Prepared for UHS 2052 students at UTM Skudai
By Siti Rokiah Siwok srsiwok@gmail.com

What is Nonverbal communication?

Nonverbal
Communication
• Nonverbal communication includes all behaviors, attributes, or objects
(except words) that communicate messages that have social meaning.
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What do you think?
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• Knapp and Hall found that most people rely more on nonverbal messages.
Nonverbal behaviors are 12-13 times more powerful in impact compared to the accompanying verbal message.
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What is the relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication?
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And, what is the importance of studying nonverbal communication?
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Nonverbal communication has its special functions in our communication

Functions of Nonverbal
Communication
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• Complementing verbal behavior
Repeating verbal behavior
Regulating verbal behavior
Substituting for verbal behavior
Deceiving
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Characteristics of nonverbal communication
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Occurs constantly
Depends on context
More believable than verbal
A primary means of expression
Related to culture
Ambiguous, abstract and arbitrary
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Types of Nonverbal Communication
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Facial expression, body movement (kinesics)
Physical characteristics
Touch
Space
Time
Paralanguage
Silence
Smell
Artifacts
Environment
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Kinesics and oculesics
• Kinesics is sometimes called body language, is any movement fo the face or body that communicates a message.
• ( Sieller and Beal, 2011, page 122)
• Eye behavior (oculesics) is a subcategory of facial expressions.
Oculesics includes any movements of the eyes.

Eye Behavior - Oculesics
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• 45% of interaction time looking at eyes
We establish relationships with our eyes
Eye behavior (Dale Leathers in Sieler and Beall, 2011)
– influences attitude change and persuasion
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– indicates degree of interest expresses emotions
– regulates interaction
– indicates power and status
– forms impressions in others
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Facial Expressions
Facial management techniques
– Intensifying
– Deintensifying
– Neutralizing
– Masking
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Body Movements
Categories
• Emblems
• Illustrators
• Regulators
• Affect displays
• Adaptors
Note: Some body movements may be classified under more than one category
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Physical Characteristics
Body type, attractiveness, height, weight, hair color, skin tone
What is the role of physical appearance in communication in our culture?
How does physical attractiveness influence communication?
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Touch - Haptics
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• Functional – professional touch
Social – polite touch
Friendship – warmth touch
Love – intimacy touch
Sexual – arousal touch
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Space - Proxemics
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• Proximity Zones
– Intimate: 018”
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Personal: 18” - 4’
Social: 4’-12’
– Public: 12’ plus
Territoriality is an aspect of proxemics which explains the need for us to identify certain amount of space as our own
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To declare our space we use objects such as books or pencils etc.
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Time - Chronemics
Chronemics is the study of how people perceive, structure, and use time as communication
Chronemics includes, how we manage our time, time expectations related to other people and people’s approach to time.
Some people have these time approaches
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Looking to the future
Living in the present
– Longing for the past
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Paralanguage - Vocalics
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We used more than the words themselves for interpretation of messages
Paralanguage or vocalics is the way people vocalise the words when they speak.
Vocalics include speech sounds, speech rate, accents, articulations, pronounciations, groans, yawns, counghs, laughter, crying and vocal fillers such as “um”, “aaa”, “you know” etc.
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Paralanguage - Vocalics
• The use of vocal fillers is usually through out the entire speech and is usually done without thinking by the speaker. It may reflect nervousness, a particular subculture or a personal habit.
• Vocal fillers can influence our image

What about silence?

Silence
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• What role does silence play in communication?
How comfortable are we with silence in our culture?
Silence or vocal pauses are very powerful way to convey messages.
Vocal pauses or hesitations are shorter than silence. Silence refers to an extented period of time without sound .
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Smell - Olfactics
• What about smell?
• Does smell can be part of non-verbal communication?
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Artifacts
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Artifacts are personal adornments or possessions that communicate information about a person
Clothes, perfume, makeup, eyeglasses, hairstyles, beards, autos, etc.
Artifacts should be consistent with and reinforce our intended messages.
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Environment
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Psychological and physical surroundings in which communication occurs
Furniture, architectural design, lighting conditions, temperature, smell, colors, sounds of the location, and the attitudes and perceptions of the participants.
The best environment allows a speaker’s intended message to be delivered accurately.
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Is nonverbal communication the
“absolute” truth?
Reveals all?

Interpreting Nonverbal
Communication
Why do we have such difficulty interpreting nonverbals?
– Nonverbal cues have multiple meanings
– Nonverbal cues are interdependent
– Nonverbal cues are subtle
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How do we improve our nonverbal communication effectiveness?
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Be observant of nonverbal messages
Don’t jump to conclusions
Use descriptive feedback
Practice self-monitoring
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Points to consider
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If verbal and nonverbal contradict, people believe nonverbal: reflect and consider your nonverbal communication
If you are the audience: think of what your nonverbal communication says to the speaker
If your are the speaker: read your audience and adapt
Since so much communicative meaning is transmitted through nonverbal behaviors
– consider the implication!
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Main References:
• Seiler, W. J and Beall, M. L ( 2011).
Communication. Making Connections ( 8 th ed).
Boston: Pearson
• Verderber, R. F., and Verderber, K.S. ( 2005).
Communicate! (11 th . Ed). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth.
• Connecting through nonverbal communication slides. (2008). Allyn and Bacon powerpoint slides.
• http://cobweb2.louisville.edu/faculty/regbruce/bruc e//mgmtwebs/commun_f98/Verbal.htm