Chapter 5 Nonverbal communication

I.

Nonverbal communication
A. Defined as all behaviors- other than spoken words- that communicate messages and have shared meaning between people
1. Does not include electronic communication 2. Shared meaning means that a national culture agrees on how to construe a behavior 3. Verbal and nonverbal communication usually go hand in hand

B. We all communicate without saying a word- we speak without talking C. The influence of nonverbal behavior on our perceptions, conversations and relationships cannot be overstated D. Nonverbal communication is central to our relational lives E. Nonverbal communication competence requires us to be able to encode and decode nonverbal messages F. Interaction adaptation theory- suggests that individuals simultaneously adapt their communication behavior to the communication behavior of others; the better we are able to adapt, the better we are able to understand the meaning of a message

II.

Principles of nonverbal communication

A. B. Nonverbal communication is often ambiguous Nonverbal communication regulates conversation
1. Nonverbal communication helps manage the ebb and flow of a conversation 2. Turn-taking- nonverbal regulators that indicate who talks when and to whom

C. D.

Nonverbal communication is more believable than verbal communication

1. Actions speak louder than words

Nonverbal communication may conflict with verbal communication

1. Mixed message- the incompatibility when our nonverbal and verbal dont match

III.

Nonverbal communication codes

A. Visual-auditory codes
1. Nonverbal you can see and hear
a) Kinesics- the study of a persons body movement and its effect on the communication process

(1)

Primarily gestures and body posture/orientation

(2) Delivery gesture- signals shared understanding-hand shake (3) Citing gesture- acknowledges anothers feedback in a conversation-raising hands in disagreement (4) Seeking gesture- requests agreement or clarification from a sender during a conversation-I dont know! (5) Turn gesture- indicates that another person can speak or that you are requesting to speak

2. Body orientation- the extent to which we turn our legs, shoulders, and head toward (or away) from the communicator 3. Physical appearance
a) Physical characteristics- aspects of physical appearance, such as body size, skin color, hair color and style, facial hair, and facial features b) Levels of attractiveness- favoritism? c) Body artifacts- items we wear that are part of our physical appearance and that have the potential to communicate

4.

Facial communication
a) b) Eye contact Smiling

5.

Paralanguage- the study of a persons voice

a) Not what a person says, but how b) Vocal qualities- nonverbal behaviors that includes pitch, rate, volume, inflection, tempo, and pronunciation as well as distractors and silence (1) You really did it this time (a) Praise, blame, exasperation c) Vocal distractors- the ums and ers d) Vocal characterizers- crying, laughing, whispering, whining

B.

Contact codes
1. 2. Touch and space Haptics- touch communication or human touch
a) Most primitive form of communication b) The ultimate in privileged access to people- the invasion of personal space c) Touch can be: (1) Used for positive affect- support, appreciation, inclusion (2) Playful function (3) Used to control- move aside (4) Ritualistic- handshake (5) Used in task function- hairstylist or dentist

(6) Hybrid touch- greets and simultaneously demonstrates affection (7) Accidental

3. Space 4. Proxemics- the study of how people use, manipulate and identify their personal space 5. Personal space- the distance we put between ourselves and others
a) The invisible bubble we carry around with us

C.

Place and time codes