact with people in situations that deviate from expected social norms; for example, avoiding eye contact with people on an elevator
Formal time: Professional situations in which we are expected to be on time or even a few minutes early; for example, not being late for work or being early for a job interview
Informal time: Casual and interpersonal situations in which there is variation in terms of expectations for promptness; for example, arriving 30 minutes late for dinner in a large city due to heavy traffic
Mirroring: The subconscious practice of using nonverbal cues in a way that match those of others around us
Nonverbal cluster: Mutichannels of nonverbal behaviors that combine to form a message; for example, posture may be combined with eye contact or touch to send a message
Nonverbal congruence: Consistency among different nonverbal expressions within a cluster
Nonverbal leakage: Nonverbal behaviors that occur as we try to control the cognitive and physical changes that happen during states of cognitive and physical arousal; for example, someone may claim they are not embarrassed, yet they cannot control their face turning red as a result of being embarrassed
Truth bias: A force which leads us to believe that a person is telling the truth, especially if we know and like that person
8.4: Nonverbal Communication in Context
Contact culture: Cultural groups in which people stand closer together, engage in more eye contact, touch more frequently, and speak more loudly; for example, Italians greet each other with a kiss on the cheek and use hand motions and touching to regulate the flow of conversations
Monochronic time orientation: An orientation that sees time as a commodity that can be budgeted, saved, spent, and wasted; time is linear with events scheduled in advance with set beginning and ending times
Noncontact culture: Cultural groups in which people stand farther apart while talking, make less eye contact, and touch less during regular interactions; for example, in Japan, bowing is preferred over shaking hands as a nonverbal greeting
Polychronic time orientation: A method of managing time where many events occur at once; cultures that use polychronic time tend to value relationships over schedules because time is less predictable
