Nonverbal Communication

TEKS Speech 1(b), 1(e), 1(j), 2(a)

What is Nonverbal Communication?

The process of sending and receiving messages WITHOUT words

TouchgesturesGlance facial expressionseye contact intonationVolume dressProximity postureSmell sounds word choice and syntax

Why is it important?

The first 30 seconds make or break

“You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”

80% of all messages are nonverbal

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN

WORDS

What’s more believable: What someone says or what someone does?

Why?

Elements of Nonverbal Communication

1. Body Language2. Eye Contact & Facial

Expressions3. Vocal Cues4. Spatial Use & Time

What is body language?The way we use our bodies to send

messages.

Body Language

Appearance:May indicate occupation, culture, status, or group membership

Symbols (objects) a person chooses to have, carry, or wear may also nonverbally communicate something about that person

Examples of symbols:• Jewelry (a diamond ring on the left ring

finger)• Clothing (athletic letter jacket)• Tattoos• Sports memorabilia

Body LanguagePosture – the body’s position when one sits or stands

• Can convey attitude

Body LanguageGestures—movement of the hands and

arms to help make a point Can replace words in certain messages Can emphasize meaning of verbal language Can add to meaning during descriptions

Touch Varies by gender, status, age, culture- contact vs. noncontact Can be situational (example- football locker room) Different for different cultures

◦ Enjoy touching- Middle Eastern, Latin, Italy and Greece, Russia◦ Middle Ground- France, China, Ireland, India◦ Don’t touch- Japan, US & Canada, England, Australia

Used in many ways… positive, negative, influence, interaction management, interpersonal responsiveness, accidental, task-related, healing

Positive Body Language

Relaxed PostureArms relaxedNod agreementSmile at humorLean closerUse gestures

Negative Body Language

Body tensionArms folded Speaking

hand to mouth

FidgetingYawning

What does their body language tell you?

What does his body language say?

Jennifer Aniston & Jack Black

Facial Expressions & Eye Contact

Facial Expressions:movements of the eyes, eyebrows, and mouth that communicate one’s attitudes and feelings to others

Eye contact:the visual connection between people; the act of looking someone in the eye.

….Across culturesAsians try to suppress emotions in front of

others◦Americans don’t care

Asians look at the eyes◦Americans tend to look at the mouth

Asians avoid eye contact◦Americans make eye contact

Why?◦ Japanese believe that suppressing emotions

shows humbleness and promotes better relationships.

:-)

(;_;)

(^_^)

:-(

:-o

(o.o)

What is Jessica telling you?

                                                                                                                               

                                          

Let’s look at Hilary…

Is Amy Whinehouse happy to see us?

                                                                                                                               

                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                

What is Antonio telling us?

                                                                                                                               

                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                

I love Ms. Amos!

What is Brad Pitt saying with his smile?

Voice

Pitch—how high/low the voice isRate—how quickly/slowly something

is saidTone—the sound of a voiceVolume—the loudness or softness of

a voice

Space, Time and PlaceFriends sit closer together

◦ Intimate space—0-2ft◦ Personal space—2-4ft

Strangers sit apart◦ Social space—4-12ft◦ Public space—more than 12 feet

If you are rushed or nervous, you speak faster

You speak differently in different places◦ In the cafeteria with friends◦ In the principal’s office

Think about…..Your friend calls you at 2am…is it

an emergency or not?

You are a doctor and one of your patients shows up 30 minutes late (with no calling or ‘heads up’) Do you get mad?