Psychology CST Assignment TWM

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Courses / NVCC - CST 110 Introduction to Human C… Leshaela

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Course Work 6: Nonverbal Communication Review

Words are not the only way people communicate with one another. In

fact, we interpret more meaning from nonverbal communication than

we do from the content of what is said. Nonverbal communication refers

to the elements of communication that do not involve words but

nevertheless transmit messages. Whereas words have meanings that

people can look up, there is no such dictionary for nonverbal

communication, making it dependent on the receiver’s interpretation.

We can change our speaking style and either avoid or use particular

words and phrases in different situations, but nonverbal communication

is much more difficult—yet incredibly important—to control.

To put the importance of nonverbal communication into context, just

imagine different speaking situations. In job interviews, employers

examine not just what you say, but how you say it, the manner in which

you are dressed, the posture you keep in your chair, and even the

strength and quality of your handshake. When out on a date, we pay

attention to how other people respond to our stories, how they sit, how

their voice sounds, and how much eye contact they make. We also

employ appropriate nonverbal behaviors when speaking to teachers or

supervisors, such as standing until they ask us to take a seat. The list

goes on and on, but the theme is the same: appropriate nonverbal

communication is essential in any interaction. 

In this chapter, we explore the various dimensions of nonverbal

communication. First, we will briefly outline the three basic principles of

nonverbal communication. Then, we will discuss the numerous functions

it plays in communication, before examining the different types of

nonverbal communication people exhibit in their interactions with

others. We will conclude with some guidelines for using nonverbal

communication in a way that encourages dialogue and a supportive

communication climate.

Principles of Nonverbal Communication Like any concept, nonverbal communication has its foundation in

certain principles. These principles help guide our understanding of

how nonverbal communication works and why it functions the way it

does. There are three basic principles we will explain, and each is

equally important. The first relates how nonverbal messages convey

information regarding emotions and relationships. The second

principle refers to how nonverbal communication works in tandem

with verbal messages to help maintain relationships. Finally, and

perhaps most importantly, is the principle that explains how nonverbal

messages are context-based, where the same nonverbal display can

mean something different to various groups in different situations.

Conveys Emotional and Relationship Information

Verbal messages contain information about both the logical coherence

of what is being stated as well as information that could potentially

influence the emotional disposition of an audience toward that topic.

Since it lacks the ability to be structured and argued, nonverbal

communication does not contain any information regarding the logical

dimensions of a message. Instead, it helps people understand the

emotional aspects of a message and the relationship between the

speaker and his or her audience or conversational partner. Although

words can carry emotional meaning, nonverbal expression carries the

emotional weight.

Think about trying to understand if someone is happy without seeing a

smile or hearing a laugh, or consider whether you can determine if

someone is upset or distraught without some sort of nonverbal cue

from her or his facial expressions or body language. It’s very difficult to

be certain about the emotional content of messages that are not

accompanied by nonverbal cues, particularly in written forms, because

our actions convey the emotions that underlie our words. For example,

consider all of the possible emotional meanings that could accompany

the verbal message, “That’s great.” Depending on the nonverbal

messages accompanying the words, along with the tone of voice, that

statement could convey excitement, anger, frustration,

disappointment, happiness, or so many other emotions. In fact,

according to some communication research, vocal cues like tone of

voice, volume, and rate of speech are more accurate tools for decoding

emotions than even gestures and facial expressions!1 

Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s sonnet that he delivered as his acceptance

speech after winning a Tony Award for the best original score for

“Hamilton,” honoring the Orlando Victims.

Video

Please visit the textbook on a web or mobile device to view video content.

In addition to emotional information, nonverbal behaviors also tell us

what the relationship is between two parties. Consider watching a

person enter an office. How do you know whose office it is, or who the

boss is in this situation? You can tell by looking at who sits, who stands,

and even who invites the other person to sit. Additionally, the structure

of an office can tell you things about the types of relationships people

wish to have with those that enter. Head nods, hugs, and handshakes

(particularly who extends his or her hands first) also serve as indicators

of the relationship between people.

Maintains a Relationship with Verbal Messages

Nonverbal communication helps us interpret verbal messages, and

verbal messages also can help us understand nonverbal behaviors.

The two forms of communication are related and have a sort of

symbiotic relationship. Neither one alone can accurately convey all the

information we want to send, but together they have that potential.

Communication scholar Judee Burgoon estimates that between 65 to

70 percent of meaning in a message comes from nonverbal

communication, with the rest coming from language.2 As we will see

later in this chapter, nonverbal behaviors can function in accordance

with our verbal messages, and sometimes they can present

information that is opposite of what we are saying. For effective

communication, we must strive to keep a degree of consistency

between what we say and what we do while we say it.

Relies on Context for Its Meaning

No dictionary for translating nonverbal communication exists, making

it a challenge to accurately interpret nonverbal messages. What we do

have available to help us understand the meaning behind nonverbal

behaviors is context, but we do not read the situation correctly all the

time. In interpreting what we perceive as relevant nonverbal messages,

we look at things like the situation, events that may influence the

person sending the message, what we know about the person sending

the message, and even what is said while delivering the nonverbal

communication. What goes on around the nonverbal communication

essentially feeds the meaning we assign it.

Additionally, the meaning of nonverbal communication is directly tied

to culture. Although emotions are universally human in nature, how we

express them varies from group to group. In certain Arab cultures, for

instance, grief is expressed openly, while in certain Asian cultures it is

seen as inappropriate to express emotions in such a way. In Europe, a

sign of friendship between people, even of the same sex, is to embrace

and kiss, while in the United States this is not a common practice.

Different behaviors are used in various cultures to express the same

emotions and appreciating these differences in context is important for

becoming a skilled and effective communicator. Even so, certain basic

emotions have been found to be interpreted similarly across cultures.

Psychologist Paul Ekman shared photographs of behaviors that

indicated happiness, fear, disgust, anger, sadness, and surprise to

participants from five non-European countries and found they were all

equally accurate in identifying the emotional display in the

photographs.3 Cultures have different norms for expressing certain

emotions and messages, but there are certain behaviors that seem to

be universally attached to particular emotions. 

Even the behaviors themselves can contain multiple possible

meanings, and identifying the correct one largely depends on how you

read the context in which the nonverbal message is conveyed. This

underscores the ambiguity of symbols and gestures, in that a smile in

one situation can mean happiness, while in another it could be an

indicator of someone hiding something. A head nod could also mean a

great many things, such as agreement or a sign of respect and

deference to the speaker. Context is key in reducing this ambiguity and

interpreting nonverbal communication, and so appreciating the

contextual dimension of nonverbal message interpretation is a

foundational principle of nonverbal communication.

Q6.1 Review

Tom is in a job interview. Which item below is not a nonverbal communication the interviewer will evaluate?

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a The manner in which he is dressed

b His posture

c Number of words spoken in response to a question

d Strength and quality of his handshake

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Q6.2 Review

Judee Burgoon estimates that ________ percent of meaning in a message comes from nonverbal communication, with the rest coming from language.

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a 50–55

b 65–70

c 85–90

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Functions of Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication can serve any one of six different functions

in our delivery of messages to others. Most often it works hand in hand

with verbal communication; however, that is not always the case. At

one time or another everyone experiences a situation where they

misinterpret a nonverbal display, or they create confusion through

their own nonverbal messages. Additionally, we have all been in

situations where if the nonverbal elements of the interaction are

stripped away it loses its charm, uniqueness, and enjoyable nature. In

this part of the chapter, we will define the six functions of nonverbal

communication, and show how they can help, and in some cases

hinder, the effectiveness of your communication. 

Kneeling During the National Anthem

 In Fall 2017, large numbers of NFL players engaged in a protest

whereby they kneeled during the national anthem. This was the same

form of protest former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick conducted

alone the year before. To some, this was a free expression of First

Amendment rights, protesting policies and positions of the

government specifically regarding race. To others, including President

Trump, who weighed in calling for the protesting players to be

punished, it was a sign of disrespect to the flag and the military.

Understanding the meaning of the protest required an appreciation for

context. 

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Q6.3

Source: Keith Allison from https://flickr.com/ photos/27003603@N00/37721041581

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Despite being allowable under the First Amendment, why was or why wasn’t this protest the “best” way to get the players’ message across? Was President Trump’s response appropriate? What could have promoted more dialogue, if anything?

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Repeating

Although there is no dictionary that helps us discern the meaning of

nonverbal actions and messages, we can often infer what they mean

through their immediate context, or how they are used. One aspect of

that context can be when a nonverbal message follows a verbal

statement. This can occur when we say hello and then extend our hand

for a handshake. We may also refer to a person and then point at them,

or state a location and then motion in the direction that we referenced.

When our physical actions that follow verbal messages reinforce what

is said, we are using the repeating function of nonverbal

communication. Nonverbal messages that repeat verbal messages can

serve a wide array of purposes for us, and often we do not think about

them as repeating when we use them.

Accenting

One of the most powerful aspects of nonverbal communication is that

we do not have to always wait until we finish speaking to take

advantage of it. Often, we can use nonverbal behaviors while we are

speaking to help get a point across, underscore the importance of a

statement, or express an emotional dimension of a message. When we

use nonverbal behaviors to augment a message while we deliver it, we

are using them to accent the verbal meaning we sent. Public

speakers sometimes pound a podium when making an important

point, for example. Accenting verbal messages with nonverbal

behaviors helps highlight parts of the message as important for the

receiver and is a useful function in a host of situations.

Complementing

A third function of nonverbal communication that shares some

qualities with accenting, but is different in that it is more subdued, is

complementing. When the nonverbal behavior occurs at the same

time as the message and displays the same content, then the

nonverbal behavior complements the message. This is similar to

accenting, in that the behavior and spoken message are consistent

with each other; however, in accenting, the behavior is meant to

increase the intensity of the message, whereas with complementing,

there is no such amplification. We find nonverbal behaviors that

complement messages in cases where people smile while saying hello,

laugh while telling a funny story or joke, and cry when delivering sad or

disappointing news. These behaviors do not increase the intensity of

the message or repeat the message after it is spoken, but rather

simultaneously display the same message as the verbal statement

itself, thus complementing the content.

Substituting

In some circumstances, we may not either want, or even be able to say,

anything right away. In those situations, it does not mean we are

restricted from communicating, because we can still send messages

through our nonverbal behaviors. The function of nonverbal

communication whereby our physical actions take the place of our

verbal messages is called substituting . People substitute nonverbal

behaviors for verbal messages quite often. During conversations we

issue head nods rather than saying, “I understand;” we smile to

indicate we like someone, rather than saying it outright; and we shrug

our shoulders when we don’t know something. Even the University of

Texas Longhorns have a hand gesture that symbolizes an affiliation

with the school!

Regulating

Perhaps the most essential function performed by nonverbal

communication relates to its ability to help order our interactions with

others. We rely on nonverbal behaviors more than verbal ones to know

when it is our turn to speak, ask questions, or when a conversation is

over or beginning with someone else. The actions that govern the

course of an interaction with another person perform the regulating

function of nonverbal communication. These types of behaviors

include things like raising your hand to speak, putting up a hand to

stop someone from interrupting while you finish a statement, or

pausing in a conversation after asking a question to indicate a

response is desired. These nonverbal actions, and others, allow us to

conduct conversations and dialogues with other people in a relatively

orderly manner.

Conflicting

Nonverbal communication is not an exact science, and ensuring our

actions correspond to our words the way we intend them to is not an

easy task. As a result, we sometimes issue verbal messages that say

one thing, while employing nonverbal communication that indicates

another. When this happens, our nonverbal communication serves a

conflicting function, and it can create, at minimum, confusion

between the sender and receiver. In interpersonal relationships, we can

smile and laugh with a date, and even say to her or him that we would

like to get together again—except our nonverbal behaviors can indicate

the opposite is true. In less awkward moments, we might say to turn

right but point to the left. These conflicting messages present barriers

to effective communication and underscore both the important role

our nonverbal communication plays in creating meaning and sending

messages, and how difficult they are to control.

Q6.4 Review

Which nonverbal behavior does not complement the content in a message?

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a Banging on the podium while making a statement

b Smiling while saying hello

c Crying while telling a sad story

d Laughing while telling a joke

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Q6.5 Review

Functions of nonverbal communication can both ________ the e�ectiveness of your message.

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a assist and boost

b help and hinder

c reduce and diminish

d create and demolish

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Types of Nonverbal Communication Many people believe that nonverbal communication is simply about

hand gestures and facial expressions, but those are only two small

aspects of the larger realm of nonverbal communication. Recall the

definition from the beginning of the chapter: elements of

communication that do not involve words, but nevertheless transmit

messages. This encompasses more than just how we use our hands or

express emotions through our face. It actually involves things like how

we treat time, decorate our personal space, and even the clothes we

choose to wear. All in all, there are eight different types of nonverbal

communication and in this part of the chapter we will describe each of

them in turn. 

Kinesics

The first type of nonverbal communication we will discuss is the one

with which most people are typically familiar. Kinesics refers to

nonverbal behaviors related to the movement of the body. These

include everything from gestures, which are physical movements used

to convey a message, to how we frame and orient our body to another

person or audience, or our posture. See Table 6.1 for a brief list of

gestures commonly used to express emotions. We'll talk more

specifically about gestures in the chapter on delivery.

Table 6.1 Gestures Used to Express Emotions

GESTURE EMOTION CONVEYED

Smile Joy, happiness

Frown Sadness, disappointment

Grimace Pain, Displeasure

Open Arms Friendliness, fondness

Furrowed brow Confusion Anger

Tapping Fingers Nervousness, boredom

Our posture also sends messages to the other party. If we have an

open posture , or have the majority of our body facing the audience

or other person, we indicate interest and attention. On the other hand,

if we have a closed posture in which we shield our body from the

other person, it can indicate not only lack of interest, but also possibly

fear. Additionally, people have a tendency to mirror, or replicate, the

posture of the other person when they are interested in them and

believe they are interested as well. Whether it is through gestures,

posture, or eye contact, kinesics can serve a variety of purposes for the

messages we convey, and they come in several different forms:

emblems, illustrators, affect displays, regulators, and adaptors. We'll

reference posture in the chapter on delivery as well and how it can be

used effectively.

Emblems are the relatively small number of nonverbal behaviors

that can usually be correctly translated into words. Examples of

emblems include shaking hands, pumping a fist, or holding up

one’s hand.

Illustrators serve to emphasize a spoken message, and include

things like pounding a fist on a table, nodding your head while

saying something you wish to stress, or furrowing your brow when

asking a question.

A�ect displays are displays of emotions through the use of our

bodies, and manifest in a variety of di�erent ways. We might jump

up and down when excited, laugh when happy, cry when sad, or

change our position toward the other person when we are upset.

Kinesics o�en serve the regulating function of nonverbal

communication. We indicate turn taking in conversations by

raising our eyebrows or holding out our hands. This defines a

regulator. We also use it to order classroom participation by raising

hands and pointing to who might speak. 

Adaptors are nonverbal behaviors that work to satisfy bodily

needs, but may create confusion in others when used. Think about

shi�ing your position in a chair when it is uncomfortable,

something that another person might interpret as your desire to

end the conversation. Using adaptors frequently can lead to the

perception that you are nervous or even being dishonest.4

Nonverbal behaviors not only provide essential context for making sense of verbal statements, they convey messages in their own right. Communicators ignore the nonverbal signals at their own peril. — Judee Burgoon, University of Arizona 

Oculesics

Related to kinesics is the use of eye contact to send messages,

something researchers also refer to as oculesics . We use eye contact

to convey interest or lack of interest in another person, respect or

disdain for the person or her or his message, and a host of other

emotions, attitudes, and thoughts. In Western cultures like the United

States, maintaining eye contact is seen as a sign of respect and

attention, while in other cultures it is interpreted as aggressive and

negative. When dating, we show our interest in the other person

through how we look at them. The eyes are, as the saying goes, truly

“the windows to the soul.”

Q6.6 Review

Oscar is in a meeting right before lunch and is really hungry. He can hear is stomach growling so starts shi�ing in his chair in hopes of keeping his mind o� of his stomach. His boss interprets Oscar shi�ing as him being uninterested in the meeting. Which type of Kinesics does Oscar’s nonverbal communication represent?

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a Adapter

b Emblem

c A�ect display

d None of the above

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Q6.7 Review

People convey interest or lack of interest in another person, respect or disdain for the person or her or his message, and a host of other emotion, attitudes and thoughts with their eyes. This is referred to as ________.

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a Proxemics

b Intimate distance

c Oculesics

d None of the above

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Proxemics

Whereas kinesics and oculesics involve the use of our bodies to send a

message, proxemics involves how we use space to convey

information. A person’s use of space can say a lot about her or his

identity, interest in another person, personality, and power. Edward T.

Hall, the researcher responsible for coining the term “proxemics,” also

identified four distance zones that are typically used by Western

cultures. Each zone invites a particular interpretation of how a person

views and is viewed by others.

Intimate distance. This zone stretches from touching to about a foot

and a half apart. This is what most people consider their own space.

Encroachment on this space by those who are not invited to do so can

create a high degree of defensiveness, discomfort, and even

aggression. It is a space typically reserved for those with whom a

person is intimate.

Personal distance. This space extends from a foot and a half to about

four feet apart and generally indicates friendship or collegiality. For

instance, when you walk with your friends to lunch, you do not walk

hand in hand, but you are generally within a few feet of each other.

Social distance. This zone stretches from about four feet to twelve feet

apart and is an area that people with whom we have little to no

connection might pass through. We might conduct business

transactions in this zone, but it is not the place where we keep our

intimate or personal friends.

Public distance. From twelve feet on, the distance conveys a formal

situation. Teachers and presenters speak to audiences at this distance,

and it conveys a very professional and formal atmosphere with little

personal association. At this distance, some might feel the speaker

could be cold and uninterested, which is a risk, particularly for those in

the teaching profession.5

Haptics

One of the behaviors that occurs within intimate space is touching, and

the study of how touch expresses meaning to others is called haptics .

Different types of touch can serve to amplify a verbal message,

reinforce it, and even at times contradict it, but the one constant is that

touch is key for sending emotional dimensions of a message to

another person—perhaps more so than any other form of nonverbal

communication. It may come as no surprise that touch is closely

related to a baby’s attachment to a caregiver, particularly a mother. We

also use touch to exert control, convey emotion, and express an

affiliation with another person, and the meaning and values placed on

expressing messages through touch are culturally driven. Perhaps the

most obvious way touch conveys messages occurs when partners or

parents hold hands, kiss, or hug to display their love for one another.6

Chronemics

Not all nonverbal communication relates to tangible objects like the

body and space. One abstract way in which we send nonverbal

communication involves time. Chronemics is the branch of

nonverbal communication that involves how people treat, value, react

to, and structure time. In terms of their use of time, people typically fall

into one of two chronemic categories: monochronic and polychronic.

Monochronic people like to do things one at a time, break their time

up into small manageable units in a schedule, and value promptness.

Polychronic people, on the other hand, tend to try and do several

tasks at the same time, tend to keep much more fluid schedules, and

are not particularly concerned about whether someone is “on time.”

Whether someone is monochromic or polychromic is influenced

heavily by culture. For a list of differences between monochronic and

polychronic people, see Table 6.2.

Table 6.2 Differences Between Monochronic and Polychronic People

MONOCHRONIC PEOPLE POLYCHRONIC PEOPLE

Do one thing at a time Do many things at once

Concentrate on the job Are highly distractible and

subject to interruptions

Take time commintments

(deadlines, schedules)

seriously

Consider an objective to be

achieved, if possible

Are low-context and need

information

Are high-context and

already have information

Committed to the job Are committed to people

and human relationships

Adhere religiously to plans Change plans often and

easily

Are concerned about not

disturbing others; follow

rules of privacy and

consideration

Are more concerned with

those who are closely

related than with privacy

Show great respect for

private property; seldom

borrow or lend

Borrow and lend things

often and easily

Emphasize promptness Base promptness on the

relationship

Are accustomed to short

term relationships

Have a strong tendency to

build lifetime relationships

 The use of time conveys emotions and indicates what a person values.

For instance, who you choose to spend your time with shows how you

feel about people and how you prioritize them in your life. The

treatment of time also functions as a regulatory expression of

nonverbal communication through the allowance of turntaking in

conversations. Respecting another person’s desire to respond and not

“hogging the air” illustrates an understanding of time in a conversation

and the right all people have to a share of that time. Noted

communication scholar Dr. Dawna Ballard has done some interesting

work on the concept of work/ life balance and found that although

time management may make us feel more comfortable, it does not

necessarily make us more productive—managing our attention,

however, does influence productivity!7

Q6.8 Review

Task-oriented people value promptness and like to do things in a linear fashion. They fall into the _________ category.

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a polychronic

b monochronic

c bi-chronic

d quadro-chronic

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Q6.9 Review

Chad organizes his homework while folding his clothes from the dryer as his mother requested. He finally sits down to study and falls asleep. This is an example of behaviors that fall into the _________ category.

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a monochronic

b bi-chronic

c polychronic

d quadro-chronic

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Olfactics

Another nonverbal aspect of communication that does not involve the

body or space is olfactics , the dimension of nonverbal

communication related to smell. As with all nonverbal messages, the

meanings attached to smells differ by culture. For example, some

cultures do not cover up the odors their body produces because it is

understood as a natural phenomenon, while other cultures go to great

effort to cover up scents. A person’s sense of smell is directly tied to his

or her memory, and certain aromas can create an inviting and relaxing

atmosphere because they remind someone of home or the beach,

while other smells create a negative reaction in a person based on bad

experiences or memories. These memories, in turn, influence the

perception a person has regarding another individual or situation.

Smells are most often unintentional messages, but they help people

create meaning nonetheless.

Understanding Dialogic Nonverbal Communication

Understanding and respecting how others use time and space is a key

component to creating and sustaining positive relationships with

them. Even when people do not have the same understanding of time

or keep their living spaces the same way we do, it does not mean that

their approach is necessarily wrong. In an episode of the hit television

sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons,

makes the mistake of inferring that his neighbor Penny is crying out for

someone to help her clean her apartment when he notices it is in

tremendous disarray. Unable to allow this to continue, and unable to

accept that his neighbor has a dirty apartment, Sheldon ultimately

sneaks into her apartment in the middle of the night and cleans it for

her. This enrages Penny, who was obviously not seeking the assistance

Sheldon believed she needed. Here we see the ambiguity of meaning

inherent in Penny’s use of space, as well as the imposition of Sheldon’s

own way of interpreting events. If he saw her apartment as dirty, he

assumed that she must be dirty as well. The results caused a serious

confrontation between Sheldon and Penny.

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Q6.10

Share an experience involving nonverbal communication that created misunderstanding. What can be learned from the situation?

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Vocalics

The final type of nonverbal communication we will discuss is often

confused with verbal communication because it emanates from

people’s vocal chords and mouths, but it is not verbal because it does

not involve words. Vocalics are those things that contribute to the

maintenance or creation of sound in your voice that help to convey

meaning. These are not language, but rather a nonverbal element

closely tied to how we send verbal messages to others. Our vocalics

can help to express emotions, attitudes, and interest in subjects or

people. There are several different types of vocalics: volume, tone, rate,

vocalized pauses, and gasps and sighs.

Volume. Volume refers to how loud or soft a person’s voice is. When

someone is quiet, we might infer they are shy or perhaps not interested

in the subject. When they are loud, we might see it as an expression of

excitement or perhaps anger. 

Tone. Tone is the emphasis we place on syllables, sounds, words, and

phrases that results in the overall sense of “warmth” and interest in our

voice. Monotone delivery of a message that has little or no variation

might both convey and create disinterest in a subject. In fact, research

on tone indicates people find those who speak in a monotone voice

unattractive.8 Tonal variation can enhance our audience’s interest,

convey our own interest in the subject, and add an emotional quality

to what we are saying.

Rate. Rate refers to how fast you deliver a message. When people

speak too fast we might infer they are trying to deceive us, but there

are also cultural components that impact the rate at which we speak.

For instance, people in the Northeast speak much more quickly than

those who live in the southern part of the United States. The average

rate of speech is around 150 words per minute, but certain

circumstances influence whether we speak slower or faster than

that.9,10

Vocalized pauses. There are two types of pauses: silent and vocalized.

Silent pauses occur when there is a momentary cessation of any

sound, while vocalized pauses occur when people use sounds and

words like “uh,” “um,” and “y’know” to fill the void. Excessive use of

vocalized pauses might create a perception in the audience that you

do not know what you are talking about or are an incompetent

speaker, while the strategic use of silent pauses can enhance your

credibility and give the audience time to catch up to you.

Gasps and sighs. One final type of vocalic is the use of breath to

convey a message. We do this through gasps and sighs. Gasps usually

indicate surprise or fear, while sighs demonstrate frustration or even

that a person is tired and uncomfortable.

We employ vocalics whenever we speak, but how and to what end

people use different levels of volume, tone, rate, or pausing is, as with

all of nonverbal communication, tied to cultural expectations.

Artifacts

The eighth type of nonverbal communication takes place through

artifacts. Artifacts are objects used to communicate information

about yourself to those around you. They express your attitudes,

feelings, mood, beliefs, interests, hobbies and even ideology. For

example, how people dress gives clues to the other person or audience

about what they value, how they interpret the situation, and what type

of personality they have. Consider the meaning people place on

tattoos or the concept of the “power tie.” How you look conveys a great

deal of information for others to interpret. Artifacts are also prominent

in dorm rooms, living spaces, and offices. People who keep a desk

between them and the visitor’s chair might be seen as rigid and

authoritative, while those with a more open setup typically are seen as

warmer. What we surround ourselves with, what we wear, and even the

colors with which we choose to decorate ourselves and our

environment reveals a great deal about us without saying a word.

Q6.11 Review

When giving her first speech, Mireya used “um” sixteen times. This is an example of:

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a Silent pauses

b Vocalized pauses

c Quiet tone

d Sighs

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Guidelines For Dialogic Nonverbal Communication A dialogic environment is not simply built on verbal messages, but

nonverbal ones as well. Recall that genuineness is a component of

dialogue, and we are neither genuine nor civil with others when our

nonverbal messages contradict what we say. We perceive others as

being deceptive when we see inconsistencies in a person’s verbal

message and nonverbal behaviors. Nonverbal communication can also

be a source of confusion for people because its meaning is so

ambiguous. To help you navigate the complexities and vagaries of non-

verbal communication, we will now provide five guidelines for creating

and maintaining a dialogic environment through nonverbal

communication.

Ask Clarifying Questions

Nonverbal behaviors can vary in their meaning, and we all might

interpret the same action differently. We can remove ambiguity from

our interpretations by asking a person what a specific action meant to

her or him. If someone furrows her brow while you explain a topic, you

might want to ask her if she is following along. She may be confused,

and you will not be able to adapt appropriately unless you ask. Asking

what people mean by their facial expressions, use of touch, or even

how they have their office structured can help to gain clarity about the

meaning inherent in those nonverbal expressions. Clarity is essential

for creating understanding and a comfortable communication climate

between two parties.

International Culture of Decorum

One of the most significant challenges for American professionals

travelling abroad is adjusting to the different treatment accorded to

time in other cultures. In most parts of the United States, there is a high

value placed on punctuality and timeliness. It is generally expected

that meetings will begin at the time they are scheduled, and that

everyone will be there at the agreed upon time. Additionally, meetings

in American culture typically are task oriented, hence the phrase “Let’s

get down to business.” In some Latin American and European cultures,

however, the value is placed less on time and more on relationship

building. People can typically run late to meetings without any

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negative connotation to their tardiness, and the initial meetings

typically contain less “business” and more socializing. This is because

these cultures value interpersonal connections and getting to know

those with whom they do business. So, when trying to expand or

develop business interests with people from these cultures, it is also

just as important to build personal interests.

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Q6.12

What assumption did Lavin (insert proper name) make and how did she use what she learned to adjust her behavior? Can you think of, or have you experienced, a similar situation that might require rethinking your response?

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Don’t Assume Others Understand

Just as we may need to ask clarifying questions of others regarding

their nonverbal expressions, we must be ready to answer those same

questions from others. Additionally, we must understand the ambiguity

of nonverbal behaviors and appreciate that others may infer

something other than we intend in what we do. Finally, this guideline

should serve as a caution not to use excessive nonverbal

communication with people you don’t know well, as they lack the

experience to accurately infer your meaning in those expressions. Do

not expect others to understand what your nonverbal expressions

mean.

Control Your Nonverbal Reactions

Practicing self-restraint and self-monitoring are key elements of

establishing a dialogue that must be practiced with nonverbal and

verbal communication. We may insult someone by grimacing or

laughing at the wrong time during an interaction, and we may also

express interest when none exists if we do not monitor and restrain our

nonverbal reactions. This is not to say you should not have any