Amanda Chritz

Mrs. Marsh
English 10B
29 May 2014
The Importance of Nonverbal Communication
Since the end of the 16th century, famous writers such as William Shakespeare applied
the concept of body language in many different creative venues (SparkNotes). With the help of
scientific advancements, the true complexity of body language, and in extension, the other forms
of nonverbal communication can now be understood on a larger scale. Although it is a common
misconception that the only form of communication is the verbal component, that is only part of
the message. Nonverbal communication is defined as interactions using facial expressions, the
head, eye contact, body posture, gestures, touch, walk, status symbols, and personal space
(Ballantine, Roberts). Whether it is a simple exchange between strangers or formal interactions
with a supervisor, the human brain absorbs, analyzes, and responds to the present situation.
Being an active member of the social world requires the knowledge of the ways nonverbal
messages are expressed both by the sender, and the recipient.
During the first years of life, young children excel in communicating with those around
them using gestures or incoherent series of sounds. Even though the vague gestures of an infant
are different than a teenager rolling their eyes, the concept is essentially the same. In 1966,
Charles Galloway, an assistant professor at Ohio State University, wrote that the communicative
skills of children begin to develop into understandable words and phrases, the previously
dominate nonverbal forms become less prominent, but still a powerful source of information.

Nearly 50 years later, this fact is still true. In educational environments, particularly for
younger school children, it is still important for instructors to be mindful of every aspect of what
they are teaching; both verbally, and nonverbally. Galloway expanded and explained that eye
contact, facial expressions, or even tone of voice can either be powerful instruments of
encouragement to students, or convey an immediate negative reaction. Oftentimes, even students
in high school and college check the validity of verbal statements by inspecting the teacher's
"real attitude" displayed behind the phrases (Galloway).
Accessing the nonverbal behaviors of surrounding environments comes as a second
nature to children and young adults, but they do not always pay much attention to the cues they
themselves are giving off. Cheri Lucas, an author that published to Education.com identified
some of these negative cues as things similar to slouching in seats, periodically glancing at the
clock or staring at the floor during a speech. Knowledge of nonverbal cues of this sort is vital for
a success in not only social, but professional settings as well (Lucas). In a law office, for
example, communications between coworkers can be just as crucial as those with any clients, or
an employer. In a study completed by Demand Media journalist, Barbie Carpenter, she identified
the most efficient forms of nonverbal communication in a business environment. In this instance,
and in many other cases, the most helpful form is a confident handshake while working with
clients, eye contact and good posture during meetings, and a friendly smile with coworkers that
reinforces any verbal statements (Carpenter).
While walking down a busy avenue in New York City, it is not abnormal to exchange eye
contact and a brief head nod with a stranger before moving along to the desired designation. It
did not matter that the stranger verbally spoke a completely different language; the message was

sent and received anyway. In the United States, English still remains the primary language, but a
large variety of other languages are spoken throughout the nation. However that may be, there is
still successful communication that occurs every day, no matter the language spoken, and this is
due to the fact that language and communication are two different things. William Vicars
clarifies in his paper that communication is the use of gestures, symbols and sounds to reach a
mutual understanding, while language, especially spoken language, is a convenient way to reach
that understanding. In the same way that a single language is not universal, nonverbal behaviors
are not as well.
In the western social world, there is a distinct dominant culture. In Our Social World:
Condensed Version, culture is described as "the ideas and 'things' that are passed on from one
generation to the next in a society-the knowledge, beliefs, values, rules or laws, language,
customs, symbols and material goods that help meet human needs" (Ballantine, Roberts). Those
who generally follow the beliefs and norms of the dominant culture (in the United States, an
example of going against the dominant culture norms would be the Amish culture), has the
potential to create an ethnocentric society. This type of society views their own group's cultural
expectations to be proper and superior to others (Ballantine, Roberts). A prime example of this
takes place when traveling to different countries, with different cultures, and in result, different
variations of nonverbal communication.
Despite a common belief that nonverbal cues used to communicate are universal, this is a
misconception. Every culture uses its own unique form of language to communicate, and just
like those unique differences, the nonverbal forms are special as well (Ballantine, Roberts).
Anything from eye contact, personal space, or simple hand gestures, can mean entirely different

things in one country compared to another. In the United States, a thumbs up sign is a positive
signal, while in Brazil it would have been insulting, and in Japan it is equivalent of asking for a
bribe (Ballantine, Roberts).
Specifically in the United State's western society, there has been a widespread belief that
men and women communicate differently, as if they are a part of their own separate culture. Ann
Miller, an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida made reference to the author
John Gray, who created the phrase "Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus", which
explained the differences between men and women. Although men and women are not from
different planets, research has shown, and Miller further explained, that some differences are
evident when it comes to nonverbal behavior. Women tend to smile more, and maintain eye
contact while talking, but some scholars have pointed that those types of behaviors are associated
with low power communicators, which essentially means that the differences in how women
communicate are due to the lack of social power (Miller). These 'cultural' nonverbal differences
between men and women are culturally dependent as well. In another study that Miller
referenced, it was discovered that although there were nonverbal and behavioral differences
between the American men and women, there were only slight differences between Kenyan men
and women, and no difference at all between Brazilian men and women.
Whether it takes place in a 1st grade American classroom, or on the street in China,
communication makes up the groundwork of social interaction. Verbal communication is easier
to learn, and memorize, but nonverbal behaviors require knowing and interpreting the culture.
From a young age, nonverbal communication comes even easier than speaking aloud, but to

become successful in all the different phases of human relationships, and in extension, the social
world, knowledge of how these cues affect others is a necessary skill to have.
Works Cited
Ballantine, Jeanne H., and Roberts, Keith A.. "Society and Culture." Our Social
Condensed Version. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE/Pine Forge, 2010. 66-

World:

123. Print.

Carpenter, Barbie. "The Importance of Nonverbals in the Workplace." Small

Business.

Demand Media, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.

Galloway, Charles M. Teacher Nonverbal Communication. N.p.: ASCD, Oct. 1966.

PDF.

Lucas, Cheri. "Teaching Nonverbal Communication." Education.com. Education.com,

6 May

2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

Miller, Ann, Ph.D. "Men and Women's Communication Is Different." Communication
Currents. Natcom.org, Feb. 2011. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
SparkNotes Editors. SparkNote on Troilus and Cressida. SparkNotes.com.

SparkNotes

LLC. n.d.. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.

Vicars, William. "Nonlinguistic Communication." Nonlinguistic Communication. ASL
University, 12 Aug. 2001. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.