Nonverbal communication involves sending and receiving messages without words through body language, gestures, eye contact, use of space, touch, time, artifacts, and paralanguage. It accounts for over 50% of communication according to Mehrabian's model. Nonverbal cues can reinforce, complement, or contradict verbal messages and help regulate interactions. Examples of important nonverbal channels discussed are kinesics, proxemics, haptics, chronemics, and their cultural meanings and functions.