hLLp//wwwblaLnercom/adam/level2/nverb1hLm

ABOUT NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONS

Part 1: GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS*
Adam Blatner, M.D.
%evlsed !une 29 2009)


( n PurL z 'II LuIk ubouL Iow peopIe cun Ieurn Lo become more sensILIve Lo LIIs dImensIon oI
Iumun experIence.)
PsycIoLIerupIsLs, group Ieuders In munugemenL LruInIng, puLIenLs LIemseIves, und peopIe
In personuI growLI progrums uII cun beneIIL Irom IeurnIng ubouL LIe nuLure und ImpucL oI
nonverbuI communIcuLIons. TIIs puper wIII revIew LIe mujor cuLegorIes oI LIIs dImensIon oI
InLerpersonuI beIuvIor.
TIe mujor cuLegorIes oI nonverbuI communIcuLIons IncIude LIe IoIIowIng (und wIII be
dIscussed In greuLer deLuII IurLIer):

personuI spuce eye conLucL posILIon
posLure puruIunguuge expressIon
gesLure LoucI IocomoLIon
pucIng udornmenL conLexL
pIysIoIogIc responses
The SigniIicunce oI Nonverbul Commonicutions
$LuLed brIeIIy, Iow someLIIng Is expressed muy curry more sIgnIIIcunce und weIgIL LIun wIuL Is
suId, LIe words LIemseIves. AccompunIed by u smIIe or u Irown, suId wILI u Ioud, scoIdIng voIce or u
genLIe, eusy one, LIe conLenLs oI our communIcuLIons ure Irumed by our IoIIsLIc percepLIons oI LIeIr
conLexL. TIose sendIng LIe messuges muy Ieurn Lo undersLund LIemseIves beLLer us weII us IeurnIng
Lo exerL some greuLer conscIousness ubouL LIeIr munner oI speecI. TIose receIvIng LIe messuges
muy Ieurn Lo beLLer undersLund LIeIr own InLuILIve responses-someLImes In conLrusL Lo wIuL IL
seems "reusonubIe" Lo LIInk.
PurL oI our cuILure InvoIves un unspoken ruIe LIuL peopIe sIouId Ignore LIese nonverbuI
eIemenLs- us II LIe InjuncLIon were, "Ieur wIuL suy, und don'L noLIce LIe wuy suy IL."
TIese eIemenLs ure oILen Ignored In scIooI or overrIdden by purenLs, so LIe Lusk oI
IncorporuLIng conscIous sensILIvILy Lo nonverbuI communIcuLIons Is mude more dIIIIcuIL.
I course LIe eurIy LIerupIsLs uLLended Lo sucI cues, buL IILLIe wus wrILLen ubouL wuys Lo
reuIIy brIng sucI eIemenLs InLo sIurper uwureness unLII LIe work oI pIoneers sucI us ReIcI,
Moreno, und PerIs. Even Loduy muny cIInIcuI LruInIng progrums gIve sIorL sIrIIL Lo LIe Lusk
oI reuIIy ucquuInLIng LIeIr sLudenLs wILI LIe nuunces oI LIIs vILuI dImensIon. ( specuIuLe
LIuL LIIs Is becuuse IL Is u very reveuIIng sLudy, und LeucIers need Lo IeeI remurkubIy secure
In LIeIr own personu, LIuL wuy LIey come ucross Lo oLIers.)
nternul Coes
onverbuI communIcuLIon occurs noL onIy beLween peopIe, buL uIso InLernuIIy. PeopIe grImuce,
sLund In cerLuIn posLures, und In oLIer wuys beIuve so us Lo reInIorce Lo LIemseIves cerLuIn
posILIons, uLLILudes, und ImpIIcIL beIIeIs. UnconscIousIy, LIey suggesL Lo LIemseIves LIe roIe LIey
cIoose Lo pIuy, submIssIve or domInunL, LrusLIng or wury, conLroIIed or sponLuneous. TIus, u
LIerupIsL cun use nonverbuI beIuvIor Lo dIugnose InLrupsycIIc us weII us InLerpersonuI dynumIcs,
und IndIvIduuIs cun be IeIped Lo become uwure oI LIeIr own bodIIy reucLIons us cIues Lo LIeIr
deveIopIng greuLer InsIgIL.
eurning by oing
PeopIe und especIuIIy, peopIe wIo work wILI or IeIp oLIer peopIe-munugers, LeucIers, eLc.--wouId
do weII Lo reud ubouL nonverbuI communIcuLIons. (L wIII uIso IeIp Lo reud PurL z, ubouL Iow Lo use
experIenLIuI exercIses Lo ucLuuIIy geL LIe IeeI oI u wIde runge oI beIuvIors. TIIs udds u deeper IeveI oI
undersLundIng Lo mere InLeIIecLuuI knowIedge.)
Cutegories oI Nonverbul Commonicutions
Personol Spoce: TIIs cuLegory reIers Lo LIe dIsLunce wIIcI peopIe IeeI comIorLubIe upproucIIng
oLIers or IuvIng oLIers upproucI LIem. PeopIe Irom cerLuIn counLrIes, sucI us purLs oI uLIn
AmerIcu or LIe MIddIe EusL oILen IeeI comIorLubIe sLundIng cIoser Lo eucI oLIer, wIIIe persons oI
orLIern Europeun descenL Lend Lo preIer u reIuLIveIy greuLer dIsLunce. DIIIerenL dIsLunces ure uIso
InLuILIveIy ussIgned Ior sILuuLIons InvoIvIng InLImuLe reIuLIons, ordInury personuI reIuLIonsIIps (e.g.,
IrIends), socIuI reIuLIons (e.g., co-workers or suIespeopIe), or In pubIIc pIuces (e.g., In purks,
resLuurunLs, or on LIe sLreeL. (KeILner, 1q;o).
e Contoct: TIIs rIcI dImensIon speuks voIumes. TIe $punIsI womun In LIe IneLeenLI
CenLury combIned eye Iunguuge wILI LIe uId oI u Iun Lo suy wIuL wus noL permIssIbIe Lo
express expIIcILIy. Eye conLucL modIIIes LIe meunIng oI oLIer nonverbuI beIuvIors. or
exumpIe, peopIe on eIevuLors or crowds cun udjusL LIeIr sense oI personuI spuce II LIey ugree
Lo IImIL eye conLucL. WIuL Iuppens II LIIs convenLIon Isn'L IoIIowed? ($cIeIIen, 1q;z.) TIIs
Issue oI eye conLucL Is unoLIer ImporLunL uspecL oI nonverbuI communIcuLIon.
Modern AmerIcun busIness cuILure vuIues u IuIr degree oI eye conLucL In InLerpersonuI
reIuLIons, und IookIng uwuy Is sensed us uvoIdunce or even devIousness. However, some
cuILures ruIse cIIIdren Lo mInImIze eye conLucL, especIuIIy wILI uuLIorILy IIgures, IesL one be
perceIved us urrogunL or "uppILy." WIen cuILures InLerucL, LIIs InIIbILIon oI guze muy be
mIsInLerpreLed us "pussIve uggressIve" or worse.
Position: TIe posILIon one Lukes vIs-u-vIs LIe oLIer(s), uIong wILI LIe prevIous Lwo
cuLegorIes oI dIsLunce beLween peopIe und ungIe oI eye conLucL uII ure subsumed under u
more generuI cuLegory oI "proxemIcs" In LIe wrILIngs on nonverbuI communIcuLIons
($cIeIIen, 1q6).
Posture: A person's bodIIy sLunce communIcuLes u rIcI vurIeLy oI messuges. ConsIder LIe
IoIIowIng posLures und LIe emoLIonuI eIIecL LIey seem Lo suggesL:

sIoucIIng sLIII sIumped
LwIsLed (wury) crIngIng LowerIng
croucIIng ungIed Lorso Iegs spreud
peIvIs LIIL sIouIders Iorwurd generuI LIgILness
kneeIIng ungIe oI Ieud juw LIrusL

Porolonguoge: "on-IexIcuI" vocuI communIcuLIons muy be consIdered u Lype oI nonverbuI
communIcuLIon, In ILs broudesL sense, us IL cun suggesL muny emoLIonuI nuunces. TIIs cuLegory
IncIudes u number oI sub-cuLegorIes:
nIIecLIon (rIsIng, IuIIIng, IIuL...)
PucIng (rupId, sIow, meusured, cIungIng...)
nLensILy (Ioud, soIL, breuLIy,... )
Tone (nusuI, operuLIc, growIIng, wIeedIIng, wIInIng...)
PILcI (IIgI, medIum, Iow, cIunges...)
Puuses (meunIngIuI, dIsorgunIzed, sIy, IesILunL...)

We sIouId noL underesLImuLe LIe power oI Lone oI voIce. AnoLIer semI-IInguIsLIc eIemenL Is dIuIecL,
und LIIs cun uIso be subLIe und wILIIn LIe cuILure, suggesLIng cIuss, uge, sopIIsLIcuLIon, eLc. How u
person uses LIe Iunguuge---Loo snooLy, Loo Iow-cIuss?---or regIonuI dIuIecL, uII cuII up unconscIous
ussocIuLIons und possIbIe prejudIces. TIere's uIso LIe probIem oI undersLund-ubIIILy, wIIcI uppIIes
noL onIy Lo peopIe Irom oLIer cuILures or nuLIons, buL uIso InLer-generuLIonuIIy. $ome LeIevIsIon
progrums Iuve LIeIr cIurucLers speukIng so rupIdIy und oILen soILIy LIuL IoIks oI un oIder generuLIon
cun IurdIy Ieur or keep up---even wILI LIe voIume Lurned up.
ociol pression: TIe Iuce Is more IIgIIy deveIoped us un orgun oI expressIon In
Iumuns LIun uny oLIer unImuI. $ome oI LIese become quILe IubILuuI, uImosL IIxed InLo LIe
cIronIc muscuIur sLrucLure oI LIe Iuce. or InsLunce, In some purLs oI LIe $ouLI, LIe regIonuI
puLLern oI IoIdIng LIe juw LIgIL creuLes u sIIgIL buIge In LIe LempIes due Lo un overgrowLI or
"IyperLropIy" oI LIose juw muscIes LIuL urIse In LIuL ureu. TIIs creuLes u cIurucLerIsLIc
uppeurunce. TIe squInL oI peopIe wIo IIve u IoL In LIe sun Is unoLIer exumpIe. More
LrunsIenL expressIons oILen reveuI IeeIIngs LIuL u person Is noL InLendIng Lo communIcuLe or
even uwure oI. Here ure jusL u Iew Lo wurm you up:

pensIve umused sud bureIy LoIerunL
wurnIng pouLIng unxIous sexuuIIy uLLrucLed
sLurLIed conIused sIeepy InLoxIcuLed

esture: TIere ure muny kInds oI gesLures:
cIencIIng IIsL sIukIng u IInger poInLIng
bILIng IIngernuIIs LuggIng uL IuIr squIrmIng
rubbIng cIIn smooLIIng IuIr IoIdIng urms
ruIsIng eyebrows pursIng IIps nurrowIng eyes
scruLcIIng Ieud IookIng uwuy Iunds on IIps
Iunds beIInd Ieud rubbIng nose rockIng
sLIckIng ouL Longue LuggIng eurIobe wuvIng

TIese, Loo, Iuve muny dIIIerenL meunIngs In dIIIerenL cuILures, und wIuL muy be IrIendIy In one
counLry or regIon cun be un InsuIL In unoLIer (MorrIs eL uI, 1q;q, MugInnIs, 1q8).
%ouch: How one person LoucIes unoLIer communIcuLes u greuL deuI oI InIormuLIon: s u
grIp genLIe or IIrm, und does one IoId LIe oLIer person on LIe buck oI LIe upper urm, on LIe
sIouIder, or In LIe mIddIe oI LIe buck. s LIe gesLure u pusI or u Lug? s LIe LoucI cIoser Lo u
puL, u rub, or u grubbIng? PeopIe Iuve dIIIerenL ureus oI personuI InLImucy, und LIIs reIers
noL onIy Lo LIe sexuuI dImensIon, buL uIso LIe dImensIon oI seII conLroI. Muny udoIescenLs
ure purLIcuIurIy sensILIve Lo uny LoucIIng LIuL couId be InLerpreLed us puLronIzIng or undue
IumIIIurILy. Even LIe ungIe oI one's IoIdIng unoLIer's Iund mIgIL suggesL u IurryIng or
coercIve ImpIIcIL uLLILude, or on LIe oLIer Iund, u respecLIuI, genLIe, permIssIon-gIvIng
upproucI ($mILI, CIunce & mes, 1qq8, Jones, 1qqq).
ocomotion: TIe sLyIe oI pIysIcuI movemenL In spuce uIso communIcuLes u greuL deuI, us
weII us uIIecLIng LIe IeeIIngs oI LIe person doIng LIe movIng (MorrIs, 1q;;):
sIILIer cruwI LoLLer wuIk
sLroII sIuIIIe Iurry run
jog sprIng LIpLoe murcI
jump Iop skIp cIImb
swIng ucrobuLIcs swIm sIInk

Pocing: TIIs Is LIe wuy un ucLIon Is done.
jerky pressured nervous gruduuI
gruceIuI IuLIgued Lense eusy
sIuky deIIberuLe IurLIve cIumsy

A reIuLed vurIubIe Is LIe LIme IL Lukes Lo reucL Lo u sLImuIus, cuIIed "IuLency oI response." $ome
peopIe seem Lo reucL Lo quesLIons, InLerucL In conversuLIons, or ure sIower or IusLer "on LIe upLuke"
LIun oLIers.
/ornment: ur communIcuLIons ure uIso uIIecLed by u vurIeLy oI oLIer vurIubIes, sucI us
cIoLIes, mukeup, und uccessorIes. TIese oIIer sIgnuIs reIuLIng Lo conLexL (e.g. IormuI vs.
InIormuI), sLuLus, und IndIvIduuIILy. TIe wuys peopIe curry cIgureLLes, pIpes, cunes, or reIuLe
Lo LIeIr beILs, suspenders, or gIusses uIso suggesLs dIIIerenL semIoLIc meunIngs. ($emIoLIcs Is
LIe scIence oI LIe emoLIonuI or psycIoIogIcuI ImpucL oI sIgns, uppeurunces-noL words-
LIuL's "semunLIcs"-- buL oI Iow LIIngs Iook.)
ConLexL: WIIIe LIIs cuLegory Is noL ucLuuIIy u mode oI nonverbuI communIcuLIon, LIe seLLIng
up oI u room or Iow one pIuces oneseII In LIuL room Is u powerIuIIy suggesLIve ucLIon.
WIere one sILs In LIe group Is oILen useIuI In dIugnosIng LIuL person's uLLILude Lowurd LIe
sILuuLIon. Group Ieuders or psycIodrumu dIrecLors need Lo be especIuIIy uIerL Lo LIe wuy LIe
group room Is orgunIzed. ConsIder LIe IoIIowIng vurIubIes und ImugIne Iow LIey mIgIL
uIIecL LIe InLerucLIon:
- umounL und source oI IIgIL
- coIor oI LIe IIgILIng
- obvIous props, u podIum, bIuckbourd
- LIe sIze oI LIe room
- coIors oI LIe wuIIs, IIoor, IurnILure
- seuLIng urrungemenLs
- number oI peopIe presenL
- envIronmenLuI sounds, smeIIs, und LemperuLure
- LIe numbers und ruLIos oI IIgI-sLuLus und Iow sLuLus peopIe
- LIe posILIonIng oI LIe vurIous peopIe In LIe spuce,
wIo sILs nexL Lo wIom, wIo sILs upurL, wIo sILs cIose, eLc.
Phsiologicol Responses: TIIs, Loo, Is un excepLIonuI cuLegory, becuuse IL cunnoL be
prucLIced voIunLurIIy. $LIII, IL's useIuI Ior LIerupIsLs und group members Lo become more
uwure oI LIese subLIe sIgns oI emoLIon. L oILen IeIps Lo commenL on LIese observuLIons, us
IL ImpIIcILIy gIves permIssIon Lo LIe person experIencIng LIe emoLIon Lo more IuIIy open Lo
LIuL IeeIIng; or, someLImes, Lo more ucLIveIy suppress IL. EILIer wuy, LIe exIsLence oI LIuL
sIgnuI Is mude expIIcIL In LIe group process. $ome oI LIe cIues Lo pIysIoIogIcuI processes
IncIude:



sIukIng IIurIng oI nosLrIIs LrembIIng cIIn
sweuLIng bIuncIIng coId cIummy skIn
bIusIIng moIsLure In eyes IIusIIng
bIInkIng swuIIowIng breuLIIng IeuvIIy

WIIIe u Iew oI LIese beIuvIors cun be mImIcked, Ior LIe mosL purL LIese reucLIons Iuppen
InvoIunLurIIy. TIe onIy exercIse Is Lo wuLcI Ior LIese reucLIons In oneseII or oLIers, uL IeusL menLuIIy
noLe LIeIr occurrence, und consIder wIuL LIe meunIng oI LIuL emoLIonuI reucLIon mIgIL be.
odiIying Commonicution Putterns
L's ImporLunL Lo reuIIze LIuL LIese ure jusL IubILs, cuILuruIIy und personuIIy Ieurned beIuvIors LIuL
cun be un-Ieurned und new ones Ieurned In LIeIr sLeud. RoIe pIuyIng or psycIodrumu cun be un
udjuncL Lo LIIs kInd oI re-educuLIon, In u process oI personuI deveIopmenL Ior peopIe wIo ure
essenLIuIIy preLLy IeuILIy, us weII us purL oI psycIoLIerupy. AsserLIon LruInIng Ior LIe LImId und
unger munugemenL Ior LIe more expIosIve ure Lwo seLs oI re-LruInIng progrums LIuL couId muke
greuL use oI uLLenLIon gIven Lo nonverbuI sLyIes oI seII-expressIon, InLernuI cueIng, und
communIcuLIons.
TIIs roIe LruInIng muy be u source oI InsIgIL us weII us mereIy beIuvIoruI re-condILIonIng.
TIe enucLmenLs oI nonverbuI beIuvIors muy be ussocIuLed wILI scenes In wIIcI LIese
beIuvIors occur und wIere LIere were IIrsL Ieurned. $ucI enucLmenLs cun IeIp peopIe
connecL LIeIr beIuvIors wILI underIyIng uLLILudes, sucI us expecLuLIons oI oLIers, IunLusIes
LIuL crILIcIsm wIII be cuLusLropIIcuIIy desLrucLIve, or u IorIorn Iope oI mugIcuI rescue. And
LIen re-pIuyIng LIese scenes wILI vurIous uILernuLIve eIemenLs muy IeIp re-uIIgn LIose
underIyIng uLLILudes.
Sommury
PeopIe reucL Lo LIe unspoken, us mucI (II noL more) Lo Iow someLIIng Is suId us Lo wIuL ure LIe
expIIcIL meunIng oI LIe words. MIsundersLundIngs cun oILen be cIurIIIed II LIe peopIe InvoIved Iuve
LIe ubIIILy Lo noLIce und commenL on LIe nonverbuI communIcuLIons In un InLerucLIon. PeopIe wIII
beneIIL Irom IeurnIng LIe runge oI nonverbuI beIuvIors In order Lo cIurIIy LIe oILen subLIe dynumIcs
oI LIe sILuuLIons LIey IInd LIemseIves In. or exumpIe, In u murrIuge, someLImes LIe oLIer person
geLs IrrILuLed by some mysLerIous evenL: ExpIorIng wIuL wus LIe probIem muy Ieud Lo un uwureness
LIuL LIe wuy someLIIng wus suId communIcuLed un unInLended meunIng! By mukIng LIe nonverbuI
communIcuLIon more cIeur, mIsundersLundIngs cun be resoIved.
TIe IIeId oI nonverbuI communIcuLIons Ius grown rupIdIy over LIe IusL Iew decudes, und IL
Ius uppIIcuLIons In busIness, medIu, InLernuLIonuI reIuLIons, educuLIon, und Indeed uny IIeId
wIIcI sIgnIIIcunLIy InvoIves InLerpersonuI und group dynumIcs. CerLuInIy LIere Is u need Ior
more psycIoIogIcuI mIndedness In uII LIese reuIms.





















http://www.blatner.com/adam/level2/nverb2.htm
Part 2: USING EXPERIENTIAL METHODS OF LEARNING
(RevIsed AugusL 1, zooz)

As menLIoned In PurL 1-LIe overvIew on nonverbuI communIcuLIons-IL Is IeIpIuI Ior peopIe Lo Ieurn
ubouL LIIs dImensIon oI Iumun beIuvIor. TIIs puper Is PurL z buIIdIng on PurL 1, und wIII dIscuss
some wuys LIuL cun be ucIIeved.
ne eIemenL Is sImpIy IeurnIng LIe InIormuLIon, seLLIng up LIe cuLegorIes In LIe mInd,
geLLIng orIenLed Lo LIe probIem. BuL mucI oI LIe IeurnIng needs Lo be LIrougI geLLIng LIe
"IeeI" oI IL, by "doIng" LIese beIuvIors, und vuryIng LIem. RoIe pIuyIng-u derIvuLIve oI
psycIodrumu-Is u nuLuruI und especIuIIy eIIecLIve wuy Lo Ieurn LIIs skIII. or exumpIe, you
cun onIy LeucI usLronuuLs ubouL IeurnIng Lo geL ubouL In zero gruvILy by ucLuuIIy sImuIuLIng
LIe experIence In specIuI IIIgILs oI uIrpIunes, eLc. TIere mIgIL be some preIImInury
brIeIIngs, IecLures, reudIngs oI oLIers' experIences, und LIuL muy reduce LIe sense oI
dIsorIenLuLIon beIore IL Iuppens, buL LIe ucLuuI IeurnIng Iuppens onIy In LIe "doIng." RoIe
pIuyIng Is LIe sImuIuLIon meLIod Ior InLerpersonuI skIII IeurnIng.
TIe roIe pIuyIng LecInIques oI enucLmenL, roIe reversuI, doubIIng, LIe mIrror, repIuy, und
oLIers uII oIIer u vurIeLy oI experIenLIuI "vIewpoInLs" Ior brIngIng sucI subLIe body-
Iunguuges InLo sIurper uwureness. L Is worLIwIIIe Lo reIer Lo PurL 1 wIIIe reudIng LIrougI
LIIs puper, wIIcI compIemenLs PurL 1 by sIowIng Iow guInIng LIIs sensILIvILy und
uwureness muy be prucLIced. eL's resLuLe uguIn LIougI LIe mujor cuLegorIes oI nonverbuI
communIcuLIons:

personuI spuce eye conLucL posILIon
posLure puruIunguuge expressIon
gesLure LoucI IocomoLIon
pucIng udornmenL conLexL
pIysIoIogIc responses

eurnIng ubouL LIIs dImensIon Is good Ior peopIe-IeIpers, LIerupIsLs, LIose wIo need In LIe Iong run
Lo LeucI peopIe Iow Lo Ieurn ubouL LIIs dImensIon! BuL In uddILIon, envIsIon LIIs beIng LuugIL In
IIgI scIooI, coIIege, proIessIonuI LruInIng, munugemenL LruInIng, eLc.-- us purL oI uny currIcuIum oI
socIuI und emoLIonuI IeurnIng!
or psycIoIogIsLs, IeurnIng ubouL nonverbuI communIcuLIons goes IurLIer In IeIpIng
LIerupIsLs undersLund LIe muny-IeveIed dynumIcs oI InLerpersonuI IuncLIonIng. or cIIenLs
or puLIenLs In LIerupy, LIey become more empowered, psycIoIogIcuIIy-mInded und seII-
uwure! $o LIInk some componenL oI LIIs kInd oI IeurnIng wouId be u powerIuI udjuncL Lo
uny IoIIsLIc LIerupeuLIc upproucI. (PerIups u weekend worksIop Ior cIIenLs In IndIvIduuI
or IumIIy LIerupy?)
$ome psycIoLIerupIsLs Iuve used vIdeoLupe pIuybuck Lo promoLe some InsIgIL ubouL LIe
dynumIcs expressed LIrougI nonverbuI communIcuLIons, buL LIuL upproucI requIres
LecInIcuI equIpmenL und LIe LIme Lo seL IL up, someone Lo run IL, und oILen u good deuI oI
LIme spenL In revIewIng LIe non-edILed Lupes. HuppIIy, roIe pIuyIng LecInIques cun oILen
ucIIeve mucI LIe sume resuIL wILIouL LIese dIsudvunLuges or IIndrunces.
AIso, LIe process oI expIorIng probIems In LIIs experIenLIuI IusIIon oILen evokes u greuLer
degree oI group coIesIon us peopIe work LogeLIer Lo sLuge und commenL on LIe InLerucLIons.
TIere ure eIemenLs oI noveILy, pIuyIuIness und urLIsLIc cIuIIenge In enucLIng scenes, wIIcI
IurLIer buIIds u greuLer degree oI InvoIvemenL.
#ole Pluying Techniqoes
ILen peopIe cunnoL eusIIy undersLund LIe ImpucL oI LIe nonverbuI communIcuLIons InvoIved In u
sILuuLIon unIess IL Is repIuyed und poInLed ouL. or LIIs, LIe roIe pIuyIng LecInIque cuIIed "LIe
mIrror" Is oILen eIIecLIve. (As noLed beIore, LIese LecInIques ure ucLuuIIy psycIodrumu LecInIques,
wIIcI 've wrILLen ubouL In my books on LIe subjecL.) (BIuLner, 1qq6). An IndIvIduuI's beIuvIor Is
sImpIy porLruyed by unoLIer group member. TIe dIrecLor usks oLIers In LIe group II LIe porLruyuI
wus uccuruLe, und II noL, LIe beIuvIor Is repIuyed uguIn unLII some consensus Is guIned regurdIng ILs
cIoseness Lo LIe orIgInuI beIuvIor. TIe person wIo dIspIuyed LIe beIuvIor Lo begIn wILI, LIe one
geLLIng LIe Ieedbuck, Is LIus ubIe Lo see Iow sJIe Iud been beIuvIng.
AnoLIer vurIuLIon oI LIIs Is LIuL oI roIe reversuI, In wIIcI LIe proLugonIsL, LIe person wIose
probIem Is LIe Iocus oI LIe group uL LIe momenL, cIunges purLs wILI unoLIer group member
(LIe "uuxIIIury") wIo pIuys LIe roIe oI LIe oLIer cIurucLer In LIe proLugonIsL's scene. WIen
LIe uuxIIIury, In LIe roIe oI LIe proLugonIsL, repeuLs LIe beIuvIor, LIe proLugonIsL In LIe roIe
oI LIe oLIer person In LIe scene experIences LIe ImpucL oI LIuL beIuvIor. WIeLIer IL's
munIpuIuLIve coyness, subLIe InLImIduLIon, IeIpIessness, pussIve-uggressIveness, or oLIer
Lypes oI InLerpersonuI reIuLedness, LIe proLugonIsL Is IeIped Lo own LIe meunIng (uL IeusL Lo
oLIers) oI IIs or Ier own ucLIons.
TIe mosL powerIuI LecInIque, LIougI, Is LIuL oI eoggerotion. WIuLever sIIgIL eIemenL Is
beIng expressed, Lo brIng uLLenLIon Lo IL, Iuve LIe proLugonIsL exuggeruLe LIe movemenL or
voIce eIemenL. TIIs exuggeruLIon cun be repeuLed uL un even greuLer mugnIIIcuLIon, und LIen
exuggeruLed yeL unoLIer degree greuLer. n LIese more expressIve movemenLs or umpIIIIed
sLuLes, LIe underIyIng uIIecL und possIbIy LIe IIdden ussumpLIon or uLLILude Lends Lo come
more sIurpIy InLo uwureness.
A reIuLed LecInIque Is LIuL oI vurIuLIon- doIng IL eILIer In LIe opposILe wuy or In unoLIer
wuy. TIe resuILIng conLrusLs muy uguIn brIng u beIuvIor's IIdden meunIng InLo sIurper
uwureness.
eurning by oing
As we revIew LIe muIn cuLegorIes oI nonverbuI communIcuLIons, some LeucIIng exercIses wIII be
suggesLed, LIe beLLer Lo IIgIIIgIL LIe experIences beIng Ieurned. More, LIe poInL Is Lo suggesL Lo LIe
reuder LIuL you use LIese Ideus muInIy us sLImuIunLs Lo your own creuLIvILy In expIorIng LIe vurIous
beIuvIors. (I Iud Lo work ouL un exercIse Ior every eIemenL, IL couId IIII u Iurge und ruLIer borIng
book-borIng becuuse IL's besL Lo InvenL LIe exercIse us you experIence IL In doIng your own roIe
pIuyIng processes.)
As LIe mujor cuLegorIes oI nonverbuI beIuvIor ure brIeIIy descrIbed, some experIenLIuI
exercIses wIII be noLed LIuL mIgIL IeIp In IeurnIng ubouL LIeIr vurIuLIons. TIe key Lo LIe skIII
oI beIng observunL IIes In knowIng wIuL Lo Iook Ior. L muy be IeIpIuI uL IIrsL Lo exuggeruLe u
gIven beIuvIor, und LIen Lo gruduuIIy express IL In IncreusIngIy more subLIe IusIIons.
Cutegories oI Nonverbul Commonicutions {Pructicul Ixercises)
ou mIgIL wunL Lo compure LIIs secLIon wILI PurL 1, wIIcI descrIbes some oI LIe muIn eIemenLs.
TIIs secLIon wIII suggesL some exercIses you cun do:
Personol Spoce: ReIerrIng Lo LIe comIorLubIe or uncomIorLubIe dIsLunce beLween peopIe,
experImenL wILI oLIer group members, usIng your InLuILIon Lo suy "sLop" wIen oLIers move
Lowurds or uwuy Irom you. However, II LIose oLIers pIuy LIe purLs oI purenLs, Iovers, or
cIIIdren, expIore wIIcI kInds oI cIoseness IeeI upproprIuLe. TIen ImugIne LIe oLIer person
Lo be Irom u quILe IoreIgn cuILure, und sense InLo your uccepLubIe personuI spuce. Compure
your own reperLoIre oI uIIowubIe dIsLunces wILI oLIers In LIe group.
e Contoct: ExperImenL wILI dIIIerenL LImes Ior gIuncIng, guzIng, und sLurIng. ne cun
keep conLucL Ior z seconds or zo seconds.WIen does IL IeeI "rIgIL" und wIen does IL become
InLrusIve? ExperImenL uIso wILI LIe Irequency oI mukIng eye conLucL. ne cun Iook uwuy,
und LIen Iook uL LIe person every seconds, IoIdIng LIuL guze us menLIoned ubove Ior
vuryIng IengLIs oI LIme; or perIups Iook uL LIe person onIy every mInuLe or so. AL wIuL
poInL does IL become IIIrLuLIous or spooky?
Position: Here's un exercIse Ieurned Irom LIe psycIodrumu LeucIer eon Ine In LIe mId
1q6os: $eL up un InLerucLIon, suy, beLween u purenL und u cIIId. PIuy LIe scene IIrsL uL u qo
degree ungIe, LIen, curryIng on wILI LIe purenL sLundIng und LIe cIIId sILLIng. ConLInue LIe
scene us LIe cIIId Lurns IIs or Ier buck Lo LIe purenL. TIen IurLIer pursue LIe InLerucLIon
wILI LIe purenL sILLIng und LIe cIIId sLundIng, IucIng eucI oLIer. InIsI LIe dIuIogue wILI
boLI peopIe sLundIng Iuce Lo Iuce. LIer vurIubIes muy be combIned. How does IL IeeI Ior LIe
purenL-or LIe cIIId-wIen LIe purenL sLunds beIInd or beIInd-und-sIIgILIy-Lo-LIe sIde wILI
LIe Iunds resLIng genLIy on LIe sIouIders? oLe Iow cerLuIn posILIons Lend Lo generuLe
correspondIng uLLILudes.
Posture: Try wuIkIng uround wILI LIe peIvIs LIILed down und Iorwurd, us II LIrusLIng LIe
genILuI ureu Iorwurd wILI u LIgILenIng oI LIe buLLocks. TIen sIIIL posILIon Lo IL opposILe,
druwIng buck LIe genILuI ureu, LIILIng LIe buLLocks reurwurd. oLe Iow LIe Iormer posLure
encouruges u swugger, wIIIe LIe IuLLer generuLes u Lendency Lo Luke mIncIng sLeps.
TuIk und dIscover wIuL IucIuI expressIons und uuxIIIury posLures und movemenLs go wILI u
juw LIrusL Iorwurd. WIuL ubouL LIe juw subLIy reLrucLed? oLe LIuL LIIs uggressIve vs
submIssIve sLunce Is experIenced InLernuIIy us weII us InLerpersonuIIy, us ure mosL oLIer
nonverbuI beIuvIors.
As menLIoned eurIIer, experImenL wILI dIIIerenL ungIes oI LIe Ieud on LIe neck, cocked
sIIgILIy or sIgnIIIcunLIy Lo one sIde, Lurned so LIuL one's gIunce Is Irom LIe corner oI one's
eye, LIrusL Iorwurd or puIIed buck.
Move uround wILI LIe sIouIders puIIed buck, und LIen druwn Iorwurd, noLIng LIe
uppeurunce oI oLIers In LIe dIIIerenL posILIon (or oneseII In u mIrror or on vIdeoLupe), und
uIso LIe IeeIIngs ussocIuLed wILI LIese Lwo posILIons. L's Iurd Lo be depressed wILI LIe
sIouIders puIIed buck. oLe uIso LIuL muny oI LIese sIIILs cun be uImosL ImpercepLIbIe, yeL
sLIII Iuve un ImpucL on oLIers und In one's own beIng.
Porolonguoge: How you suy someLIIng cun muke uII LIe dIIIerence In LIe worId!
nIIecLIon (rIsIng, IuIIIng, IIuL...)
PucIng (rupId, sIow, meusured, cIungIng...)
nLensILy (Ioud, soIL, breuLIy,... )
Tone (nusuI, operuLIc, growIIng, wIeedIIng, wIInIng...)
PILcI (IIgI, medIum, Iow, cIunges...)
Puuses (meunIngIuI, dIsorgunIzed, sIy, IesILunL...)
%he %echnigue of "ibberish"
LIer exercIses Lo be descrIbed muy be enucLed more eIIecLIveIy wILIouL ucLuuIIy IuvIng Lo
ImprovIse u dIuIogue. TIIs InvoIves LIe generuLIon oI u pseudo-Iunguuge, u gIbberIsI, mude
oI "du du myu myu bIuI bIuI bIuI" ruLIer LIun reuI words. PIuy wILI IuvIng conversuLIons
In LIIs "gIossoIuIIu" Iorm--IL's uIso u good exercIse Ior sponLuneILy LruInIng. TIe vocuI
InIIecLIons ure LIe key, especIuIIy us LIey ure ussocIuLed wILI IucIuI expressIon und gesLure.
TIe vuIue oI LIIs "generIc" Iunguuge Is LIuL you don'L Iuve Lo creuLe ucLuuI meunIngIuI
conversuLIon, u cIuIIenge wIIcI muy dIsLrucL you Irom LIe poInL oI LIe exercIse.
$o, jusL muke up u group oI sounds, gIbberIsI, us II you were speukIng some exoLIc IoreIgn
Iunguuge, und IeL your empIusIs be LIrougI you juggIIng LIe vurIubIes menLIoned ubove.
WorkIng wILI u purLner, Lry expressIng yourseII seducLIveIy, coyIy, surprIsed, IrrILuLed, eLc.,
und respond Lo your purLner's beIuvIor. TIen dIscuss wIeLIer you InLerpreLed eucI oLIers'
messuges uccuruLeIy. ou'II begIn Lo noLIce LIe power oI LIese eIemenLs oI speecI. UsIng
puruIunguuge Irees you Lo noLIce LIe subLIeLIes oI IeeIIngs ussocIuLed wILI nonverbuI
communIcuLIons. ou'II dIscover LIuL u noL InsIgnIIIcunL componenL oI wIuL Ius been cuIIed
"InLuILIon" In our cuILure Is LIe subconscIous uwureness oI LIe meunIng cuILure gIves Lo
vurIous nonverbuI communIcuLIons. Becuuse LIIs Is noL generuIIy mude expIIcIL In LIe course
oI LrudILIonuI educuLIon, IL remuIns beyond LIe grusp oI ordInury "IeIL bruIn" conscIousness.
WorkIng In puIrs, pIuy wILI dIIIerenL Lypes oI dIsLunce, eye conLucL, und posILIon. Huve
group members noLIce oLIer vurIubIes noL menLIoned In LIIs puper.
ociol pression: UsIng combInuLIons oI muscIes uround LIe IoreIeud, eyes, mouLI, LIe
LIIL oI LIe Ieud, eye guze, und juw, Iundreds oI subLIe expressIons muy be Iormed. Use LIe
ucLor's LecInIque oI sLundIng In IronL oI u mIrror wIIIe you expIore LIe dIIIerenL kInds oI
expressIons menLIoned In PurL 1 und enucL LIese so LIuL you cun cIeurIy demonsLruLe LIe
dIIIerences Lo yourseII. DroopIng or IIILIng your eyeIIds, LIgILenIng LIe muscIes uround your
eyes or IIps, und numerous oLIer pIysIcuI expressIons cun sIgnIIIcunLIy uILer your
expressIon. (oLIce uIso, us menLIoned In PurL 1, LIuL LIese expressIons und oLIer beIuvIors
ucLuuIIy cIunge LIe wuy you IeeI InsIde-you cun uImosL sense LIe "uLLILude" und someLImes
even LIe voIce und voIce Lone und cIurucLerIsLIc words LIuL go wILI un expressIon, gesLure,
posLure, eLc.)
AIso, LIese exercIses und IeurnIng processes cun be even more eIIecLIve wIen expIored
wILIIn u group seLLIng-- ussumIng u conLexL oI LrusL, pIuyIuIness, und muLuuI respecL Ius
been esLubIIsIed.
esture: $ImIIurIy, expIore LIe IeeIIngs InvoIved In doIng or perceIvIng some oI LIe
IoIIowIng: cIencIIng IIsL sIukIng u IInger poInLIng... eLc.
(Use LIe IIsL under LIIs secLIon In PurL 1.)
RecognIzIng LIuL some oI LIese ure more cuILure-bound LIun oLIers, do noL presume Lo
know wIuL expressIons or gesLures meun, buL noLIce LIe beIuvIor, uLLempL Lo muke IL
expIIcIL by LrunsIuLIng LIe gesLure InLo spoken Iunguuge, und LIen cIeck ouL wIuL LIe
gesLure meuns Lo LIe dIIIerenL peopIe presenL TIIs Is especIuIIy ImporLunL II someone reucLs
In un unexpecLed IusIIon.
%ouch: As un exercIse, Iuve one person In your group Luke unoLIer by LIe wrIsL Lo druw
IIm Iorwurd; compure LIuL Lo u genLIe or IIrm grIp on LIe buck oI LIe upper urm, or on LIe
sIouIder, or In LIe mIddIe oI LIe buck. s LIe gesLure u pusI or u Lug? s LIe LoucI cIoser Lo u
puL, u rub, or u grubbIng? ExperImenL In dyuds wILI dIIIerenL Iorms oI personuI conLucL,
mukIng cIeur boundurIes wIen some beIuvIor IeeIs IIke IL's becomIng uncomIorLubIe.
ocomotion: Try ouL LIe vurIous modes oI IocomoLIon menLIoned In PurL 1 und noLIce
wIuL Ideus LIey generuLe, wIuL IeeIIngs, uLLILudes, ImpressIons:
sIILIer cruwI LoLLer swugger, eLc.
Pocing: To upprecIuLe LIIs vurIubIe, cIoose un ucLIon sucI us exLendIng your Iund Iorwurd,
und perIorm LIe movemenL severuI LImes. EucI LIme cIunge LIe quuIILy Lo one oI LIese (us
menLIoned In PurL 1)... jerky pressured nervous gruduuI , eLc.
AIso, Lry ouL vuryIng your "IuLency oI response." Try unswerIng u quesLIon wILI u bIL more
deIuy LIun you wouId ordInurIIy; exLend LIuL subLIe puuse even Ionger, und observe wIuL IL
does Lo LIe conversuLIon.
/ornment: Try IuvIng u vurIeLy oI IuLs und wuLcIIng LIe sense oI roIe LIuL comes wILI
LIe IuL, IeL LIe IuL suggesL LIe ussocIuLed beIuvIor. AILIougI 'm generuIIy In Iuvor oI u
reIInquIsImenL oI LIe cIgureLLe us u veIIcIe Ior nonverbuI communIcuLIon, musL conIess
LIuL LIe dIIIerenL wuys peopIe mIgIL curry or brundIsI LIese expressIons oI "cooIness," sLyIe,
represenLed sLrong semIoLIc sLuLemenLs. Try ouL dIIIerenL wuys, IIke LIuL curIcuLure oI LIe
uzI InLerroguLIng oIIIcer IoIdIng LIe cIgureLLe puIm up beLween LIe LIumb und IoreIInger.
ExperImenL wILI your gIusses, or u cune, eLc.
Contet: Huve LIe group move LIe cIuIrs InLo dIIIerenL posILIons: CIussroom sLyIe, wILI LIe
group Ieuder uL LIe IronL und everyone IIned up In rows. n u cIrcIe, u IuII cIrcIe. CIuIrs uL
rundom, some more Iorwurd, some more puIIed buck PIuy wILI LIe IIgILIng. ExperImenL
und see Iow LIIngs IeeI!
Phsiologicol Responses: As noLed In PurL 1, LIese cun'L eusIIy be prucLIced. BuL some
cun be mImIcked. $o do wIuL you cun.
ther Wuys oI eurning uboot Nonverbul Commonicutions
ver LIe IusL severuI decudes u number oI meLIods oI LIerupy Iuve been deveIoped wIIcI oIIer
experIences wIIcI IeIp sLudenLs become more sensILIve Lo LIe rIcIness oI LIe nonverbuI dImensIon
oI InLerpersonuI reIuLIonsIIps (Ine, 1qq). AIberL Pesso's "psycIomoLor LIerupy," AIexunder
owen's "bIoenergeLIc unuIysIs," ArLIur Junov's "prImuI LIerupy," LIe IIeId oI dunce und movemenL
LIerupy, und oLIer "body" LIerupIes uII Increuse body uwureness (Murrone, 1qqo, BIuLner, zooo, p.
1). $ome upproucIes, sucI us MosIe eIdenkreIs' upproucI or LIuL oI .M. AIexunder Iuve
uppIIcuLIons prImurIIy beyond LIe conLexL oI psycIoLIerupy; skIIIs In munugIng one's own body
more conscIousIy muy be consIdered Lo be purL oI wIuL LIe educuLed person wIII wunL Lo know In LIe
comIng yeurs.
RecenL sLudIes oI LIe IypnoLIc LecInIques oI MIILon ErIckson und LIe meLIods oI oLIer
musLer psycIoLIerupIsLs Ied Lo LIe deveIopmenL oI upproucIes wIIcI noLe subLIeLIes oI eye
movemenL, breuLIIng, und oLIer nonverbuI cues (BundIer & GrInder, 1q;). L wus uIso
noLed LIuL dIIIerenL peopIe seem more sensILIve Lo cerLuIn modes oI percepLIon, so LIuL
some reucL more Lo vIsuuI cues, oLIers Lo uudILory cues, und sLIII oLIers Lo LIeIr own InLernuI
kInesLIeLIc or IeeIIng cues. TIus, LIe ImpucL oI u person's voIce Lone or IucIuI expressIon uIso
vurIes uccordIng Lo LIe LemperumenL oI LIe recIpIenL oI LIe communIcuLIon.
Sommury
PeopIe reucL Lo LIe unspoken, us mucI (II noL more) Lo Iow someLIIng Is suId us Lo wIuL ure LIe
expIIcIL meunIng oI LIe words. MIsundersLundIngs cun oILen be cIurIIIed II LIe peopIe InvoIved Iuve
LIe ubIIILy Lo noLIce und commenL on LIe nonverbuI communIcuLIons In un InLerucLIon.
PsycIodrumuLIc meLIods, especIuIIy LIose oI enucLmenL, repIuy, mIrrorIng, doubIIng, roIe reversuI,
coucIIng und roIe LruInIng, ure eIIecLIve veIIcIes Ior deveIopIng LIIs kInd oI uwureness.
TIerupIsLs need Lo Ieurn LIe runge oI nonverbuI beIuvIors In order Lo dIugnose LIe oILen
subLIe dynumIcs oI LIe sILuuLIon und LIe peopIe InvoIved. TIese nonverbuI ucLIons oIIer
cIues Lo LIe underIyIng deIenses, mIxed IeeIIngs, und dIsowned InLenLIons. Co-LIerupIsLs
und LIe cIIenLs LIemseIves uIso beneIIL Irom LIIs uwureness, becuuse LIe ubIIILy Lo commenL
on LIe nonverbuI communIcuLIons In un InLerucLIon uIIows purLIcIpunLs Lo modIIy LIe
process oI probIem-soIvIng us weII us uddressIng LIe "conLenL" oI LIe Issues LIemseIves.
TIe IIeId oI nonverbuI communIcuLIons Ius grown rupIdIy over LIe IusL Iew decudes, und IL
Ius uppIIcuLIons In busIness, medIu, InLernuLIonuI reIuLIons, educuLIon, und Indeed uny IIeId
wIIcI sIgnIIIcunLIy InvoIves InLerpersonuI und group dynumIcs. An overvIew oI LIIs IIeId
wus noLed In PurL 1 on LIIs websILe. CerLuInIy LIere Is u need Ior more psycIoIogIcuI
mIndedness In uII LIese reuIms, und LIe LecInIques oI experIenLIuI educuLIon oIIer
InvuIuubIe LooIs Ior LIe buIIdIng oI socIuI skIIIs.
























hLLp//wwwflaLworldknowledgecom/pub/buslnesscommunlcaLlonsuccess/70189
%5es of Nonverbal Communication
Learning Objective
1. Describe the similarities and diIIerences among eight general types oI nonverbal
communication.
Now that we have discussed the general principles that apply to nonverbal communication, let`s
examine eight types oI nonverbal communication to Iurther understand this challenging aspect oI
communication:
1. Space
2. Time
3. Physical characteristics
4. Body movements
5. Touch
6. Paralanguage
7. ArtiIacts
8. Environment
$5ace
hen we discuss space in a nonverbal context, we mean the space between objects and people.
Space is oIten associated with social rank and is an important part oI business communication. ho
gets the corner oIIice? hy is the head oI the table important and who gets to sit there?
People Irom diverse cultures may have diIIerent normative space expectations. II you are Irom a
large urban area, having people stand close to you may be normal. II you are Irom a rural area or a
culture where people expect more space, someone may be standing 'too close Ior comIort and not
know it.
Edward T. Hall, serving in the European and South PaciIic Regions in the Corps oI Engineers during
orld ar II, traveled around the globe. As he moved Irom one place to another, he noticed that
people in diIIerent countries kept diIIerent distances Irom each other. In France, they stood closer to
each other than they did in England. Hall wondered why that was and began to study what he called
proxemics, or the study oI the human use oI space and distance in communication.
|154|

In The Hidden Dimension, he indicated there are two main aspects oI space: territory and personal
space. Hall drew on anthropology to address the concepts oI dominance and submission, and noted
that the more powerIul person oIten claims more space. This plays an important role in modern
society, Irom who gets the corner oIIice to how we negotiate space between vehicles. Road rage is
increasingly common where overcrowding occurs, and as more vehicles occupy the same roads,
tensions over space are predictable.
Territory is related to control. As a way oI establishing control over your own room, maybe you
painted it your Iavorite color, or put up posters that represent your interests or things you consider
unique about yourselI. Families or households oIten mark their space by putting up Iences or walls
around their houses. This sense oI a right to control your space is implicit in territory. Territory
means the space you claim as your own, are responsible Ior, or are willing to deIend.
The second aspect Hall highlights is personal space, or the 'bubble oI space surrounding each
individual. As you walk down a Ilight oI stairs, which side do you choose? e may choose the right
side because we`ve learned that is what is expected, and people coming up the same stair choose
their right. The right choice insures that personal space is not compromised. But what happens when
some comes up the wrong side? They violate the understood rules oI movement and oIten correct
themselves. But what happens iI they don`t change lanes as people move up and down the stairs?
They may get dirty looks or even get bumped as people in the crowd handle the invasion oI 'their
space. There are no lane markers, and bubbles oI space around each person move with them,
allowing Ior the possibility oI collision.
e recognize the basic need Ior personal space, but the normative expectations Ior space vary
greatly by culture. You may perceive that in your home people sleep one to each bed, but in many
cultures people sleep two or more to a bed and it is considered normal. II you were to share that bed,
you might Ieel uncomIortable, while someone raised with group sleeping norms might Ieel
uncomIortable sleeping alone. From where you stand in an aerobics class in relation to others, to
where you place your book bag in class, your personal expectations oI space are oIten at variance
with others.
As the context oI a staircase has norms Ior nonverbal behavior, so does the public speaking context.
In North America, eye contact with the audience is expected. Big movements and gestures are not
generally expected and can be distracting. The speaker occupies a space on the 'stage, even iI it`s in
Iront oI the class. hen you occupy that space, the audience will expect to behave in certain ways. II
you talk to the screen behind you while displaying a PowerPoint presentation, the audience may
perceive that you are not paying attention to them. Speakers are expected to pay attention to, and
interact with, the audience, even iI in the Ieedback is primarily nonverbal. Your movements should
coordinate with the tone, rhythm, and content oI your speech. Pacing back and Iorth, keeping your
hands in your pockets, or crossing your arms may communicate nervousness, or even deIensiveness,
and detract Irom your speech.
igure 11.2. $5ace: our Main Categories of Distance


As a general rule, try to act naturally, as iI you were telling a Iriend a story, so that your body will
relax and your nonverbal gestures will come more naturally. Practice is key to your level oI comIort;
the more practice you get, the more comIortable and less intimidating it will seem to you.
Hall articulated Iour main categories oI distance used in communication as shown in Figure 11.2,
'Space: Four Main Categories oI Distance.
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%ime
Do you know what time it is? How aware you are oI time varies by culture and normative
expectations oI adherence (or ignorance) oI time. Some people, and the communities and cultures
they represent, are very time-oriented. The Euro Railways trains in Germany are Iamous Ior
departing and arriving according to the schedule. In contrast, iI you take the train in Argentina, you`ll
Iind that the schedule is more oI an approximation oI when the train will leave or arrive.
'Time is money is a common saying across many cultures, and reveals a high value Ior time. In
social contexts, it oIten reveals social status and power. ho are you willing to wait Ior? A doctor
Ior an oIIice visit when you are sick? A potential employer Ior a job interview? Your signiIicant
other or children? Sometimes we get impatient, and our impatience underscores our value Ior time.
hen you give a presentation, does your audience have to wait Ior you? Time is a relevant Iactor oI
the communication process in your speech. The best way to show your audience respect is to honor
the time expectation associated with your speech. Always try to stop speaking beIore the audience
stops listening; iI the audience perceives that you have 'gone over time, they will be less willing to
listen. This in turn will have a negative impact on your ability to communicate your message.
Suppose you are presenting a speech that has three main points. Your audience expects you to
regulate the time and attention to each point, but iI you spend all your time on the Iirst two points
and rush through the third, your speech won`t be balanced and will lose rhythm. The speaker
occupies a position oI some power, but it is the audience that gives them that position. By displaying
respect and maintaining balance, you will move through your points more eIIectively.
Chronemics is the study oI how we reIer to and perceive time. Tom Bruneau at RadIord University
has spent a liIetime investigating how time interacts in communication and culture.
|156|
,
|157|
,
|158|
As
he notes, across estern society, time is oIten considered the equivalent oI money. The value oI
speed is highly prized in some societies.
|159|
In others, there is a great respect Ior slowing down and
taking a long-term view oI time.
hen you order a meal at a Iast Iood restaurant, what are your expectations Ior how long you will
have to wait? hen you order a pizza online Ior delivery, when do you expect it will arrive? II you
order cable service Ior your home, when do you expect it might be delivered? In the Iirst case, you
might measure the delivery oI a hamburger in a matter oI seconds or minutes, and perhaps thirty
minutes Ior pizza delivery, but you may measure the time Irom your order to working cable in days
or even weeks. You may even have to be at your home Irom 8 a.m. to noon, waiting Ior its
installation. The expectations vary by context, and we oIten grow Irustrated in a time-sensitive
culture when the delivery does not match our expectations.
In the same way, how long should it take to respond to a customer`s request Ior assistance or
inIormation? II they call on the phone, how long should they be on hold? How soon should they
expect a response to an e-mail? As a skilled business communicator, you will know to anticipate
normative expectations and do your best to meet those expectations more quickly than anticipated.
Your prompt reply or oIIer oI help in response to a request, even iI you cannot solve the issue on the
spot, is oIten regarded positively, contributing to the Iormation oI positive communication
interactions.
Across cultures the value oI time may vary. Some Mexican American Iriends may invite you to a
barbecue at 8 p.m., but when you arrive you are the Iirst guest, because it is understood that the
gathering actually doesn`t start until aIter 9 p.m. Similarly in France, an 8 p.m. party invitation
would be understood to indicate you should arrive around 8:30, but in Sweden 8 p.m. means 8 p.m.,
and latecomers may not be welcome. Some Native Americans, particularly elders, speak in well-
measured phrases and take long pauses between phrases. They do not hurry their speech or compete
Ior their turn, knowing no one will interrupt them.
|160|
Some Orthodox Jews observe religious days
when they do not work, cook, drive, or use electricity. People around the world have diIIerent ways
oI expressing value Ior time.
!sical Caracteristics
You didn`t choose your birth, your eye color, the natural color oI your hair, or your height, but
people spend millions every year trying to change their physical characteristics. You can get colored
contacts; dye your hair; and iI you are shorter than you`d like to be, buy shoes to raise your stature a
couple oI inches. You won`t be able to change your birth, and no matter how much you stoop to
appear shorter, you won`t change your height until time and age gradually makes itselI apparent. II
you are tall, you might Iind the correct shoe size, pant length, or even the length oI mattress a
challenge, but there are rewards. Have you ever heard that taller people get paid more?
|161|
There is
some truth to that idea. There is also some truth to the notion that people preIer symmetrical Iaces
(where both sides are equal) over asymmetrical Iaces (with unequal sides; like a crooked nose or
having one eye or ear slightly higher than the other).
|162|

e oIten make judgments about a person`s personality or behavior based on physical characteristics,
and researchers are quick to note that those judgments are oIten inaccurate.
|163|
,
|164|
Regardless oI
your eye or hair color, or even how tall you are, being comIortable with yourselI is an important part
oI your presentation. Act naturally and consider aspects oI your presentation you can control in order
to maximize a positive image Ior the audience.
Bod Movements
The study oI body movements, called kinesics, is key to understanding nonverbal communication.
Since your actions will signiIicantly contribute to the eIIectiveness oI your business interactions,
let`s examine Iour distinct ways body movements that complement, repeat, regulate, or replace your
verbal messages.
Body movements can complement the verbal message by reinIorcing the main idea. For example,
you may be providing an orientation presentation to a customer about a soItware program. As you
say, 'Click on this tab, you may also initiate that action. Your verbal and nonverbal messages
reinIorce each other. You can also reinIorce the message by repeating it. II you Iirst say, 'Click on
the tab, and then motion with your hand to the right, indicating that the customer should move the
cursor arrow with the mouse to the tab, your repetition can help the listener understand the message.
In addition to repeating your message, body movements can also regulate conversations. Nodding
your head to indicate that you are listening may encourage the customer to continue asking
questions. Holding your hand up, palm out, may signal them to stop and provide a pause where you
can start to answer.
Body movements also substitute or replace verbal messages. Ekman and Friesen Iound that Iacial
Ieatures communicate to others our Ieelings, but our body movements oIten reveal how intensely we
experience those Ieelings.
|165|
For example, iI the customer makes a Iace oI Irustration while trying
to use the soItware program, they may need assistance. II they push away Irom the computer and
separate themselves physically Irom interacting with it, they may be extremely Irustrated. Learning
to gauge Ieelings and their intensity as expressed by customers takes time and patience, and your
attention to them will improve your ability to Iacilitate positive interactions.
%ouc
Touch in communication interaction is called haptics, and illiam Seiler and Meliss Beall
|166|

identiIy Iive distinct types oI touch, Irom impersonal to intimate, as listed in Table 11.2, 'Types oI
Touch.
%able 11.2. %5es of %ouc
1erm Def|n|t|on
1 luncLlonalrofesslonal 1ouch Medlcal examlnaLlon physlcal Lherapy sporLs coach muslc Leacher
2 SoclalollLe 1ouch Pandshake
3 lrlendshlpWarmLh 1ouch Pug
4 LovelnLlmacy 1ouch klss beLween famlly members or romanLlc parLners
3 SexualArousal 1ouch Sexual caresslng and lnLercourse

BeIore giving your presentation, you may interact with people by shaking hands and making casual
conversation. This interaction can help establish trust beIore you take the stage. hile speaking in
public we do not oIten touch people in the audience, but we do interact with visual aids, our note
cards, and other objects. How we handle them can communicate our comIort level. It`s always a
good idea to practice using the technology, visual aids, or note cards you will use in a speech during
a practice session. Using the technology correctly by clicking the right button on the mouse or
pressing the right switch on the overhead projector can contribute to your credibility.
!aralanguage
Paralanguage is the exception to the deIinition oI nonverbal communication. You may recall that we
deIined nonverbal communication as not involving words, but paralanguage exists when we are
speaking, using words. Paralanguage involves verbal and nonverbal aspects oI speech that inIluence
meaning, including tone, intensity, pausing, and even silence.
Perhaps you`ve also heard oI a pregnant pause, a silence between verbal messages that is Iull oI
meaning. The meaning itselI may be hard to understand or decipher, but it is there nonetheless. For
example, your coworker Jan comes back Irom a sales meeting speechless and with a ghost-white
complexion. You may ask iI the meeting went all right. 'ell, ahh. may be the only response you
get. The pause speaks volumes. Something happened, though you may not know what. It could be
personal iI Jan`s report was not well received, or it could be more systemic, like the news that sales
Iigures are oII by 40 percent and pink slips may not be Iar behind.
Silence or vocal pauses can communicate hesitation, indicate the need to gather thought, or serve as a
sign oI respect. Keith Basso quotes an anonymous source as stating, 'It is not the case that a man
who is silent says nothing.
|167|
Sometimes we learn just as much, or even more, Irom what a person
does not say as what they do say. In addition, both Basso and Susan Philips Iound that traditional
speech among Native Americans places a special emphasis on silence.
|168|

Artifacts
Do you cover your tattoos when you are at work? Do you know someone who does? Or perhaps you
know someone who has a tattoo and does not need to cover it up on their job? Expectations vary a
great deal, but body art or tattoos are still controversial in the workplace. According to the $,n Diego
Union-Tribune,
|169|

O 20 percent oI workers indicated their body art had been held against them on the job.
O 42 percent oI employers said the presence oI visible body art lowered their opinion oI
workers.
O 44 percent oI managers surveyed have body art.
O 52 percent oI workers surveyed have body art.
O 67 percent oI workers who have body art or piercings cover or remove them during work
hours.
In your line oI work, a tattoo might be an important visual aid, or it might detract Irom your
eIIectiveness as a business communicator. Body piercings may express individuality, but you need to
consider how they will be interpreted by employers and customers.
ArtiIacts are Iorms oI decorative ornamentation that are chosen to represent selI-concept. They can
include rings and tattoos, but may also include brand names and logos. From clothes to cars,
watches, brieIcases, purses, and even eyeglasses, what we choose to surround ourselves with
communicates something about our sense oI selI. They may project gender, role or position, class or
status, personality, and group membership or aIIiliation. Paying attention to a customer`s artiIacts
can give you a sense oI the selI they want to communicate, and may allow you to more accurately
adapt your message to meet their needs.
nvironment
Environment involves the physical and psychological aspects oI the communication context. More
than the tables and chairs in an oIIice, environment is an important part oI the dynamic
communication process. The perception oI one`s environment inIluences one`s reaction to it. For
example, Google is Iamous Ior its work environment, with spaces created Ior physical activity and
even in-house Iood service around the clock. The expense is no doubt considerable, but Google`s
actions speak volumes. The results produced in the environment, designed to Iacilitate creativity,
interaction, and collaboration, are worth the eIIort.
Ke %akeawa
Nonverbal communication can be categorized into eight types: space, time, physical characteristics,
body movements, touch, paralanguage, artiIacts, and environment.
ercise
1. Do a Google search on space and culture. Share your Iindings with your classmates.
2. Note where people sit on the Iirst day oI class, and each class session thereaIter. Do students
return to the same seat? II they do not attend class, do the classmates leave their seat vacant?
Compare your results.
3. hat kind oI value do you have Ior time, and what is truly important to you? Make a list oI
what you spend your time on, and what you value most. Do the lists match? Are you
spending time on what is truly important to you? Relationships take time, and iI you want
them to succeed in a personal or business context, you have to make them a priority.
4. To what degree is time a relevant Iactor in communication in the inIormation age? Give some
examples. Discuss your ideas with a classmate.
5. How many people do you know who have chosen tattoos or piercings as a representation oI
selI and statement oI individuality? Survey your Iriends and share your Iindings with your
classmates.




hLLp//wwwkurslkayucom/2011/09/nonverbalcommunlcaLlonhLml
Non Verbal Communication
osLed by rs|kaynom 0 komenLar
Non Verba| Commn|nat|on CommunlcaLlon has some undersLandlng among oLhers ls a process of soclal
lnLeracLlon beLween Lwo or more lndlvlduals who Lry Lo lnfluence each oLher ln Lerms of ldeas aLLlLudes
knowledge and behavlor ln addlLlon communlcaLlon ls also deflned as a process Lo noLlfy and dlssemlnaLe
LhoughLs values wlLh Lhe lnLenL Lo lnsplre parLlclpaLlon so LhaL Lhlngs LhaL are noLlfled LhaL belong LogeLher
As we have seen Lhe communlcaLlon conslsLs of Lwo Lypes of verbal and nonverbal communlcaLlon verbal
communlcaLlon ls a process of communlcaLlon Lhrough language and Lhe spoken word

nonverbal communlcaLlon ls a process of communlcaLlon where Lhe message conveyed ls noL uslng words
Lxamples of nonverbal communlcaLlon ls Lo use gesLures body language faclal expresslons and eye
conLacL Lhe use of ob[ecLs such as cloLhes halrcuLs eLc symbols and how Lo Lalk llke lnLonaLlon emphasls
volce quallLy emoLlonal sLyle and speaklng sLyle

LxperLs ln Lhe fleld of nonverbal communlcaLlon usually uses Lhe deflnlLlon of do noL use Lhe word sLrlcLly
and do noL equaLe nonverbal communlcaLlon wlLh nonverbal communlcaLlon lor example slgn language
and wrlLlng are noL consldered as nonverbal communlcaLlon because lL uses Lhe word whlle lnLonaLlon and
speaklng sLyle classlfled as nonverbal communlcaLlon nonverbal communlcaLlon ls also dlfferenL from Lhe
subconsclous communlcaLlon whlch can be elLher verbal or nonverbal communlcaLlon

A luncLlons of nonverbal Messages

Mercy %1983) explalns LhaL nonverbal communlcaLlon has several funcLlons namely

1 epeLlLlon

Pere Lhe nonverbal communlcaLlon has a funcLlon Lo repeaL Lhe ldeas presenLed verbally lor example afLer
someone explaln lLs re[ecLlon of a Lhlng he would shake hls head repeaLedly Lo explaln hls refusal

2 SubsLlLuLlon

Pere Lhe nonverbal communlcaLlon has a funcLlon Lo replace Lhe symbolverbal symbols lor example
wlLhouL a word someone sald he can show approval by noddlng hls head

3 ConLradlcLlon

Pere Lhe nonverbal communlcaLlon has a funcLlon Lo re[ecL Lhe verbal message or glve anoLher meanlng Lo
Lhe verbal message lor example someone pralsed Lhe achlevemenLs of hls colleague wlLh a llp and sald
CreaL youre so greaL

4 ComplemenL

Pere Lhe nonverbal communlcaLlon has a funcLlon Lo complemenL and enrlch Lhe meanlng of nonverbal
messages lor example a persons face shows Lhe level of sufferlng LhaL ls noL expressed ln words

3 SLress

Pere Lhe nonverbal communlcaLlon has a funcLlon Lo hlghllghL or underllne a verbal message lor example a
person expresslng hls lrrlLaLlon as he hlL Lhe pulplL

8 lmporLance of nonverbal CommunlcaLlon ln Lveryday CommunlcaLlon

8esldes Lhe Lhlngs menLloned above Lhere are sLlll a few more reasons why nonverbal communlcaLlon has
a very lmporLanL role 1hls ls conslsLenL wlLh Lhe sLaLemenL of LeaLhers %1976)

1 1hese facLors largely deLermlne Lhe nonverbal meanlng ln lnLerpersonal communlcaLlon

When we Lalk or communlcaLe face Lo face we are a loL of ldeas and LhoughLs Lhrough Lhe messages of non
verbal ln Lurn oLhers were more read our LhoughLs Lhrough Lhe clues of nonverbal Accordlng Lo
8lrdwhlsLell noL more Lhan 30 33 of soclal meanlng of a conversaLlon or lnLeracLlon conducLed wlLh
words and Lhe resL ls done by nonverbal messages

2 leellngs and emoLlons more carefully dellvered Lhrough nonverbal message Lhan verbal messages

Accordlng Mahrablan %1967) only 7 feellng of affecLlon can be communlcaLed wlLh words 1he resL 38 ls
communlcaLed Lhrough sound and 33 ls communlcaLed Lhrough faclal expresslons %smlle eye conLacL
eLc)

3 nonverbal messages convey Lhe meanlng and lnLenL are relaLlvely free of decepLlon dlsLorLlon and
kerancauan

nonverbal messages can seldom be governed by a consclous communlcaLor lor example slnce prehlsLorlc
Llmes women always say no wlLh a verbal symbol buL men seldom fooled 1hey know when noL ls
pronounced all members of hls body says yes unless Lhe acLoracLor Lralned more honesL we are all
communlcaLlng Lhrough nonverbal messages 1hlngs happen someLlmes and Lhen when lL ls double
blndlngs ln whlch nonverbal messages conLradlcL verbal messages people wlll evenLually rely on nonverbal
messages

4 nonverbal messages have meLakomunlkaLlf funcLlons lndlspensable Lo achleve hlghquallLy
communlcaLlon

MeLakomunlkaLlf funcLlon means provldlng addlLlonal lnformaLlon LhaL clarlfy Lhe lnLenL and meanlng of Lhe
message Above have been presenLed regardlng Lhe funcLlon of repeLlLlon subsLlLuLlon conLradlcLlon
complemenL and accenLuaLlon All of Lhls added level of lnformaLlon ln Lhe dellvery of Lhe message

3 nonverbal messages are more efflclenL ways Lo communlcaLe Lhan verbal messages

ln Lerms of Llme verbal messages are very lnefflclenL ln Lhe exposure Lhere ls always verbal redundancy
%more symbols Lhan necessary) repeLlLlon amblgulLy and absLracLlon lL Lakes more Llme Lo express our
LhoughLs verbally raLher Lhan nonverbally

6 nonverbal messages are Lhe mosL approprlaLe means of suggesLlon

1here ls a communlcaLlon slLuaLlon LhaL requlres us Lo express ldeas or emoLlons lndlrecLly SuggesLlon here
ls meanL Lo suggesL someLhlng Lo oLhers lmpllclLly LeaLhers %1976) sLaLes LhaL lf you ask for sexual servlces
from mlnors verbally you can recelve a senLence pern[ara lf you melakuka Lhe same nonverbal you are
free from punlshmenL We can pralse someone verbally buL condemned lL as nonverbal 1hls also ls dlfflculL
Lo be prosecuLed

C 1ypes of nonverbal Messages

uuncan %ln Crace 1983) says Lhere are several Lypes of nonverbal messages namely

1 Message klneslk

klneslk message ls a message LhaL uses body movemenLs mean 1hls message conslsLs of Lhree maln
kompunen namely

a laclal message

1hls message uslng Lhe expresslon Lo convey a speclflc meanlng varlous sLudles have shown LhaL faces can
be dellvered aL leasL Len groups of meanlngs happlness surprlse fear anger sadness dlsgusL crlLlclsm
lnLeresL awe and deLermlnaLlon LeaLhers %1976) concluded LhaL research on Lhe face as follows

lace communlcaLes an assessmenL of expresslons of happy and unhappy LhaL her research shows
communlcaLors look good or bad ob[ecL

lace communlcaLe ones lnLeresL Lo oLhers or Lhe envlronmenL

lace communlcaLes Lhe lnLenslLy of lnvolvemenL ln a slLuaLlon

CommunlcaLe Lhe degree of conLrol an lndlvlduals face agalnsL hls own sLaLemenL

lace may communlcaLe Lhe exlsLence or lack of undersLandlng

b Message gesLural

Shows Lhe movemenL of some members of Lhe body such as eyes and hands Lo communlcaLe dlfferenL
meanlngs Accordlng Lo Calloway Lhls message serves Lo reveal

Lncourage / llmlLlng

Ad[usL / polarlze

esponslve / unresponslve

leellng poslLlve / negaLlve

noLlng / noL paylng aLLenLlon

SmooLh / noL recepLlve

Approve / re[ecL

ConfronLlng a gesLural message occurs when Lhe gesLural message glves anoLher meanlng of verbal
messages or oLher messages unresponslve gesLural message lndlcaLes LhaL Lhe gesLure has noLhlng Lo do
wlLh Lhe message LhaL dlresponnya CesLural messages express Lhe negaLlve aLLlLude of cold condescendlng
or re[ecL Message gesLural noL responslve Lo lgnore requesLs for acLlon

c Message posLural

WlLh regard Lo Lhe whole llmb Mehrablan sald Lhe Lhree meanlngs LhaL can be dellvered posLure

lmmedlacy

ls an expresslon of preference or dlsllke Lowards oLher lndlvlduals osLure leanlng Loward Lhe oLher
persons favorlLe show or a poslLlve assessmenL

ower

eveals a hlgh sLaLus on selfcommunlcaLor

esponslveness

lndlvlduals communlcaLe when he reacLed emoLlonally Lo Lhe envlronmenL boLh poslLlve and negaLlve

2 Message proksemlk

1hls message ls dellvered Lhrough Lhe spaclng and space ln general by ad[usLlng Lhe dlsLance we express
our lnLlmacy wlLh oLhers 1hls message ls also expressed by seLLlng Lhe ob[ecL and deslgn of lnLerlor space
1hls message can reveal socloeconomlc sLaLus openness and lnLlmacy

3 Message arLlfacLual

1hls message ls expressed Lhrough appearance body lmage cloLhes cosmeLlcs eLc Cenerally we use
cloLhlng Lo convey our ldenLlLy whlch means showlng oLhers how our behavlor and how oLhers should LreaL
us 8esldes cloLhlng ls also useful Lo express feellngs %eg black dress means sorrow) and formallLy %eg sandals
for lnformal slLuaLlons and baLlk for formal slLuaLlons)

4 Message parallngulsLlk

ls nonverbal messages relaLed Lo how Lo glve a verbal message 1he same verbal message can convey
dlfferenL meanlngs when pronounced dlfferenLly 1hlngs LhaL dlfferenLlaLe among oLhers Lhe Lone volce
quallLy volume speed and rhyLhm Cverall Lhe message parallngulsLlk ls Lhe mosL accuraLe Lool Lransform
and convey our feellngs Lo oLhers

3 1he message Louches and smells

varlous messages or feellngs can be conveyed Lhrough Louch buL mosL ofLen communlcaLed among oLhers
wlLhouL Lhe aLLenLlon %deLached) affecLlon %moLherlng) fear %fearful) anger %angry) and [oklng %playful)

Cdors have been used by humans Lo communlcaLe consclously and unconsclously nowadays people have
Lrled Lo use arLlflclal smells llke perfume Lo convey a message

. Non-verbal Communication

Knowledge Level: Novice Keywords: non verbal communication
When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of oratory he answered, "'action"; and which was the
second, he replied, "action"; and which was third he still answered, "action." People tend to believe actions
more than words!
Have you ever heard anyone say, "His actions spoke so loudly couldn't hear what he said?" Have you ever
wondered whether anyone has said this about you? What we do is a means of communication, subject to
interpretation by others. Did you ever stop to think that even failure to act is a way of communicating?
Today, many researchers are concerned with the information sent by communication that is independent of
and different from verbal information; namely, the non-verbal communication. Verbal communication is
organized by language; non-verbal communication is not.
Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another. Most of us spend about 75 percent
of our waking hours communicating our knowledge, thoughts, and ideas to others. However, most of us fail to
realize that a great deal of our communication is of a non-verbal form as opposed to the oral and written
forms. Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, eye contact, tone of voice, body posture and
motions, and positioning within groups. t may also include the way we wear our clothes or the silence we
keep.
n person-to-person communications our messages are sent on two levels simultaneously. f the nonverbal
cues and the spoken message are incongruous, the flow of communication is hindered. Right or wrong, the
receiver of the communication tends to base the intentions of the sender on the non- verbal cues he receives.
Categories and Features
. W. Porter divides non-verbal communication into four broad categories:
Physical. This is the personal type of communication. t includes facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of
touch, sense of smell, and body motions.
Aesthetic. This is the type of communication that takes place through creative expressions: playing
instrumental music, dancing, painting and sculpturing.
$igns. This is the mechanical type of communication, which includes the use of signal flags, the 21-gun
salute, horns, and sirens.
$ymbolic. This is the type of communication that makes use of religious, status, or ego-building symbols.
Our concern here will be with what Porter has called the physical method of non-verbal communication.
Knowledge of non-verbal communication is important managers who serve as leaders of organizational
"teams," for at least two reasons:
O To function effectively as a team leader the manager must interact with the other members
successfully. Non-verbal cues, when interpreted correctly, provide him with one means to do so.
O The team members project attitudes and feelings through non-verbal communication. $ome personal
needs such as approval, growth, achievement, and recognition may be met in effective teams. The
extent to which these needs are met is closely related to how perceptive the team leader and team
members are to non-verbal communication in themselves and in others on the team.
f the team members show a true awareness to non-verbal cues, the organization will have a better chance to
succeed, for it will be an open, honest, and confronting unit. Argyle and his associates have been studying the
features of nonverbal communication that provide information to managers and their team members. The
following summarizes their findings:
$tatic Features

Distance. The distance one stands from another frequently conveys a non-verbal message. n some cultures
it is a sign of attraction, while in others it may reflect status or the intensity of the exchange.
rientation. People may present themselves in various ways: face-to-face, side-to-side, or even back-to-
back. For example, cooperating people are likely to sit side-by-side while competitors frequently face one
another.
!osture. Obviously one can be lying down, seated, or standing. These are not the elements of posture that
convey messages. Are we slouched or erect ? Are our legs crossed or our arms folded ? $uch postures
convey a degree of formality and the degree of relaxation in the communication exchange.
!sicaI Contact. $haking hands, touching, holding, embracing, pushing, or patting on the back all convey
messages. They reflect an element of intimacy or a feeling of (or lack of) attraction.
Dnamic Features

FaciaI Expressions. A smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and sneer all convey information. Facial
expressions continually change during interaction and are monitored constantly by the recipient. There is
evidence that the meaning of these expressions may be similar across cultures.

Gestures. One of the most frequently observed, but least understood, cues is a hand movement. Most people
use hand movements regularly when talking. While some gestures (e.g., a clenched fist) have universal
meanings, most of the others are individually learned and idiosyncratic.

Looking. A major feature of social communication is eye contact. t can convey emotion, signal when to talk
or finish, or aversion. The frequency of contact may suggest either interest or boredom.

The above list shows that both static features and dynamic features transmit important information from the
sender to the receiver.
Tortoriello, Blott, and DeWine have defined non-verbal communication as:
". . . the exchange of messages primarily through non-linguistic means, including: kinesics (body language),
facial expressions and eye contact, tactile communication, space and territory, environment, paralanguage
(vocal but non-linguistic cues), and the use of silence and time."
Let's review these non-linguistic ways of exchanging messages in more detail.
inesics
Lamb believes the best way to access an executive's managerial potential is not to listen to what he has to
say, but to observe what he does when he is saying it. He calls this new behavioral science "movement
analysis." $ome of the movements and gestures he has analyzed follow:
Forward and Backward Movements. f you extend a hand straight forward during an interview or tend to
lean forward, Lamb considers you to be an "operator"- good for an organization requiring an infusion of energy
or dramatic change of course.
'erticaI Movements. f you tend to draw yourself up to your tallest during the handshake, Lamb considers
you to be a "presenter." You are a master at selling yourself or the organization in which you are employed.
$ide-to-$ide Movements. f you take a lot of space while talking by moving your arms about, you are a good
informer and good listener. You are best suited for an organization seeking a better sense of direction. Lamb
believes there is a relationship between positioning of the body and movements of the limbs and facial
expressions. He has observed harmony between the two. On the other hand, if certain gestures are
rehearsed, such as those made to impress others, there is a tendency to separate the posture and the
movements. The harmony disappears.
$tudies by Lamb also indicate that communication comes about through our degree of body flexibility. f you
begin a movement with considerable force and then decelerate, you are considered a "gentle-touch." By
contrast, if you are a "pressurizer," you are firm from beginning to end. The accuracy of Lamb's analyses is
not fully known. However, it is important that corporation executives are becoming so sensitive to the
importance of non-verbal messages that they are hiring consultants, such as Lamb, to analyze non-verbal
communications in their organizations.
FaciaI Expressions
Facial expressions usually communicate emotions. The expressions tell the attitudes of the communicator.
Researchers have discovered that certain facial areas reveal our emotional state better than others. For
example, the eyes tend to reveal happiness or sadness, and even surprise. The lower face also can reveal
happiness or surprise; the smile, for example, can communicate friendliness and cooperation. The lower face,
brows, and forehead can also reveal anger. Mehrabian believes verbal cues provide 7 percent of the meaning
of the message; vocal cues, 38 percent; and facial expressions, 55 percent. This means that, as the receiver
of a message, you can rely heavily on the facial expressions of the sender because his expressions are a
better indicator of the meaning behind the message than his words.
Ee Contact
ye contact is a direct and powerful form of non-verbal communication. The superior in the organization
generally maintains eye contact longer than the subordinate. The direct stare of the sender of the message
conveys candor and openness. t elicits a feeling of trust. Downward glances are generally associated with
modesty. yes rolled upward are associated with fatigue.
%actiIe Communication
Communication through touch is obviously non-verbal. Used properly it can create a more direct message
than dozens of words; used improperly it can build barriers and cause mistrust. You can easily invade
someone's space through this type of communication. f it is used reciprocally, it indicates solidarity; if not
used reciprocally, it tends to indicate differences in status. Touch not only facilitates the sending of the
message, but the emotional impact of the message as well.
!ersonaI $pace
Personal space is your "bubble" - the space you place between yourself and others. This invisible boundary
becomes apparent only when someone bumps or tries to enter your bubble.
How you identify your personal space and use the environment in which you find yourself influences your
ability to send or receive messages. How close do you stand to the one with whom you are communicating ?
Where do you sit in the room? How do you position yourself with respect to others at a meeting? All of these
things affect your level of comfort, and the level of comfort of those receiving your message.
oldhaber says there are three basic principles that summarize the use of personal space in an organization:
The higher your position (status) in the organization,
a. the more and better space you will have,
b. the better protected your territory will be, and
c. the easier it will be to invade the territory of lower-status personnel
The impact of use of space on the communication process is related directly to the environment in which the
space is maintained.
Environment
How do you arrange the objects in your environment - the desks, chairs, tables, and bookcases? The design
of your office, according to researchers, can greatly affect the communications within it. $ome managers
divide their offices into personal and impersonal areas. This can improve the communication process if the
areas are used for the purposes intended.
Your pecking-order in the organization is frequently determined by such things as the size of your desk,
square feet in your office, number of windows in the office, quality of the carpet, and type of paintings
(originals or copies) on the wall.
t is obvious that your personal space and environment affect the level of your comfort and your status and
facilitate or hinder the communication process.
!araIanguage
s the content of your message contradicted by the attitude with which you are communicating it?
Researchers have found that the tone, pitch, quality of voice, and rate of speaking convey emotions that can
be accurately judged regardless of the content of the message. The important thing to gain from this is that
the voice is important, not just as the conveyor of the message, but as a complement to the message. As a
communicator you should be sensitive to the influence of tone, pitch, and quality of your voice on the
interpretation of your message by the receiver.
$iIence and %ime
$ilence can be a positive or negative influence in the communications process. t can provide a link between
messages or sever relationships. t can create tension and uneasiness or create a peaceful situation. $ilence
can also be judgmental by indicating favor or disfavor - agreement or disagreement.
For example, suppose a manager finds a couple of his staff members resting.
f he believes these staff members are basically lazy, the idleness conveys to him that they are "goofing off"
and should be given additional assignments.
f he believes these staff members are self-motivated and good workers, the idleness conveys to him that they
are taking a well-deserved "break."
f he is personally insecure, the idleness conveys to him that they are threatening his authority.
Time can be an indicator of status. How long will you give the staff member who wishes to speak to you? How
long will you make him wait to see you? Do you maintain a schedule? s your schedule such that your
subordinates must arrange their schedules to suit yours? n a healthy organization, the manager and his
subordinates use time to communicate their mutual respect to each other.
CIosing %ougts
Regardless of your position in the organization it is important for you to develop some sensitivity to nonverbal
messages. Cooperation improves as we recognize and respond appropriately to non-verbal cues. Of course
you have been aware of non-verbal communications all of your life, but ow muc tougt ave ou given
tem?