1. NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
SUBMITTED BY :
Group – 7
Amit Papneja (10PGHR06)
Ria Ghosh (10PGHR42)
Sandeep Rath (10PGHR44)
Sudhakar Mishra (10PGHR48)
Urvashi Aggrawal (10PGHR55)
Vidhi Verma (10PGHR59)

2. Actions Speak Louder than Words
Nonverbal communication is the process by which nonverbal behaviours are used, either singly
or in combination with verbal behaviours, in the exchange and interpretation of messages within
a given situation or context.
Philip Lewis, famous writer on Communication techniques says, “Most of us speak at least one
oral language, but everyone speaks a nonverbal language. Communication analysts tend to agree
that perhaps most of the expression of emotional and motivational states occur on nonverbal
levels and are communicable by facial and paralinguistic cues.” Probably more feelings and
intentions are communicated nonverbally than through all the verbal methods combined.
Although we use 2 different mediums to convey messages when we communicate, it is difficult
to distinguish our words from our nonverbal cues. Both are intimately woven into our messages
and at as complements to one another. However, nonverbal communication is so inextricably
bound up with verbal aspects of the communication process that we can only separate them
artificially. “To leave the impression that you someone’s voice, appearance, facial expression, or
the distance he stands from you, independently of one another, is to leave you with a distorted
impression of the process.”
Mehrabian has identified 3 dimensions of human feelings and attitudes often communicated
more effectively through nonverbal cues : like-dislike; potency or status (power); and
responsiveness. Only by observing posture, facial expressions, and use of the space around them,
an observer can develop a fairly accurate interpretation of how comfortable 2 people are with
each other and which person has power over the other.
Characteristics of non verbal communication-
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3. Less prone to manipulation as it exists at a sub conscious level. Individuals are more
often than not, unaware of how they communicate non-verbally.
It is more factual or true as compared to verbal communication. Since it is less prone to
manipulation, it represents a truer picture of the individual.
Non verbal communication also tends to be less consistent with respect to interpretation.
Many non verbal cues need to be considered perhaps together at times to arrive at an
appropriate interpretation. Non verbal communication may complement or contradict
verbal communication
4 TYPES OF NONVERBAL MESSAGES :
1. Personal (to the individual)
Personal Nonverbal communication involves kinds of nonverbal behavior that are unique
to one person. The meaning is also unique to the person sending the message. For
example, someone may work while talking, another person may work in silence. One
person may laugh due to nervousness or fear, while another may cry.
2. Common to a group of people or culture
Cultural nonverbal communication, by contrast, is characteristics of, or common to, a
group of people. It is learned unconsciously by observing others in the society group. In
Aboriginal culture, for example, eye contact is less acceptable than it is European culture.
3. Universal (to mankind)
Universal nonverbal communication is behavior that is common to humankind. It shows
happiness, sadness or deep-seated feelings – for example, a smile or tears.
4. Unrelated to the message (random)
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4. Unrelated nonverbal communication, such as a sneeze, is unrelated to the verbal message.
It can distract from the verbal message, but has little effect on the meaning of the verbal
part of the message.
Nonverbal communication cues can play five roles:
Repetition: they can repeat the message the person is making verbally
Contradiction: they can contradict a message the individual is trying to convey.
Substitution: they can substitute for a verbal message. For example, a person's eyes can
often convey a far more vivid message than words and often do.
Complementing: they may add to or complement a verbal message. A boss who pats a
person on the back in addition to giving praise can increase the impact of the message.
Accenting: they may accent or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for
example, can underline a message.
Analyzing Nonverbal Communication
1. KINESICS : (Body Movement)
Kinesics refers to body motion and includes gestures, movements of the body, and posture.
Drooped shoulders, a furrowed brow, talking with the hands, and the tilt of head are all included
in the study of Kinesics.
There are many ways in which the human body expresses itself. A skillful communicator can
express herself/himself in many ways and various parts of the body may intentionally or
otherwise carry a message. Similarly, a keen listener and observer tries to observe and make
sense from the body expressions as well. Facial expressions, eye movements and the state of the
eyes and variety and intensity of human voice can and do convey different meanings. Innocence,
anger, wonder, shock, grief, terror, indifference, seriousness, friendliness, approval, disapproval,
exasperation, and many other feelings can be expressed through the body language. In some
professions where the facial and other body expressions are important, they are consciously
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5. cultivated. The success of performance of drama artists, movie stars, actors and actresses often
depends on their ability to cultivate and display a wide range of expressions, which the situation
demands.
There are 5 types of body expressions :
1. Emblems : refer to common gestures that may substitute for the use of words. They are,
in effect, sign language. The conventional wave of the hand indicating good-bye is an
example.
2. Illustrators : serve to accompany and to complement spoken language. They are used for
emphasis of for directions. For eg, a parking lot attendant may give verbal directions
while pointing with his hand where a car should be parked. When the supervisor holds up
3 fingers while explaining that there are 3 jobs that must get priority in the next week, she
is making use of an illustrator.
3. Regulators : control verbal interaction. When you nod your hand this is a sign that the
person should continue talking. Eg, hand motions in a television station tell the
performers to hurry up, slow down, or wait 1 minute.
4. Affect displays : reveal the emotional state of the communicator. A manager may refrain
from chewing out a new employee for bungling a job, but his contorted face, the frown
on his forehead, and his clenched fist may indicate his anger more clearly than any words
ever could.
5. Adaptors : which are nonverbal habits unique to the individual. Scratching the nose or
wiping the brow are examples of adaptors.
Movement Analysis : Don’t listen to What a person is saying, but to what he Does while he is
saying it.
Following Movements during an interview :
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6. Side to side movements : a person who takes up a lot of space while he talks by moving his arms
in large circular motions will do much informing and listening and will be best suited to
companies that are seeking a sense of directions
Forward & backward movements : a person who extends her hand straight forward and tends to
lean forward during the interview is identified as an “Operator”. This is the kind of manager
whose need for action best suits him to companies that need an infusion of energy of a dramatic
change of course
Vertical movements : this individual “draws himself up to his tallest during the handshake. He is
characterized as the presenter, a master at selling himself and the company”
Flow : Refers to the degree of flexibility with which person uses his or her body. For instance,
some persons begin a movement with considerable force but conclude it with deceleration of
effort. These people are what Lamb calls the gentle-touch type. Their managerial style will
contrast with that of the pressurizer whose movements push firmly from beginning to end.
It is significant that corporation executives are so sensitive to the importance of nonverbal
messages that they hire consultants to analyze those messages in their own ranks.
Physical Characteristics
Physical characteristics such as body shape, general attractiveness, body and breathe odours,
weight, hair and skin color are important parts of nonverbal communication. Because people
react and respond to these factors, they all determine their responses in interpersonal encounters.
First impressions and images of others can be associated unconsciously with past experiences of
people with similar physical characteristics.
Posture
Posture can be used to determine a participant’s degree of attention or involvement, the
difference in status between communicators, and the level of fondness a person has for the other
communicator. Studies investigating the impact of posture on interpersonal relationships suggest
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7. that mirror-image congruent postures, where one person’s left side is parallel to the other
person’s right side, leads to favorable perception of communicators and positive speech; a person
who displays a forward lean or a decrease in a backwards lean also signify positive sentiment
during communication. Posture is understood through such indicators as direction of lean, body
orientation, arm position, and body openness.
2. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS & EYES
It is said that the face is the index of the mind. The thoughts of the mind, and the feelings of the
heart often find expression on the face. There are people who are good at interpreting facial
expressions. One makes an attempt to read the facial expression when a person uses the
following expressions:
 makes a face
 smiles
 has a wooden expression
Eyes :
The eyes are indeed the most expressive part of the human face. The eyes of a person are
often said to tell a tale. In fact the eyes are the most commonly described part of the body. The
feelings of the heart quite often find expression through the eyes. In the expression of love,
affection, sincerity, etc. the eye contact becomes crucial. A person who blinks a lot is considered
to be lying. Some of the words and expressions used while reading the eyes are as follows:
 Worried looks
 Sad eyes
 Furtive glance
 Eyes emitting fire
 Unsettling stare
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8.  Hurried glance
 Cold stare
3. PROXEMICS
Proxemics refers to the spatial distance between individuals in different cultures.
Personal space or the space between persons during their interactions with each other is another
segment of non-verbal communication. Physical distance between persons can indicate
familiarity, closeness, etc. or otherwise. People who are very close to each other tend to keep
minimum distance whereas strangers and people who are not on very friendly terms with each
other maintain physical distance. In a hierarchical relationship, physical space varies depending
upon hierarchical differences. While peers move close to each other, subordinates maintain a
certain distance from their superiors. Similarly, the poor person refrains from going close to a
rich person. In ancient societies, besides economic factors, class, community, colour, profession,
education and such other factors constituted the basis for physical space. All these factors are
also relevant in proper understanding of the special non-verbal language. The English
particularly respect such special considerations. Not only the length of space, but even the
physical position has often its own significance. Relatively senior and more important persons,
as we all know, occupy front seats and special seats. When peers are in conversation, or speaking
on the telephone, the subordinates normally wait at a distance awaiting the signal to approach.
On the contrary, when the subordinates are in conversation, or speaking on the telephone, the
superior moves close and often shows his/her impatience. Whether it is in an organization, or in a
social context, personal space has its own significance, which one has to understand to make
communication effective.
Keeping Proper Distance
It is well understood that the distance people maintain while communicating with each other
indicates how close they are to each other in terms of social or business relationship. While close
friends and people at the same hierarchical level keep the physical gap to the minimum, strangers
as well as people who have a superior-subordinate relationship do not get too close. The prox-
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9. imity or otherwise between two persons would also vary from culture to culture and country to
country.
According to a recent newspaper report, here is how close you stand when standing next to
someone in office:
 10 feet if you are an Asian
 3-5 feet if you are an American
 One foot if you are a Latin American
Every society, and even every organization, would have its own well understood norms.
4. TIMING
Timing is another means through which non-verbal communication takes place. Who comes
first, who sits first, who speaks first, who gets up first, who leaves first are actions of the time
dimension of non-verbal communication. Generally speaking, it is expected that subordinates,
the invitees, the students, the participants arrive early and occupy their seats in advance, whereas,
the teachers, the speakers, the superiors and the special invitees and chief guests, generally,
arrive a little later. Similarly, in any meeting the senior most person or the chief sits first, speaks
first, gets up first and leaves before the others. When it comes to public and other functions
involving the heads of state and other dignitaries, speakers are seated as per protocol. For ex-
ample, the Governor of a State is the last to speak and all the other speakers get their chance
before him/her. Looking at the watch is another aspect of time related communication. The
superior looks at the watch to suggest his/her displeasure when the subordinate arrives late. The
listener looks at the watch frequently to give the message to the speaker that his/her time is over.
5. PARALINGUISTICS
Human voices, through their variations, convey different meanings. The speech or oral delivery
reaches the audience better through voice regulation or what is specifically called voice
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10. modulation. Voice modulation refers to the adjustment or variation of tone or pitch while
speaking. It is generally understood that voice has five distinct features, viz.,
 Tone: harsh, soft, whisper
 Pitch: high, low
 Quality: controlled, uncontrolled
 Pace: rapid, slow
 Force/intensity: high, low
Voice related features are particularly relevant in spoken communication, either face to face or
through telephone.
6. ATTIRE
Attire or dress is another important aspect of non-verbal communication. The way a person
dresses is often subjected to much interpretation. In business organizations the world over, the
attire of a person has come to assume significance. Formal, informal or casual dressing conveys
separate meanings. Important occasions and ceremonial functions normally call for a formal
dress. Organizations in fact very often have their own unwritten dress code that is well
understood and scrupulously followed. A person addressing an important meeting, making an
important announcement, receiving dignitaries or making an appearance in a high-level
conference, court of justice etc. has to wear a formal dress or a dress that is not interpreted as a
casual wear. Any breach of this unwritten code is likely to dilute the effectiveness of the
communicator.
7. APPEARANCE
Physical presence and appearance of persons play a role in the process of communication. The
way the man or woman looks indicates the importance he or she attaches to his or her presence
and participation. A disheveled look as evidenced by disordered hair, untidy, unruffled or
unkempt appearance, suggests indifference or casualness. Any person who is serious about what
he wants to convey especially in a formal setting makes it a point to appear so. In modem
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11. society, people have the habit of judging others by their appearance. While there may be
exceptions, generally speaking, a person keen on conveying a serious, business related message
has to make a positive impression in terms of appearance. People tend to prejudge a speaker
from his/her attire and appearance even before he starts speaking. When people speak and
interact in business and organizational settings they speak not merely with the words but with
their total Personality.
Appearance apart, many times even the very presence or absence of a person, especially when he
or she is a highly placed or highly regarded person, conveys message. People tend to associate
the presence or absence of certain persons with the level of importance of the event or meeting or
communication. The junior level functionaries in the organization often tend to decide about
their own participation in an event or meeting or forum depending on the participation of the
chief executive or senior executives or people considered important in the hierarchy.
8. HAPTICS
Haptics is the study of touching as nonverbal communication. Touches that can be defined as
communication include handshakes, holding hands, kissing (cheek, lips, hand), back slapping,
high fives, a pat on the shoulder, and brushing an arm. These behaviors are referred to as
"adapter" or "tells" and may send messages that reveal the intentions or feelings of a
communicator. The meaning conveyed from touch is highly dependent upon the context of the
situation, the relationship between communicators, and the manner of touch.
Touching is treated differently from one country to another. Socially acceptable levels of
touching vary from one culture to another. In the Thai culture, touching someone's head may be
thought rude. However, the same gesture in India is regarded as giving blessing. Remland and
Jones (1995) studied groups of people communicating and found that in England (8%), France
(5%) and the Netherlands (4%) touching was rare compared to their Italian (14%) and Greek
(12.5%) sample.
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