Connecting through Nonverbal Communication

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Intensifying

Exaggeration of reactions to meet others' expectations

EX: You receive a gift and try to look completely surprised, excited, and delighted.

Deintensifying

Understatement of reactions to meet others' expectations

EX: You receive an A on a speech; a friend receives a C. You tone down your elation, just in case your friend feels bad about receiving a lower grade.

What is Nonverbal Communication

Haptics

Includes all behavior, symbols, attributes, or objects--whether intended or not--that communicate messages with social meaning.

Facial Management Techniques

Tactile, or touch, communication; one of the most basic forms of communication

Neutralizing

Avoidance of any emotional expression in a situation

EX: You show no fear or sadness when, although fear or sadness may be justified, you don't want to show your emotions.

Connecting through Nonverbal Communication

Masking

Replacement of one expression with another considered more appropriate for the situation.

EX: You smile when a friend wins a scholarship and you don't, even though you think you deserve it.

Functions of Nonverbal

Communication

• Complementing: Completes, describes, or accents a verbal message.
• Repeating: Expresses a message identical to the verbal one

Functions Continued...

• Regulating Verbal Behavior: Controls flow of communication
• Substituting: Replaces a verbal message with nonverbal signals to exchange thoughts
• Deceiving: Nonverbal cues that purposely disguise or mislead to create a false impression

Emblems

Regulators

Facial expressions and body Movements

These translate directly into words and are used for specific words or phrases.

EX: A hitchhiker's extended thumb.

• Eye Behavior
• Facial Expressions

Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication

These control, monitor, or maintain interaction between or among speakers and listeners.

EX: Eye contact, shift in posture, nod of the head, looking at a clock or wristwatch.

Sexual arousel

Functional-professional

The most intimate level of personal contact with another

EX: Sexual touch behavior includes foreplay and intercourse

-Nonverbal Communication occurs constantly

-Nonverbal Communication depends on context

-Nonverbal Communication is more believable than verbal communication

-Nonverbal Communication is a primary means of expression

Nonverbal Communication is related to culture

-Nonverbal Communication is ambiguous

Unsympathetic, impersonal, cold, or businesslike touch.

EX: A doctor touches a patient during a physical examination.

Types of Nonverbal communication

Social-polite

Categories of Body Movements and Facial Expressions

Acknowledges another person according to the norms or rules of a society

EX: Two people shake hands in American culture or kiss in other culture or kiss in other cultures to greet one another.

Touch/Haptics

Affect displays

Illustrators

Love-intimacy

These are body movements that express emotions.

EX: Sad face, slouching, jumping up and down

Physical Characteristic

These accent, reinforce, or emphasize a verbal message.

EX: A child holding up his hands to indicate how tall he is while saying, "I'm a big boy".

Occurs in romantic relationships between lovers and spouses

EX: Two people hug, caress, embrace, and kiss

• Touch/haptics
• Space
• Time

Paralanguage/Vocalics

• Silence
• Artifacts
• Environment

Friendship-warmth

Expresses an appreciation of the special attributes of another or warm feelings for another

EX: Two men or two women meet in an airport, hug, and walk off with their arms around each other

Adaptors

These help one feel at ease in communication situations.

EX: Scratching, smoothing hair, playing with coins, putting hands in front of the face, moving closer to someone