Non-verbal communication refers to communicating through actions, attributes, and uses of space, time and objects rather than words. There are five main functions of non-verbal communication: regulating conversation flow, contradicting/complementing verbal messages, substituting for words, reinforcing verbal messages, and accenting meanings. Some key types of non-verbal communication include kinesics (body language), haptics (touch), paralanguage (vocal cues), chronemics (use of time), proxemics (use of space), and appearance.
2. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Communication that does not include
words; messages expressed by
nonlinguistic means; people’s actions or
attributes, including their use of objects,
sounds, time, and space, that have
socially shared significance and
stimulate meaning in others.
3. FUNCTIONS OF NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
1.REGULATES (Repetition)
2.CONTRADICTS
3.SUBSTITUTES (Replaces)
4.COMPLEMENTS
5.REINFORCES (Accents)
8. REINFORCES
A non verbal message reinforces
or accents the verbal message
when it adds to its meaning.
9. TYPES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Visual/ Kinesics
• Tactile/Haptics
• Vocal/Paralanguage
• Time/Chronemics
• Proxemics
• Artifactual communication and
appearance
10. VISUAL/KINESICS
Visual nonverbal signals help us understand
human body motion and include the
following components of body language:
• Facial Expressions
• Eye movement
• Posture
• Gestures
11. TACTILE / HAPTICS
This is the use of touch to impart meaning.
Such as:
• Handshake
• Pat on the back
• Kiss
• Arm around shoulder etc.
12. VOCAL/PARALANGUAGE
How the meaning of words is altered by changing the
voice qualities is known as paralanguage; simply
put vocal nonverbal cues are the messages we
send with our voices.
• Volume
• Pitch
• Tone
• Speed/Rate
16. ARTIFACTUAL COMMUNICATION AND APPEARANCE
The way we communicate to others
based on our appearance and how we
portray our image.
17. REFERENCES
• Steinberg, S. (2007), An Introduction to Communication Studies, Pretoria:
Juta and Company Ltd.
• Jain, A.K, Bhatia, P. S.R, and Sheikh, A.M. (2001). Professional
Communication Skills. Revised Edition, New Delhi: Chand & Company Ltd.
• Non Verbal Communication (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-
binaries/53604_Gamble_(IC)_Chapter_6.pdf
• Segal, J. Smith, M. et al. (2016) Nonverbal Communication. Retrieved from
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships/nonverbal-
communication.htm
• Non-Verbal Communication Modes (n.d) Retrieved from
https://www.andrews.edu/~tidwell/bsad560/NonVerbal.html
• Functions of Non-Verbal Communication ( 23rd April, 2009) The 5 Functions
of Non – Verbal Communication. Retrieved from
http://functionsofnonverbalcommunication.blogspot.com/2009/04/5-
functions-of-non-verbal-communication.html
Editor's Notes
The term nonverbal is commonly used to describe all intentional and unintentional messages that are not written or spoken.
Non verbal communication involves the image that people present through personal appearance, the messages we send through our body movements, gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice and eye movement as well as our use of space time and touch.
The ability to analyse nonverbal messages enhances your understanding of other people’s meaning and helps to eliminate communication problems. (Steinberg, 2007 p.28).
There are five functions of nonverbal communication; all of these functions help both the sender and receiver as they enhance the communication encounter.
The turn taking cues of conversational order.
For instance we use hand signals to indicate that we are done talking and it is someone else’s turn to talk. We also use nonverbal signals like looking at the other person as if to say “what do you think about that” without actually speaking the words. Hence, when talking to someone, your eye contact, tone of voice, nodding of the head, hand gestures and movements and any other nonverbal behavior will indicate to the person you are talking to when to speak, repeat a statement, hurry up, slow down or finish the conversation.
The use of a nonverbal message to negate the verbal message.
For example if you ask how someone is and they say “good” but they roll their eyes or look down at the floor and shrug their shoulders, you know they are actually not good and they have just negated the verbal message they were sending.
People tend to believe nonverbal cues more than the words that are spoken. As such, nonverbal messages are highly credible, perhaps because they often convey feelings and emotions.
Using a nonverbal action or cue instead of speaking. When we are not able to speak to a person we use a nonverbal cue.
For instance when you wave your hand to someone to say hello or goodbye, or when you give someone a hug to say thank you, or nodding your head to mean yes – your message is clear.
For instance, when you tell someone “I’m pleased to meet you,” and accompany your words with a warm smile, your tone of voice and facial expression are complementing the verbal message.
The amount of redundancy nonverbal communication adds to the verbal message
In the same way that underlining or italicising written words emphasises them such as saying “Come here now” conveys a more urgent message than “ Come here now” or pounding your hand on a table while saying “listen to me”.
for example if you say “Hi” or “Bye” you will probably wave your hand also, and if you say you’re hungry you might rub your stomach. If something tastes bad you would express your dislike accompanied with a disgusted look on your face.
The gesture may be redundant, but, it adds emphasis to what you are saying and captures the attention of your reader/listener. Often enough reinforcing the message is not deliberate and is done without conscious thought or intent on your part.
Kinesics is the study of body language.
Facial Expressions – The arrangement of facial muscles to communicate emotional states or reactions to messages.
The face is the main medium we use to decipher the feelings of others; it is the prime communicator of emotion. We can use the face to know what meaning someone is adding to what they are saying, whether they are serious, joking or perhaps even lying.
Eye movements – this involves how and how much we look at the people with whom we are communicating. Eye movements and especially making eye contact allows us to establish, maintain and terminate contact with the people/person with whom we are communicating.
Posture – This refers to the position and movement of the whole body. It includes body orientation which refers to the posture we maintain in relation to another person. Posture can help communicate how attentive, accepting or even how offended we are by a message for instance by how upright one sits at an interview, the straightness of soldiers standing in a parade, the slouching position of someone who is ill, someone leaning in for a kiss or a hug etc.
Gestures – this is the movement of the hands, arms and fingers as we communicate.
The way we use touch in communication will relay different meanings, for example a firm handshake vs. a slight and quick one, a prolonged hug vs. a short one all communicate differently.
The context of communication will determine how and what haptics communicates to the participants in the encounter. Consider two lovers hugging or kissing compared to a parent hugging or kissing a child, there will definitely be a difference.
Volume – This is the power of your voice; how loud or quiet you use your voice when you speak.
Pitch – this is the highness or lowness of one’s voice. Typically we identify someone's gender by the pitch of their voice; female voices are high pitched and male voices are low. In addition pitch can help communicate mood so for instance how bored or excited you are will move you to alter the pitch you use.
Tone – Allows us to express emotion as we speak; it is what helps differentiate between, terror, amazement, sympathy, anger, excitement, happiness, sadness, etc. The tone of your voice can help you convey what you mean, what you are reinforcing or perhaps what you are concealing.
Speed/Rate – How fast or slow one speaks. This influences how well people understand us but also being able to keep their attention.
Different people/cultures view time differently and as such will gain different meaning from how their counterparts use it. Chronemics alows us to understand the value we place on our communication counterparts when we interact with them; for instance arriving late to an interview may communicate that you don’t value the job/company. Whereas, arriving early for a lunch date can communicate how much you care for the person.
The amount of time you spend with one friend in comparison with another shows the kind of relationship you have or how much you value them.
It is important to be sensitive to the culture of the other person for example the saying “NO HURRY IN AFRICA” is almost always true at social gatherings, a wedding invitation shows the program starts at 4pm and yet the reality is that it can start 3 hours later, and yet the opposite occurs in Western cultures.
INTIMATE DISTANCE ZONE – People are in direct contact with each other, usually no more than 45 centimeters apart. It is reserved for the closest of friends and varies from culture to culture.
PERSONAL DISTANCE ZONE – In this zone people are between 45 – 120 centimeters from each other. It is reserved for family and friends. It is close enough to see each other’s reactions but far enough away not to encroach on their intimate zone.
SOCIAL DISTANCE ZONE – This zone is usually used when people do not know each other very well, usually at a distance of 120 – 360 centimeters between each other. This distance zone is where most business transactions, meetings, interviews and the like take place.
PUBLIC DISTANCE ZONE – In this zone, a distance of more than 360 centimeters is kept between participants. It is typically used in public speaking situations such as public presentations, lectures, political rallies. There is little opportunity for mutual involvement amongst participants in the communication encounter.
The amount of space we keep between each other influences what we talk about with other people.
This includes but is not limited to:
- Clothing and other aspects of physical appearance such as tattoos and piercings
- Make up
- Jewelry
- Personal hygiene and grooming
- Artifacts and carry-ons
