Duck/McMahan: Communication in Everyday Life
Instructor’s Resources
Chapter 3: Nonverbal Communication
Outline and Key Terms
I. Exploring the Nature of Nonverbal Communication
 Nonverbal Communication: Nonverbal communication is everything that
communicates a message but does not include words.
A. The Two Sides of Nonverbal Communication: Decoding vs. Encoding
1. Sending and receiving nonverbal messages is called encoding and decoding.
(a) Encoding: to put your feelings into behavior through using nonverbal
communication
(b) Decoding: to draw meaning from something you observe
2. Encoding and Decoding skills are important for effective nonverbal
communication. Effective encoding helps your listeners understand what you feel
about your subject; effective decoding helps you figure out what the speaker is
trying to tell you.
B. The Two Overarching Modes of Nonverbal Communication: Static vs. Dynamic
1. Nonverbal scholars generally separate nonverbal messages into two broad
types: Static or Dynamic.
(a) Static Nonverbal Messages: those elements present during interaction
that do not change during its course, e.g. a person’s sex or a fixed piece of
furniture in a classroom
(b) Dynamic Nonverbal Messages: nonverbal messages that can change
during the course of the interaction, e.g. body movement, facial expression,
tone of voice, use of touch, etc.
2. Both static and dynamic forms of nonverbal communication are important
during interaction because they send messages about yourself, your relationships,
and your relationship to society at large. It is important to discuss the difference
between static and dynamic messages since both affect others perceptions of you,
and visa versa, and since some are more easily manipulated and controlled than
others.
C. Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication: Similarities and Differences
Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
1. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication share some properties, but also differ in
some important ways. Verbal and Nonverbal messages are alike in that they are
both:
(a). Symbolic: Both verbal and nonverbal communication can be considered
symbolic in that they rely on arbitrary, ambiguous, and abstract symbols to
convey meaning. Verbal messages is conveyed using symbols like letters and
words, while nonverbal messages are conveyed using symbols like gestures
and facial expression. Both forms of communication can be considered
1
Duck/McMahan: Communication in Everyday Life
Instructor’s Resources
polysemic, or ambiguous due to the multiple meanings associated with a
symbol. Meanings of symbolic communication depend heavily on context –
both situational and relational.
(b). Rule Guided: Both verbal and nonverbal communication are guided by
rule systems. Verbal communication is guided by the grammatical, semantic,
and syntactic rule systems in place for a given language, as well as social rules
the guide our use and understanding of certain verbal utterances. Nonverbal
communication is also guided by a rule system, though it is not one we are
taught in school curriculum as with language. Nevertheless, nonverbal
messages are rule guided in ways similar to language, both in how we are to
construct a nonverbal message, when it is appropriate to use a nonverbal
message, and how we are to interpret a nonverbal message in a given context.
(c). Cultural: As cultural uses of language vary, so do cultural uses of
nonverbal communication. Nonverbal messages are linked heavily to culture.
For example, the meaning of eye contact can vary drastically across cultures
from a sign of honesty or involvement, to a sign of disrespect. Further,
different cultures have different rules of propriety of nonverbal messages, e.g.
showing emotion through facial expression.
(d). Personal: Though both verbal and nonverbal forms of communication are
highly cultural, they are also quite personal in nature. Individuals can be quite
idiosyncratic in their nonverbal behaviors despite overarching cultural norms
that guide nonverbal behaviors.
(e). Ambiguous: While some verbal messages can be considered ambiguous
in meaning, nonverbal messages are even more ambiguous in nature. There is
no Webster’s dictionary of nonverbal messages, and because they are not so
explicitly defined there is much room for interpretation.
Some ways that verbal and nonverbal messages differ include:
(f). Control: Nonverbal communication is far less controllable than verbal
communication. One reason for this is that we are not always fully aware of
what our nonverbal behaviors are communicating. This is called leakage.
Leakage occurs when you do not necessarily intend to convey your true
feelings about someone or something, but your nonverbal behaviors “tell” on
you.
(g). Continuity: Unlike verbal communication, nonverbal communication is
continuous. It is not realistic to think that one can stop behaving nonverbally.
Even silence is a form of nonverbal communication, as is sitting completely
still (which may convey respect, reverence, rapt attention).
D. Functions of Nonverbal Communication
2
Duck/McMahan: Communication in Everyday Life
Instructor’s Resources
1. Nonverbal communication serves a variety of important functions during
interactions.
(a). Interconnection with verbal communication: Nonverbal messages are
often intertwined with verbal messages and help create meaning in a variety of
ways. In this sense, nonverbal messages can accomplish the following
functions:
 Substitute: Nonverbal messages can substitute, or be used in place of,
verbal messages.
 Emphasize: Nonverbal communication is often used to emphasize or
highlight the verbal message
 Moderate: nonverbal communication is used to moderate verbal
communication, it essentially tempers the certainty of a verbal
message
 Contradict: nonverbal communication can contradict verbal
communication both intentionally to create sarcasm, or
unintentionally.
(b). Regulating Interaction: Nonverbal communication informs you how you
should behave and conveys how you want others to behave. It serves to
punctuate and guide the flow of interaction.
 Regulators: nonverbal actions that indicate to others how you want
them to behave or what you want them to do, e.g. using eye contact to
signal to someone that it is her turn to speak, or motioning for another
driver to merge into your lane ahead of you.
 Punctuation: nonverbal communication creates a framework within
which interaction happens in proper sequence
(c). Identifying others: Nonverbal cues can be used to identify other people,
such as their smell, hair color, body type, facial appearance, and clothing.
(d). Transmitting of Emotional Information: NVC actually allows you to
convey three different kinds of emotional information: attitudes about another
person, attitudes about a situation, and attitudes about yourself.
(e). Establishes Relational Meaning and Understanding: NVC establishes
rapport, connection, engagement, responsiveness, liking, and power.
E. Elements of Nonverbal Communication: The Nonverbal Subcodes
1. Proxemics: the study of space and distance and its communicative properties
(a). Territoriality: Territoriality is the establishment and maintenance of
space that you claim for your personal use.
 3 types of territory: primary, secondary, and public.
(b). Body buffer Zone: an imaginary bubble around us that we regard as part
of ourselves.
2. Kinesics: the study of body movement and its communicative properties – can
be broken down into a discussion of posture, gesture, and eye contact/gaze
(a). Posture: body position during interaction; can be relaxed, welcoming,
tense, or off-putting
3
Duck/McMahan: Communication in Everyday Life
Instructor’s Resources
(b). Gesture: a movement of the body that conveys meaning, can be hand
movements or facial expressions, and can be broken down further into
emblems and illustrators
 Emblems: a gesture readily translated into words, e.g. ok sign in
America
 Illustrators: gestures used along with speech to complement,
emphasize, or help to visualize what is being said
(c). Eye contact: looking directly into the eyes of another; Gaze: looking at
another person – both are used to gather information, regulate interaction, to
convey negativity and positivity
3. Vocalics: sometimes called paralanguage, refers to vocal characteristics that
indicate how a verbal message should be interpreted or how one is feeling;
includes tone of voice, silence, speech rate, accent, etc.
(a). Back-channel communication: vocalizations that give feedback to a
speaker and help regulate interaction by indicating interest, involvement,
willingness to listen, or a wish to speak
(b). Turn-taking: vocalic cues can signal a change of speaker, e.g. raised
pitch at the end of question lets another know an answer is expected
4. Chronemics: the study of uses and evaluation of time; includes timing of
events, use of time during interactions, and cultural ways of thinking about time
5. Haptics: the study of the communicative value of touch; touch can be used
during greetings, to indicate positive affection, power, and to accomplish tasks.
Types of touch outlined by Heslin (1975) include:
(a). Functional-Professional: touch behaviors permitted by a particular
context, e.g. a hair stylist washing your hair
(b). Social-Polite: formal uses of touch often used between acquaintances
or colleagues, e.g., a handshake
(c). Friendship-Warmth: touch that shows positive regard, e.g., a hug
(d). Love-intimacy: touch that is special and permitted only under certain
circumstances, e.g., a kiss
II. The Interacting System of Nonverbal Communication
1. Four ways to discern meaning from nonverbal communication
(a). NVC should be considered in relation to verbal messages. NVC
affects interpretation of verbal communication, and visa versa.
(b). NV messages are related to each other so that NV messages occurring
simultaneously should be considered together.
(c). Interpretations of NV messages depend heavily on context.
(d). Interpretations of NV messages depend heavily on the relationship
between interactants.
III. Improving your Nonverbal Communication Skills
1. Detecting errors and violations of rules or expectancies
2. Become a good decoder by:
(a). Attending to speaker’s cues
(b). Bonding with the speaker
4
Duck/McMahan: Communication in Everyday Life
Instructor’s Resources
(c). Coordinating with the speaker
(d). Decoding speaker’s cues
(e). Encouraging speaker
3. Become a good encoder by:
(a). Affirming the listener
(b). Blending verbal and nonverbal communication for consistency.
(c). Striving for directness and emotional clarity.
5