Nonverbal Communication Survey of Communication Study chpt. 3.docx

Nonverbal Communication
Survey of Communication Study chpt. 3
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Survey_of_Communication_Study
Discussion and Definition of Nonverbal
Functions of nonverbal communication
Types of Nonverbal communication
Haptics
Proxemics
Chronemics
Personal Appearance, Objects and Artifacts
Environment
Paralanguage
Silence
Agenda
Discussion/Think about it:
What can you say with a handshake?

The Art of the Handshake
Do you see anything wrong with this handshake?
When Microsoft founder Bill Gates shook hands with South
Korea President Park Geun-hye, the country was outraged!
Why?
His one-hand shake in Korean culture - and also in Asia - is
notably casual, done only when the other party is a good friend,
of the same or younger age.
Using one hand with the other tucked in the pants pocket is
considered rude in South Korea, done when one is expressing
superiority to the other
Handshakes can “say” a lot!
Handshakes gone wrong
Definition

Nonverbal communication = any meaning conveyed through
sounds, behaviors, and artifacts other than words
we use nonverbal communication to share meaning with others
nonverbal behaviors are typically sent with intent…
However, people can derive meaning from your nonverbal
behaviors whether they are intentional or not
Nonverbal Communication
What is she saying?
One person will be the actor and the other person will be the
guesser
The actor will face the screen or have the list of 10 actions on
the next page in front of them
The Actor is to act out the phrases nonverbally without using
any spoken words
The guesser’s job is just that-guess that your partner is trying to
convey

Guessers write down your answers and number them #1-10
See how many messages you can accurately convey without
using any spoken words
Nonverbal Exercise
Ask a friend to do this with you…
1. Shame on you
2. What time is it?
3. Sit next to me
4. Calm down
5. I can’t hear you
6. I’m confused
7. I’m glad that is over
8. He’s crazy
9. Good job
10. I’m tired
For Exercise**
Only Actors look at the screen now
Functions of Nonverbal Communication

We use nonverbal communication to duplicate verbal
communication
Obvious examples include a head-nod or a head-shake to
duplicate the verbal messages of “yes” or “no”
When we duplicate our verbal message with nonverbals we use
things that are recognizable to most people within a particular
cultural group
We use nonverbal communication to replace verbal
communication.
If someone asks you a question, instead of a verbal reply “yes”
and a head-nod, you may choose to simply nod your head
without the accompanying verbal message
When we replace verbal communication with nonverbal we use
nonverbal behaviors that are easily recognized by others in our
cultural group
We use nonverbal cues to complement verbal communication
Example:
If a friend tells you that she recently received a promotion and a
pay raise, how do you show your enthusiasm?
Verbally: “Wow, that’s great! I’m so happy for you!”

Nonverbally: Smiling and hugging your friend
Nonverbal communication that complements cannot be used
alone without the verbal message.
If you simply smiled and hugged your friend without saying
anything, the interpretation of that nonverbal communication
would be more ambiguous
We use nonverbal communication to accent verbal
communication.
By emphasizing certain parts of the verbal message, we can
nonverbally accent something
Can be done using tone of voice or other gestures
If you feel upset you may say: “I’m VERY angry with you.”
Parents might tell their children to “come here” while pointing
to the spot in front of them dramatically, using a gesture to
accent their message
We use nonverbal communication to regulate verbal
communication.
Discussion: How do you maintain a conversation with your
friend? Do you say “Okay, let’s begin talking” ….and then
when you are done “I’m done talking now”
Probably not!
We use nonverbal cues to regulate conversations—what are
these?

Smiling, nodding head, looking at your watch or phone
Some people have an inability to pick up on verbal cues and you
may end up saying “Ok, I’ve got to go!”
We use nonverbal communication to contradict verbal
communication
Sometimes our bodies give away our true feelings.
Ex: your boss asks how you like your new assignment. You feel
obligated to respond positively and say “Great!” but your body
contracts and you slump your shoulders saying sometime else.
Nonverbal communication can sometimes send a mixed message
Research suggests that when verbal and nonverbal messages
contradict one another, receivers often place greater value on
the nonverbal communication as the more accurate message
Think about it: Do you agree with this research?
We use nonverbal communication to mislead others.
Recall a time when someone asked your opinion of a new
haircut.
If you did not like it, you may have stated verbally that you
liked the haircut and provided nonverbal communication to
further mislead the person about how you really felt.
When we try to determine if someone is misleading us, we
generally focus on the nonverbal communication of the other

person.
One study suggests that when we only use nonverbal
communication to detect deception in others, 78% of lies and
truths can be detected
However, other studies indicate that we are really NOT very
effective at determining deceit in other people and that we are
only accurate 45 to 70 percent of the time when trying to
determine if someone is misleading us
Think about it: What do you think of these studies? How good
at you are determining deception in others?
We use nonverbal communication to indicate relational
standing
We make many inferences about relational standing based on
the nonverbal communication of those with whom we interact
and observe
In the United States, it is generally acceptable for women in
platonic relationships to embrace and be physically close while
males often do not
Contrast this to many other nations where it is custom for males
to greet each other with a kiss or a hug and hold hands as a
symbol of friendship
We use nonverbal communication to demonstrate and maintain
cultural norms

We’ve already shown that some nonverbal communication is
universal, but the majority of nonverbal communication is
culturally specific.
Nonverbal cues such as touch, eye contact, facial expressions,
and gestures are culturally specific and reflect and maintain the
values and norms of the cultures in which they are used
Example: United States culture, people place high value on their
personal space—not so in other cultures
If you go to New York City, even though it is crowded, if
someone accidentally touches you on the subway he/she might
apologize profusely for the violation of personal space.
Contrast this to riding a subway in China or Japan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLpHvXuEE4U
We use nonverbal communication to communicate emotions
We more frequently use nonverbal communication to express
our emotions than verbal
Think about it: What are ways that we display our emotions
nonverbally?
Research has shown that people in close relationships have an
easier time reading the nonverbal communication of emotion of
their relational partners than those who aren’t close
Those in close relationships are also more effective at detecting
concealed emotions

Types of Nonverbal Communication
Haptics is the study of touch
Touch is the first type of nonverbal communication we
experience as humans and is vital to our development and health
Those who don’t have positive touch in their lives are less
healthy both mentally and physically than those who experience
positive touch
We use touch to share feelings and relational meanings
The use of touch is influenced strongly by gender, culture, and
power
Haptics
Proxemics = the study of how our use of space influences the
ways we relate with others
Specific distances are common for different relationship types:
Intimate distance (0-18 inches) is used when interacting with
those with whom you are very intimate.
Personal distance (18 inches-4 feet) tends to be used when
interacting with friends or acquaintances.
Social distance (4 feet-12 feet) tends to be used for group

interactions like a meeting or dinner table
Public distance (12 feet-25 feet) is most appropriate for public
ceremonies or events.
Reading Question/Discussion Board fun with this one!
Proxemics
Chronemics is the study of how people use time
Are you someone who is always early or late? What do you
think this says about you—what are you communicating by this?
Different cultures value time in different ways, which can lead
to difficulty interpreting this form of nonverbal behavior.
Think about it: Do we value time in the US?
In the US time is highly valued “Time is Money” thus lateness
is seen as irresponsible
In Latin America and other countries, time is not as important
so 30-60 minutes late is no big deal
Chronemics
After how long a period would you begin to feel angry or put
out?
Estimate waiting times for:
a. your dentist=
b. a checkout line in a department store=
c. a movie line=
d. for a friend at lunch=
e. being on hold on the telephone=
f. your professor to arrive at class=

g. a stop light=
Think about it: Do you see any patterns in your expectations for
waiting times? What influences your expectations most—your
relationship with the other party, the comfort of the waiting
area, your ability to control events?
Chronemics: How long is the “appropriate” amount of time you
should wait in each of the following situations?
Personal Appearance, Objects, and Artifacts are types
of nonverbal communication we use on our bodies and
surroundings communicate meaning to others
hair-style, clothing, jewelry, and automobiles, as well the way
you maintain your body.
Your choices express meanings to those around you about what
you value and the image you wish to put forth.
Personal Appearance, Objects and Artifacts
Our environment are nonverbal acts through our use of spaces
we occupy like are homes, rooms, cars, or offices.
Example: Most educational institutions intentionally paint
classrooms in dull colors. Why? Dull colors on walls have a
calming effect, theoretically keeping students from being
distracted by bright colors and excessive stimuli.
People and cultures place different emphasis on the use of space

as a way to communicate nonverbally.
Think about it: How have you decorated your room—either at
home, in the dorm, or where you last lived for a long period of
time
What are you communicating nonverbally with your
decorations, posters, color choices, knick-knacks, furniture, etc.
define you?
Environment
Paralanguage =vocal qualities such as pitch, volume, inflection,
rate of speech, and rhythm
While the types of nonverbal communication we’ve discussed so
far are non-vocal, some nonverbal communication is actually
vocal (noise is produced).
How we say words often expresses greater meaning than the
actual words themselves—like with sarcasm
Some comedians use paralanguage as an integral part of their
act
Video: Stephen Wright
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCMjJwIGxY
Paralanguage
Silence serves as a type of nonverbal communication when
we do not use words or utterances to convey meanings
What is “the silent treatment”?
What meanings did you take from that person’s silence?

Silence is powerful because the person using silence may be
refusing to engage in communication with you
Silence can be used to regulate the flow of our conversations
Silence has a variety of meanings and, as with other types of
nonverbal communication; context plays an important role for
interpreting the meaning of silence.
Think about it: What do you think are the advantages and
disadvantages of using silence as a strategy?
Silence
Verbal Communication
Survey of Communication Study Chpt. 2
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Survey_of_Communication_Study
/Chapter_2_-_Verbal_Communication
Definitions
Symbols
Functions of Verbal Communication
4 Rules for Verbal Communication

Phonology
Semantic Rules
Syntactics
Pragmatics
Spoken vs. Written Communication
Agenda
“A word is not a crystal, transparent
and unchanged;
It is the skin of a living thought,
and may very greatly in color and content
according to the circumstances
and time in which it is used”
Discussion: What do you think Homes meant with this quote?
Oliver Wendell Homes
Definitions
Verbal Communication and Symbols

Verbal Communication = an agreed-upon and rule-governed
system of symbols used to share meaning
Verbal Communication is both oral/spoken language and non-
oral/written
Symbols = arbitrary representations of thoughts, ideas,
emotions, objects, or actions used to encode and decode
meaning
Symbols stand for, or represent, something else.
Symbols have three distinct qualities: they are arbitrary,
ambiguous, and abstract
Symbols are arbitrary–- they have no direct relationship to the
objects or ideas they represent
Symbols are ambiguous -- they have several possible meanings
Symbols are abstract = words are not material or physical
Symbols
I C O C ,
What is this?

DOG
If you move the letters around you get….
Discussion: What are some meanings for Dog?
Man’s best friend
Protector
Loyal friend
Another mouth to feed
Vicious attacker
Meanings for Dog…
For Some a dog means….
And for others it means…
The Functions of Verbal Communication

Verbal communication helps us define reality
We use verbal communication to define everything from ideas,
emotions, experiences, thoughts, objects, and people – even
dogs!
We use verbal communication to define ourselves
The language that you use to communicate verbally shapes who
you are
Activity/Think about it: Think about how you define yourself—
what words do you use? If you had to choose just one word to
define yourself what would it be?
Verbal communication helps us organize complex ideas and
experiences into meaningful categories
For example, we all organize the people in our lives into
categories
We label these people with terms like, friends, acquaintances,
romantic partners, family, peers, colleagues, and strangers

Verbal communication helps us think
Without verbal communication, we would not function as
thinking beings
With language, we are able to reflect on the past, consider the
present, and ponder the future.
We develop our memories using language
Think about it: Try recalling your first conscious memories.
Chances are, your first conscious memories formed around the
time you started using verbal communication
Functions of Verbal Communicaiton
Verbal communication helps us shape our attitudes about our
world
The way you use language shapes your attitude about the world
around you
Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf developed the Sapir-
Whorf hypothesis to explain that language determines thought
People who speak different languages, or use language
differently, think differently
For example, if a native English speaker had the exact same
experiences in their life, but grew up speaking Chinese instead
of English, their worldview would be different because of the
different symbols used to make sense of the world
Discussion/Think about it:What do you think of the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis? Do you agree with this hypothesis-why or why not?

Four General Rules of Verbal Communication
1. Phonology = the study of speech sounds
What does the word sound like?
When we don’t follow phonological rules, confusion results
Example: the phrase “I love you”
How does this sound if you were spelling this out phonetically?
eye luv yoo
The Four General Rules of
Researchers in London have found that the most popular first
names for boys tend to contain larger sounding vowels that
require speakers to pull their tongues down and open their
mouths more, like the "o" sound in "Thomas."
The most popular girls names tend to have smaller, less open
sounding vowels like the "e" in "Emily."

Last year, the top five baby names in the US
Boys: Jacob, Mason, Ethan, Noah and William
Girls: Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Olivia and Ava.
Overall, male names were far more likely to contain a big, open
vowel sound, while female names were more likely to have
smaller, more constricted vowels.
Discussion: Why do you think research is showing this trend?
Phonology and Naming
According to the researchers, western societies tend to think of
taller, stronger men as more inherently masculine and
successful
Whereas slimness is more desirable in women.
They believe that over time, those preferences may have also
shaped what those same societies think of as male and female-
sounding names.
"[Animals] can make judgments about the size and potential
threat of other animals through the frequency of their call …
larger animals are likely to be stronger, and because their vocal
tract is bigger they make lower frequency calls"
Phonology and Naming
2. Semantics is the study of the meaning of words.
We attach meanings to words
meanings are not inherent in words themselves
because words are symbols, they are arbitrary and attain

meaning only when people give them meaning.
All words have a dictionary definition that gives us the
standardized definition, but words also have other meanings
Denotative meanings are the literal meanings of words—
dictionary definition
Connotative meanings are the interpretive meanings of words
based on our experiences and beliefs and can be quite varied
Example: “sick”
denotative definition = ill or unwell
Connotative meaning = ??
School
Justin Bieber
#
Denotative=dictionary definition
Connotative=the meanings and emotions associated
Activity/Think about it:
Connotative and Denotative meanings for …
3. Syntax = the study of language structure and symbolic
arrangement
The rules that govern word order
How we combine words into meaningful sentences and
statements.

We speak and write according to agreed-upon syntactic rules to
keep meaning coherent and understandable
Ex: I=subject Love=verb you=object
You don’t say “Love you I”…
…unless you are Yoda who inverts his syntax structure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0su-rW93Lk
4. Pragmatics = the study of how people actually use verbal
communication
These are the rules or patterns of language use.
Contextual rules define the pragmatics appropriate for the
communication situation
ex: you wouldn’t discuss the same topic at a funeral as your
would at a bar…hopefully
Conversational rules govern the ways communicators organize
and carry out conversations
Ex: turn taking in a conversation

Discussion: What are the differences between spoken and
written communication?
Formal vs. informal
we generally use spoken communication informally while we
use written communication formally.
synchronous vs. asynchronous
spoken communication or speech is almost entirely synchronous
(takes place in real time) while written communication is almost
entirely asynchronous (communication that is not immediate
and occurs over longer periods of time)
recorded vs. unrecorded
written communication is generally archived and recorded for
later retrieval, while spoken communication is generally not
recorded.
Privacy
spoken is private while written, especially texting and other
social media, is archived and not private.

Nonverbal Communication Survey of Communication Study chpt. 3.docx

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Nonverbal Communication Survey of Communication Study chpt. 3.docx