psychology of communication -...

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PSYCHOLOGY OF COMMUNICATION Sciences of Communication 2014/2015

Lectures #4, Oct. 16th and #5, Oct. 23rd 2014

SUMMARY

FORMS AND TYPES OF COMMUNICATION: NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION (NVC)

GENERAL ASPECTS

FUNCTIONS OF NVC

TYPES OF NON-VERBAL MESSAGE

FOR AN EFFECTIVE USE OF NVC

EXTENDED SUMMARY

FORMS AND TYPES OF COMMUNICATION: NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION (NVC)

GENERAL ASPECTS

Definition:

– Communication that does not involve the use of verbal signs (words)

– Definition by the negative – states what i tis NOT (nonverbal).

– Vast and complex area;

– Communicative value of nonverbal communication (NVC).

– The CNV study is relatively recent

– First serious study:

Nonverbal Communication: Notes on the Visual Perception of Human Relations (1953), RUESCH, Jurgen (Psychiatrist) and KEES, Weldon (film producer)

– CNV:-sign language (subst. Words), language of action and language of objects.

– We know very little about CNV: - Quote:

Extended summary Psychology of Communication

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"we respond to gestures with a level of extreme alert and, we might say, according to an elaborate and secret code that is not written anywhere, is not known by anyone and is understood by all" Edward Sapir (1949)

FUNCTIONS OF NVC

Repeating When we communicate with one another, we use words and their nonverbal equivalents at the same time. For example, verbal statements of agreement or disagreement ("Right, right"; '''No way"; "Are you kidding?") are often accompanied by a nod or shake of the head to indicate positive or negative feelings. We call these nonverbal gestures repeating messages because they convey the same meaning as the verbal message. Of course, either the words or the nods by themselves would be enough but repeating messages are done almost without thinking. They are a very basic part of language behavior, occurring naturally, without conscious thought or intent.

"I? ... said John, with a broad innocent look, pointing the index finger towards the chest."I would never do such a thing! "

Substitution: When hearing or speaking is impossible, nonverbal conununication often replaces verbal message. In such instances nonverbal messages are called substitutes, because they take the place of words. Thus, someone directing you into a tight parking space might substitute gestures for words when the car's noisy engine prohibits speaking. Another kind of substitution is made when someone with whom you’ve had an argument attacks you with “1ooks that could kill.” For nonverbal communication to act as a substitute, it must be recognized and, more importantly, interpreted in the same way by most of the people in a specific group, subculture, or culture.

"They were not allowed to utter a word, but just by looking at their faces we knew exactly how they felt!"

Complementing: We also use nonverbal language to complement, complete or accent explanations of how to do something or in descriptions of specific sizes or shapes. To understand how important these complementing actions can be, just try the following, without using nonverbal behavior: Teach a new dance step, explain how to tie a slip knot, or describe the shape of na hourglass. Complementing behaviors are also used to emphasize emotional feelings or attitudes. The same complementing gesture can accompany quite different emotions, however:

The five finalists in the essay contest stepped onto the stage. When the fourth ruuner. up was announced, the remaining contestants applauded loudly. When the winnwer was finally announced, the first runner-up applauded, but as she congratulated the new winner, tears streamed down her face.

Deceiving/Revealing “I’ll see you and raise you five bucks.” Kelly said with his usual poker face.


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Sometimes we purposely deceive others or supply them with false information. You may not like a friend's new haircut, for example, but still say, "Your hair looks great!" to avoid hurting his feelings. At the same time that you are saying this and staring convincingly into your friend's eyes, you may be nervously pulling at your coat buttons. If your friend is sensitive to nonverbal behavior, he or she may pick up this contradictory message. Deception clues (for example, an overly exaggerated smile or a too severe frown) suggest possible falsehood but do not tell what information is being withheld or falsified. Leakage, on the other hand, implies "spilling the beans" about the withheld information. For example, biting a fingernail can leak nervousness, or a clenched fist can leak the desire to fight. Research on deception has demonstrated a relationship between the message-sending ability of a body part and the deception clues and leakage it reveals. Specifically, the face and the eyes are the best senders of messages. Their expressions are easily and quickly disseminated to the observer. Because so much attention is paid to our facial features, however, we all learn to alter these when we want to deceive someone. At the same time, little attention is paid to our hands, legs, and feet. Thus, unconscious movements of these appendages are often dead giveaways of our thoughts. In short, our faces and eyes are the most expressive but tell the most lies, while our hands and feet don't say as much but often tell the truth. Remember this the next time you really want to know what someone is thinking. Listen to the words, look at the facial expressions, but don't forget to look down at the hands and feet. Somewhere in the body's actions, the truth prevails.

Regulating Lily knew her father wanted to talk. She could feel his steady gaze upon her. When she turned and looked at him, he said, "Lily."

One of the most common purposes of nonverbal con1munication is regulating. Let's say that you and a friend are discussing a movie you saw the other night without regulating messages you might sound something like this:

"Hey, did you catch the movie at the Plaza the other night? O.K., I'm finished talking for the moment. You can speak." "Thank you. I wanted to answer your question. Yeah. Great. Especially that scene in the woods. " "Can I talk?" "You want to talk again? Sure." 'Thanks. I just wanted to say that I let out the biggest scream during that part!"

Accenting Ed slammed the book shut. "Oh, what's the use! There's no way I'll learn all this by tomorrow!"

Another function of nonverbal communication is accenting, the use of gestures such as nods, blinks, squints, and shrugs to help emphasize or punctuate spoken words.

Accenting can also be achieved by changing the pitch or stress on a word or group of words. In fact, our entire meaning often depends on which words are accented:

I want to dance with him.


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TYPES OF NON-VERBAL MESSAGES (RUESCH & KEES, 1956)

Visual signs

– Elements that we recognize through the vision (facial expressions, kinesis, oculesis, etc.);

– Can be used alone or linked to other signs.

Look and eye contact (oculesis)

– Plays an important role in human interaction;

Communication of emotion and affective assessment; Evaluation of relative status; Evaluation of credibility and honesty; Assessment of availability and communicative

competence. Expression of intimacy;

– Eye contact is a kind of dance;

– Eye contact is influenced by the relative height of the interlocutors.

– Eye interactions are used to regulate the conversation;

– There are social rules governing the ways and procedures of eye contact.

Facial expressions


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– Facial expression is the most basic and most common form of expression of emotions;

– Paul EKMAN: -Basic Expressions: anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, surprise. - Common to all mankind.

– Relationship between expressions and emotions – nature or culture?

– The Basic Expressions:

Seem to have instinctive and genetic origin and are universally recognized;

The reasons and circumstances leading to facial expressions result from learning-and vary according to culture.

– Importance of contextual factors to identify the emotional significance of facial expressions;

– Cultures vary in the use they make of the facial expressions.

Body movements (Kinesis)

– Basic concepts:

Kinesis Scientific study of body movements

Kineme Minimum unit of kinesic expression

Allokines Variant forms of kinemes

Kinemorphs Significant units of visual expression

– Ray BIRDWHISTELL identified:

between 50 and 60 universal kinemes; involving 8 body parts.

– EKAMN & FRIESEN defined five cathegories of body expressions: 1) Emblems, 2) Illustrators 3) Regulators, 4) Affect displays 5) Adaptors.


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Emblems * Have a direct correspondence in a word or verbal

expression; * Its exact meaning is known of most of the members of

a particular social group; * Are commonly used consciously and intended to

convey a message; * Are recognized by others as something meaningful

and sent intentionally; * The person who displays the emblem assumes

responsibility for it; * Have a clear meaning even when cast out of context. * Some common emblems:

Illustrators * Are bodily movements that accompany the verbal

language and serve to emphasize or illustrate what is being said;

* Can consist of movements of the hands, head, or of the whole body;

* Improve by about 20% the ability of memorizing the speech;

* The use of illustrators varies from culture to culture; * Latin based cultures use more illustrators that Anglo-

Saxons or Asians. * EKMAN & FRIESEN identify 8 types of illustrators:

Batons: ‑ serve to emphasize a word or phrase;

Ideographs: ‑ serve to orient the direction or line

of thought;

Deictic movements: ‑ point to an object;

Spatial movements: ‑ reveal or clarify a spatial

relationship;

Kinetographs: ‑ represent a body action;

Pictographs: ‑ draw a figure of respect;

Rhythmic movements: - show the duration or timing of an event;

Emblematic movements: repeat or replace words illustrating the words spoken.

Regulators:


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Body signs that serve to control or regulate the flow of the verbal communication;

Do not convey any messages related to the topic of conversation;

Can be used as feed-back; Can be kinesics or not kinesics; Are displayed with low levels of consciousness; Its use varies from culture to culture.

Affect displays Body changes that convey emotional states; Can be intentional or unintentional; Vary from culture to culture.

Adapters/manipulators: Postural changes and other movements to satisfy

personal needs of physiological or psychological type and help us to adapt to the environment;

Typically not meant to convey any message; Are displayed with low levels of consciousness; They are divided into: a) Auto-adapters:- touch

movements in itself; 2) Alter-adapters:-movements targeted at another person; 3) Subject-adapters:- movements to objects. Examples:-yawn, adjust your glasses, etc..

Body movements and postures: Normal body movements that can be revealing of

states of mind or the relationship between people.

Personal appearance

– Influences first impressions;

– Is related to attractive appearance;

– Part of the definition of group identity.

– Beauty standards vary:

from culture to culture; over time.

– Natural characteristics:

Face, body shape, skin tone, hair color, etc.; Beauty standards normally do not correspond to the

physical medium type of population.

– Ornamental characteristics:


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Are more communicative value that the natural characteristics;

Provides Visual indicators about our interests, age, personality, attitude, identification with function or activity, etc..

Physical contact and touch (haptics)

– One of the earliest form of human communication;

– Essential to the construction of our affectivity and necessary for our physical and emotional well-being;

– Can be used to transmit a wide variety of feelings;

– Is subject to strong social and cultural adjustment – acceptable and unacceptable touches;

Amount of touch; Type of touch – body zone touched;

– Categories of touch (Jones & Yarbrough, 1985)

Positive affects:-communicate appreciation, affection, security, support, etc.;

Ludic:-simulation of emotional gestures or aggressive to communicate humor or fun;

Control: call for attention or induction of acceptance or submission;

Ritualistic: satisfaction of ritualized needs (greeting, farewell, etc.);

Hybrids: mixed situations of affection/greeting/farewell, affection, etc.;

Task related: Used with instrumental character – for example a dance teacher touches student to teach a step.

Use of space (Proxemics)

– Use of space normally involves the regulation of physical distance among people;

– Physical distance is related to emotional distance.

– Four dimensions:

Territoriality; Personal space; Personal distance; Physical environment.

– Territoriality:

The territory works as an extension of personal space; Basic elements: - Marking of boundaries and

personalization of space; Use of signs or posters to warn potential intruders who are violating the territory; Patrol of territory boundaries or setting barriers to unauthorized access; Defense of territory against intrusion.


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– Types of territory:

Public territory:-belongs to all, personal transitional territories;

Interaccional territory:-informal congregation space – is intertwined with personal space;

Domestic territory:-our space; Territory of the body:-extension of our body. Forms of demarcation of the territory: Central markers:-personal objects that mark our

territory; Border markers:-separate our territory of the

other; Individual markers:-identify our space.

– Personal space

Space around us that we consider part of our self; Three essential functions:

1) Protection: manage the contact with people around us to protect our body from intrusion of others;

2) Regulation of sensory inputs: regulate the amount of sensory information we receive from others;

3) Communication: manage the degree of emotional closeness and intimacy that we want to maintain with the other.

Dimensions of personal space o hard to define o Dimensions for urban western culture:

Personal space varies with: o Age:-increases with age; o Gender:-after seven years, smaller among

women;


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o Physical appearance (attractiveness):-smaller with more attractive people;

o Culture:-contact cultures/cultures of no contact;

o Status:-greater in people of high status; o Personality: introverted people require more

space; o Stigma (social or physical): greater space.

– Personal distance

Physical distance that people tend to keep between each other depending on the personal or emotional distance;

Four types of personal distance: 1) Intimate Distance; 2) Personal distance; 3) Social distance; 4) Public distance.

Intimate distance: - the presence of another person cannot be ignored due to the increased relevance of sensory inputs. Is most appropriate in relationships of big emotional proximity. Tends to be avoided in public places.


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Personal distance acts as a kind of protective bubble around the body, more appropriate in relationships of companionship or friendship.

Social distance: - psychological zone that defines the boundaries of self below which any presence of another person begins to be felt as intrusive. Used by people who meet for the first time, or in professional or business meetings.

Public distance used normally for formal interactions, for example, a professor teaching a class.


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Psysical (built) environment

– The built environment:

serves to support our activities; has communicative functions; orientation of behavior; Supplier of symbolic value; Regulation of interaction.

FOR AN EFFECTIVE USE OF NVC

TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

ENSURE THE COMMUNICATIVE VALUE OF THE SIGNAL

PAY ATTENTION TO INTER-INDIVIDUAL AND CROSS-CULTURAL VARIATION

NOT HAVING EXAGGERATED EXPECTATIONS

Faro, October 14, 2014 Professor:

psychology of communication -...

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