Comparing Nonverbal and Verbal Codes

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Comparing Nonverbal and

Verbal Codes

A woman without her man is helpless.

A woman, without her, man is helpless.

Channel Reliance Research

Research paradigms a. Experimental b. Natural observations c. Meta-analysis

Channel Reliance Research

Propositions

Adults rely more on NV than V; children rely more on V.

Reliance on NV is greater when the V & NV conflict.

– Reliance depends on function at stake.

Information averaging when channels are congruent.

– Variability in info processing and reliance on extreme or negative cues when content is incongruent.

– Individuals biases in channel dependence.

Channel Reliance Research

Reasons for differential and variable reliance?

Coding Properties:

Analogic versus Digital

• Digital systems

– discrete

– arbitrary

– finite

• Analogic systems

– continuous

– natural

– infinite

Need to distinguish code properties from interpretive processes

Coding Properties:

Buck’s Approach

• Spontaneous communication

– biologically-based

– spontaneous

– signs

– nonpropositional

– right-hemispheric processing

• Symbolic communication

– socially shared

– intentional

– symbols

– propositional

– left-hemispheric processing

Coding Properties:

Design Features of Codes

Discrete v. continuous

Symbolic (extrinsic) v. sign (intrinsic)

Iconicity

Syntax rules

Transformation

Semantic rules

Pragmatic rules

Productivity

Polysemy

Universal v. culture- and context-bound meaning

Displacement

Reflexivity

Prevarication

Coherence mechanisms

Direct v. mediated response

Applicability to Verbal versus

Nonverbal Coding

Discrete v. continuous

Symbolic v. sign

Iconicity

Syntax rules

Transformation

Semantic rules

Pragmatic rules

Productivity

Polysemy

Universal v. culture- and context-bound meaning

Displacement

Reflexivity

Prevarication

Coherence mechanisms

Direct v. mediated response

Origins of Verbal and Nonverbal

Behavior

Alternative possibilities

Exclusively nurture (totally learned)

Physiological/anatomical predispositions but learned performance

– Universal needs but variability in environmental influences on enactment

– Exclusively nature (innate and part of biological heritage)

Origins of Verbal and Nonverbal

Behavior

Types of evidence

Comparative studies (primates, other vertebrates) e.g., laughing, smiling, threat stare, grooming, fright vocalizations, spacing patterns

Child development research stages of normal development common to all reflexive behaviors present in all infants (crying, toe curling, grasping) observations of blind, deaf, and limbless children

Origins of Verbal and Nonverbal

Behavior

Types of evidence

Comparative studies (primates, other vertebrates)

Child development research

Cross-cultural studies

Origins of Verbal and Nonverbal Behavior

Conclusions about nonverbal/verbal differences

– verbal

– nonverbal

Neurophysiological Processing

Early/traditional views of hemispheric processing

– bicameral brain function--horizontal perspective

– high lateralization--strong differentiation of functions

– analytic/holistic dichotomy

NV defined according to where it is processed

Neurophysiological Processing

Contemporary views

– triune brain function--vertical perspective

R-complex (brainstem, cerebellum)

• paleomammalian brain (limbic system-thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary, amygdala, hippocampus, olfactory cortex surrounding the R-complex)

• neomammalian brain (cerebral cortex)

Neurophysiological Processing

Contemporary views

– interdependence & coordination of functions

• coordinated via corpus collosum

• relative, not absolute, dominance

• right hemisphere is essential for many linguistic activities

• people with left hemisphere damage able to decode with right hemisphere

Neurophysiological Processing

Contemporary views

– lability in handling other hemisphere’s functions

– cultural and style differences

– two hemispheres communicate with each other

– dominance depends on nature of signal

Perception by right hemisphere

melodies, music tonal patterns pitch, rate, volume laughing, crying coughing emotional stimuli distinguishing fingers recognition of faces familiar environmental noises location of geometric forms depth perception recognition of space & form topographic memory spatial disorientation body type distortions letters matched to words imagery recall strategies

Perception by left hemisphere

vowels spoken digits rhythmic patterns semantic units (words) nonsense words function words letters verbal tasks visual verbal material free movement during speech skilled movements pictures matched to letters subvocal rehearsal recall strategies music perceived as notes

Encoding by right hemisphere

automatic speech serial speech (alphabet) social gestural speech strong emotional utterances artistic ability model building

Encoding by left hemisphere

free movement during speech

Relationship of Gestures to Language

Semiotic Functions

Ekman & Friesen approach

Scherer linguistic approach

• semantic

• syntactic

• pragmatic

• dialogic

– McNeill information-processing approach

Relationship of Gestures to Language

• development of interactional nonverbal cues

(e.g., gestures) coincides with the development of language

• baseball theory--stone throwing/gestures and language development

Message Production

• gestures that relate to speech

– ones referring to the ideational process

– gestures referring to the object: depictive gestures

– gestures referring to the object: evocative kinds

Message Production

Gestures and speech flow

– hierarchical nature of language

– phonemic clauses and chunking of speech

– gestures preceding speech, priming the pump

– illustrator gestures that trace thought

Message Production

Nonverbal cues and cognitive effort

– indicators of cognitive difficulty and effort

– indicators of level of abstraction

Message Processing and Decoding

Definition

How humans acquire, store, retrieve, and use information; how information is gleaned from messages and interpreted

Message Processing and Decoding

Related to:

– attention and priming

– comprehension and memory storage

– recall

– inference-making

Message Processing and Decoding

Nonverbal cues of attention, priming and distraction

– vocal cues

– immediacy cues

– facial and gestural cues

– physical appearance

– environmental influences

Message Processing and Decoding

Nonverbal cues related to comprehension, storage and recall

– paralinguistic and parakinesic cues

– speech primacy gestures (illustrators)

– motor primacy gestures (emblems)

– incongruent messages

– speaker self-synchrony

– interactional synchrony

Message Processing and Decoding

Cues in inference-making

– nonverbal impressions

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