Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication includes all unwritten and unspoken messages, both intentional and unintentional.

Functions of Nonverbal Communication

To complement and illustrate To reinforce and accentuate To replace and substitute To control and regulate To contradict

Using non-verbal communication to your advantage

Become aware Dont contradict your words with body language Know what your face says Use direct eye contact Use smiling and head nodding for appropriate impact. Gesture with purpose

Nonverbal can include:

Shaking hands Posture Facial expressions Appearance Voice, Tone, Hairstyle, Clothes Expression in your eyes, smile, How close you stand to others, how you listen Confidence, your breathing, the way you move, the way you stand, the way you touch people Color choice Silence.

Forms of Nonverbal Communication

Eye contact Facial expression Posture and gestures Appearance of people

Forms of Nonverbal Communication

Time
Space

Territory
Appearance of documents
How can these nonverbal forms be used to send positive messages?

Nonverbal Codes
The Voice (paralinguistic/vocalic cues)
volume pitch rate vocal variety pauses articulation pronunciation dialect

Kinesics
Bodily action Gestures Eye Contact Facial Expressions Posture

Other Nonverbal Codes

Physical appearance
body shape, hairstyle, clothing

Environment and artifacts

classroom design, lighting, visual aids

Chronemics
being on time, late, rushing through speech

Proxemics

PROXEMICS DISTANCE ZONES

Intimate distance-no more than 18 inches apart mom and baby Personal Distance-18 inches to 4 feet Casual and personal conversations Social distance-4-12 feet impersonal, business, social gatherings Public distance-More than 12 feet Public speaking

A FEW GESTURES AND THEIR MEANINGS

A hand over the mouth whilst talking indicates deceit. A desire to try and stop the words coming out of the mouth. It can be a quick touch to the mouth, or a sustained rubbing across the mouth.
Move the hand away from the mouth, lower down the face, under the chin, and this would be positive evaluation.

The finger across the top of the lip can be seen with the hand in many

positions around the face.

They all indicate critical analysis.

Shall I? Shan't I? Will he? Won't he?

Stroking of the beard. Normally seen on men! Seriously, irrespective of the beard, the gesture is an evaluation signal. Generally a positive evaluation. It's a time for thought process.

Women generally stroke the bottom of the chin with a thumb and forefinger.

People, who are long sighted and need their glasses for reading, will hold their glasses like a baton if they are in the habit of putting them on to read, and taking them off to look at you. Sucking the stem of the glasses is an evaluation gesture, rather than stroking the beard. It is generally a positive evaluation of your ideas, suggestions, information or requests.

Many people misunderstand folded arms. She may feel comfortable with her arms folded. She may be cold. Considering the rules, if you've just said something she dislikes, or disagrees with, and she sits back, folds her arms and puts her chin down, you have a very negative signal, even if she is smiling.

SHAKING HANDS

WET FISH from a man this normally means an introvert, or a weak character, someone who is easily persuaded and likes to fit in.

THE BONE CRUSHER handshake is used by macho dominant men. It's a show of strength and dominant character to the extreme. Often a case of, "Don't mess with me, I'm a hard man."

A NEUTRAL handshake should use the same pressure to hold say a hammer, a bat or a racquet. The hand

should be 'neutral' neither palm up nor palm down.

A palm up handshake indicates subservience. A palm down handshake indicates control.

A sequence of handshakes indicating degrees of warmth and passion. Please be aware that the hand is the third least erogenous zone to be able to touch. The least erogenous zone on a man is the lower arm, and the upper arm on a woman. The double handshake shows great warmth and passion. You would only do this with close friends, and people with whom

you have deep sincere gratitude.

Anyone who gives you a handshake with two hands, when first meeting you, is likely to be insincere and overwhelming, or even deceitful. The last picture with the hand on the shoulder, could also end with the arm over the shoulder-it indicates further warmth and feeling.

The lowered steep-ling of the hands indicates listening, and can also be a negative confidence gesture.

The scratch to the back of the neck indicates either the neck itches or uncertainty or even lying.

Pulling the ear can be an ear itch. It can mean nervousness or deceit. It can mean a desire to shut out the words they are hearing, or the words aren't 'going in'.

It may also indicate they've heard enough.

Hot under the collar!

People touch their face 10 times more than normal when they feel uncomfortable.
When you lie, you feel a tingling sensation around your face and neck, and feel you need to touch or relieve the area.

Hand clasping at a desk or in a chair on its own may indicate

nervousness, insecurity or anxiety.

Loosely clasped would be more like anticipation and the

more tightly clasped they are, the more the anxiety.

Clasped hands in front of the body are a barrier signal, seeking

reassurance.
If the thumbs were steepled it would be a confidence gesture.

Here's the mother of all confidence gestures, even arrogance.

Men, when evaluating and responding to women's ideas will often go into this position. The reply may even start with the arrogant little cough. The most supreme will be when the chair is tilted back onto two legs.

When sat back, arms folded and the legs are crossed tightly, this is extremely negative. You may walk in and see this negativity, indicating prior feelings to you arriving, or you may say something, which affects this negativity. Crossed legs can be comfort, but often indicate negativity. Holding a clipboard in front of the chest at the same time will indicate negativity, a barrier signal, seeking reassurance, pushing you away.

Sat back with an arm over the chair will

indicate lethargy. They maybe don't want to be

there, and aren't giving you much attention.

Leg cocked over the chair will indicate indifference. The attention they are giving you is minimal.

It can be on the positive route. It normally indicates mild confrontation and stubbornness at that point.

This is blatant territorial ownership. Claiming territory. It could easily be disregard of other people's territory if it were say your feet on someone else's desk.

Nonverbal Behavior and Perception

A Matching Quiz

1. Insecurity 4. Confidence

2. Defensiveness 5. Nervousness

3. Cooperation 6. Frustration

Short breaths, tsk sound, clenched hands, wringing hands Steepled hands, hands behind back, hands on lapels of coat, broad gestures Arms crossed, sideways stance, touching and rubbing nose, rubbing eyes, drawing away Open hands, upper body in sprinters position, sitting on edge of chair, hand-to-face gestures Clearing throat, whew sound, whistling, smoking, fidgeting, tugging ears Pinching flesh, chewing pen, biting fingernails

Nonverbal Behavior and Perception

A Matching Quiz

1. Insecurity 4. Confidence

2. Defensiveness 5. Nervousness

3. Cooperation 6. Frustration

6 Short breaths, tsk sound, clenched hands, wringing hands 4 Steepled hands, hands behind back, hands on lapels of coat, broad gestures 2 Arms crossed, sideways stance, touching and rubbing nose, rubbing eyes, drawing away 3 Open hands, upper body in sprinters position, sitting on edge of chair, hand-to-face gestures 5 Clearing throat, whew sound, whistling, smoking, fidgeting, tugging ears 1 Pinching flesh, chewing pen, biting fingernails