ENVIRONMENTAL CUES AS
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
SPATIAL COMMUNICATION
- Refers to your perception and use of space
- Using in professional and social contexts involves balancing personal and interpersonal needs with efficiency
- How we use space and observe and respect spatial needs of others
- It can result in a source of conflict or it can promote positive relationships
Space and Distance
Intimate Distance
- Up to 18 inches from your body
- Quiet or confidential comment to someone, private conversation, working closely with a friend, or giving someone a hug
- Personal communication
Personal Distance
- 18 inches to 4 feet
- This are is your own space in which you can move freely. You usually allow friends, family members, and some coworkers in this area
- If someone gets too close, you might feel as if he or she is "invading your space"
Social Distance
- 4 to 12 feet from the body
- Allows communicators to see and hear each other while avoiding highly personal interactions
- Most appropriate for interpersonal and small group interactions in professional and social contexts
- Often used for making and acknowledging interpersonal introductions, business conversations, and informal presentations
Public Distance
- 12 to 25+ feet from body
- Most often used for formal presentations
- Presenters might use podium or stage to achieve better personal interaction with a larger audience
- Using distance inappropriately can create embarrassment, discomfort, and conflict
- Invading a stranger's personal or intimate space may make him or her uncomfortable, defensive, or afraid
- Fit your use of space to the context of the situation
What's Territory?
- Sometimes people identify a space or territory and claim it, protecting it as their own
- Workers often personalize cubicles or office spaces with specific arrangements or decorations
- Indicates "this space is mine"
Violating Territory Norms
- It is important to respect others' privacy and personal territory
- Hostilities can develop among coworkers over territory violations
Sending Nonverbal Messages
- How you use and maintain your territory or workspace sends a variety of messages about you
- I'm organized
- I'm disorganized
- I take pride in my space
- I don't like it here
- You're welcome in my space
OTHER TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLUES
Artifacts and Objects
- Artifacts are articles of adornment you use to decorate yourself or your surroundings (jewelry or accessories)
- Objects are all the materials that you keep in your space or take with you to classes, meetings, presentations, or other events (backpacks, notebooks, briefcase, date book)
- Objects and artifacts should be kept in good repair in social and professional contexts
- Classic, clean, and conservative
Color
- Colors send nonverbal messages
- Advertisers, fashion designers, and decorators use color for different purposes to attract attention or set an atmosphere
Fragrance and Odor
- Sense of smell is believed to provide the most direct link to the emotion center of the brain
- Can evoke memories, feelings, and permanent impressions; very influential in sending powerful nonverbal messages
- Aroma therapy is used now to help promote products (apple pie baked in home for real estate)
- Businesses and meeting places focus to deodorize premises to avoid inappropriate or unpleasant responses
- Fragrance should be light, conservative, and sparingly used in professional and social contexts
- Cleanliness and personal hygiene can prevent unpleasant odors
Cool Colors
Warm Colors
- A calming effect
- Formal mood, often used for formal professional attire
- Black, grey, brown, blue, green
- A warm feeling
- Sometimes used to evoke feelings of home, other times for energy
- Red, orange, gold, yellow
TIME MANAGEMENT
ARRANGING “SLICES” OF TIME
SENDING MESSAGES WITH TIME
How you use your time reflects your priorities and sends messages about your effectiveness as a student, an employee, and a communicator
Think of time as an object that stays in one place, and you can arrange its parts however you want
TIME COMMUNICATION
Breaking down time into different parts designated for various activities
It’s important to make note of special time commitments such as meetings, appointments, and deadlines
Knowing how to divide your time is important, and be able to say “no” to some commitments when busy
How you manage time is a form of nonverbal communication
Late friend, employer
How you use time sends strong messages about you, your perceptions of others, your relationships with them, and your attitude about responsibilities
Learning to manage time is vital to building a professional and image and succeeding in professional and social contexts
4 TYPES