This document defines and discusses kinesics, which is the study of body movements and gestures in communication. It notes that kinesics comes from the Greek word for movement and refers to the study of arm, body, and face movements. The document then outlines the main concepts in kinesics, including emblems, illustrators, affect displays, regulators, and adaptors. It provides examples and definitions for each of these concepts. The document concludes that kinesic behaviors are an important but sometimes ambiguous part of nonverbal communication that can be misinterpreted across cultures due to variations in meanings.

1. KINESICS
BODY MOVEMENTS AND GESTURES
VALENTINE T BONDE
SYMPATHY MUTANDIRI
ENESSY MAKAURE

2. 2
DEFINITION
Comes from the Greek word Kinesis, Which means
movement and refers to study of the arm, body and
face movements
According to (Miriam-Webster, 1952), It is the study
of the relationship between non-linguistic body
motions and communication
The most well known non-verbal form of
communication

3. 3
RELEVANT CONCEPTS
INCLUDE
1. Emblems
2. Illustrators
3. Affect Displays
4. Regulators
5. Adaptors
6. Postures and Gait
7. Gestures

4. 4
EMBLEMS

5. 5
EMBLEMS
movements which have a direct verbal translation,
generally a word or phrase
Can be still or in motion
Vary within culture
EXAMPLES: handshake, shaking a fist at someone, a
smile, a frown
NB; (They are not part of a formal sign system like ASL that
is explicitly taught to a group of people)

6. 6
ILLUSTRATORS

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ILLUSTRATORS
Gestures which accompany words to illustrate a verbal
message
No meaning on themselves and serves and function
emphasis
Involuntary and seemingly natural
EXAMPLES
Two palms held up signify “I don’t know."
Wagging a finger while making a point
Rolling one’s eyes in disbelief

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ADAPTORS

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ADAPTORS
Adaptors are behavioral adoptions in response to certain situations
Used to relieve tension and believed to be associated with negative feeling
Can be targeted towards self, object or others
Self include ; scratching, turtling hair and some manifest internally,(e.g. Coughs or throat clearing sounds),
adjusting uncomfortable glasses, or represent a psychological need such as biting fingernails when
nervous
adaptors are more likely to be restrained in public places

10. • Object adaptors include:
• Tapping a pencil
• Drumming one’s fingers
• Adjusting one’s clothing
• Playing with jewelry
• Adaptors when students take
tests
– Hair twirling
– Scratching
– Ear pulling
– Forehead rubbing

11. • Affect displays may or may not
be intentional
• Affect displays convey feeling
and emotion
• They are often communicated
via facial expressions
• They can be difficult to interpret
• Interpreting affect displays:
– Look at the face to determine the
emotion
– Look at body cues to determine the
strength or intensity of the emotion.

12. • Regulators are primarily
unintentional
• They regulate turn-taking
behavior
• Conversational give and take
depends on regulators
• Types of turn-taking
• Turn-requesting cues
• Turn maintaining cues
• Turn yielding cues
• Turn denying cues

13. • Regulate the ebb and flow of
conversation

14. • Posture can reflect people's
emotions, attitudes and
intentions
• the position or carriage of the
body in standing or sitting
POSTURES

15. • Expressions related to posture,
gait
– “grow a spine”
– walking with a “spring in your
step”
– “stand up for yourself”
– “stand up straight”
– “hold your head high”
– “don’t slouch.”
– “stand still”
• In Western culture, an upright,
yet relaxed body posture, is
associated with confidence,
positivity, high self esteem
(Guerrero & Floyd, 2006).

16. • Are these couples getting
along?

17. CONCLUSION
• Emblems - Substitute for words and phrases
• Illustrators - Accompany or reinforce verbal messages
• Affect Displays - Show emotion
• Regulators - Control the flow and pace of communication
• Adaptors - Release physical or emotional tension
• Kinesic behaviors are an important part of nonverbal
communication. Body movements convey information, though
interpretations vary by culture. As many movements are carried
out at a subconscious or at least a low-awareness level, kinesic
movements carry a significant risk of being misinterpreted in an
intercultural communication situation

18. THANK YOU