Verbal and Nonverbal CommunicationsVerbal and Nonverbal Communications

Jose M. Reyes IIComm 560: Communications Issues for Leaders

History of Nonverbal Communication

Prior to 1960’s, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication were viewed as two

separate ways of communicating. Since then, researchers and teachers

have discovered nonverbal parts of communicating-

eye contact, body movement, facial expressions, etc.

History of Nonverbal Communication (contd)

As a result, research has concluded that you can’t separate verbal and nonverbal communication as isolated structures.

These systems should be regarded as unified communication construct.

Ferdinand de Saussure

One of the founders of linguistics of the twentieth century said language is like a sheet of paper.

A way to look at verbal and nonverbal communication:

Primary Verbal----------Mixed-------------Primary Nonverbal words vocal pacing, gestures, eye gaze, pause, loudness, facial expressions, pitch, silence touch, space

Mixed Cues: Voice

People overlook the fact that spoken language

includes many different nonverbal elements,

i.e. speech, pitch variation, volume, and vocal quality.

What is your perception of someone who speaks v-e-e-r-r-y-y s-s-l-l-o-o-w-w-l-l-y-y?

Mixed Cues: Voice

As a result, rate affects communication as

well as: -monotone vs. melodic -softly vs. loudly -vocal quality ( resonant, squeaky,

nasal, or breathy).

Mixed Cues: Voice An example of monotone:http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxPVyieptwA&feature=related

An example of slurred speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZFADM7GubY&feature=related

Mixed Cues: Voice One way to interpret others’ vocal cues is

to make stereotyped judgments about the speaker’s personalities.

We should no do this, but we do regardless.

For example, male with a breathy voice is likely to stereotyped as gay, or at least young and artistic.

Mixed Cues: Voice Whereas a female with the same vocal

quality is usually thought of as “more feminine, prettier, more petite, more high-strung, and shallower.”

Nasal voices are heard as undesirable for both male and females.

Low deep voices are perceived as being more sophisticated and sexier than higher-pitched.

Primary Nonverbal Cues: Facial Expressions

Your face is the most expressive part of your body.

People are unaware of how much they rely on faces to give and get information.

Every culture studied has been found to include some conventional facial expressions that people use to communicate.

In your experience, which kinds of mixed and primarily nonverbal cues vary the most between

or among cultures? I think eye contact varies the most between cultures. Some cultures

expect a the listener to make eye contact with the speaker, but in other cultures it is considered disrespectful to make eye contact.

In my experience, mixed nonverbal cues that vary between cultures are the uses of the head-nod. A head-nod upward can mean hello or what's up in my culture. In other cultures it could mean something different. It’s like the hitch hiker sign and America means that you want a ride. In Nigeria, it is a very insulting gesture.

I would have to say that eye contact varies most between cultures. In America it is appropriate for men and women to use eye contact when communicating. It lets the listener know you are attentive to what is being said. There is a sense that you are paying attention. But in other countries it is not appropriate to use eye contact especially for women. It is a sign of disrespect in some areas of the world.

To use a personal example, I think that personal space and greetings varies a lot between cultures. Within my own family there is a great variation in non-verbal communication. On my dad's side of the family, which is Italian, people have very little personal space, kiss as a greeting and when leaving, and are in general much more comfortable being closer to each other and affectionate. My mother's family, which is primarily Irish, is a lot less affectionate and keeps further personal space. They do not always kiss when greeting and it is very rare when they do. In my father's family that is a major sign of disrespect.

In your experience, which kinds of mixed and primarily nonverbal cues vary the most between

or among cultures? (con’t)

Many hand gestures are very different between different cultures. For instance, the American version of peace can be very derogatory in other cultures, meaning something similar to our meaning for the middle finger and I even read as an undergrad that the peace sign used above someone’s head (like giving them “bunny ears”) means that you are saying they are homosexual. Hand shaking can lead to much miscommunication between members of different cultures because extending the incorrect hand could be very offensive. Waving hello can also be very different; our version of calling someone near is actually hello to some cultures. The use of head movement and facial expressions can be another source of miscommunication between different cultures. Americans are often very expressive with their nonverbals, but other cultures are much more reserved. Proximity or closeness varies greatly from culture to culture as well; I have been in situations where I felt uncomfortable because someone was within my intimate contact zone when having a very casual conversation, and given a cultural difference, the other person saw nothing wrong with it. And in cases like this, you can actually be offensive because of how you may react to something you are not familiar.

Cultural Similarities and Differences with facial expressions Two common emotions found by

researchers that are expressed from one culture to the next:

Surprise: consistently communicated by a face with widened eyes, head tilted up, raised brow, and open mouth.

Cultural Similarities and Differences with facial expressions Disgust: communicated with brows

pulled down, wrinkled nose, and a mouth with raised upper lip and downturned corners.

Cultural Similarities and Differences with facial expressions Differences in facial expressions between

Japanese and North Americans. Japanese have been taught to mask

negative facial expressions with smiles and laughter and to display less facial emotional overall.

Japanese still appear to be some of the least facially expressive of all cultural groups.

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Facial Expressions

An example of facial expressions:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4BoOpA2b3A&feature=related

Has there ever been a time when your nonverbal cues did not match up with what your

verbal cues where saying? I have a friend that rambles on when she is telling a story. I listen for part of it and

then find myself tuning her out. I act interested by find myself starting to figit and look around for an exit.

I have a habit of wearing my thoughts on my face. However, when I try to use my eyes to direct someone to look at something, this is when they do not understand what my face is saying. It's awfully weird.

Yes I find myself doing this often. My 16yr old son is naturally funny. This makes it hard to discipline him. When he does something that I need to correct him on, he will say something to try and make me laugh. I find myself hold back smiles when talking to him and it becomes very awkward

I am horrible at controlling my facial expressions, so even if I am saying one thing I know for a fact the truth is all over my face. I have been told since I have been a little kid that I need to work on that. I think also when you think about controlling your non-verbal too much you come across as awkward. There is no way around it, you can't have a disconnect from your verbal and non-verbal communication without it being noticeable.

I think the best example here might be an awkward date. In order to make the date less awkward, a person might be conveying positive or hopeful verbal messages, but their body language, eye contact, and even vocal cues might be conveying a different message, which actually happens to be the truth.

Activity Time!!!!!

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Eye Contact

Eye contact is one of the first behaviors that an infant develops.

Eye contact affects development. Infants who lack mutual gaze do not appear to mature perceptually and socially as rapidly as those who experience regular eye contact.

What inferences can be made about someone who does not look you in your eyes?

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Eye Contact

In the U.S. its inferred that a person with too little eye contact is insincere, disinterested, lacks confidence, is trying to avoid contact, or is lying.

Generally, there are no positive messages conveyed by too little eye contact in the U.S

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Eye Contact

Middle Eastern cultures, largely Muslim, have strict rules regarding eye contact between the sexes; these rules are connected to religious laws about appropriateness. Only a brief moment of eye contact would be permitted between a man and a woman, if at all.

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Eye Contact

In many Asian, African and Latin American cultures, extended eye contact can be taken as an affront or a challenge of authority.

It is often considered more polite to have only sporadic or brief eye contact, especially between people of different social registers (like a student and a teacher, or a child and his elder relatives).

For example, if a Japanese woman avoids looking someone in the eyes, she is not showing a lack of interest nor is she demonstrating a lack of self-confidence; instead, she is being polite, respectful and appropriate according to her culture

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Space

Space is one of the most basic dimensions of every human’s world, and the primary tension that describes this dimension is near- far.

Because we all have basic human needs both for privacy ( distance) and to be interdependent (nearness), one way to manage this tension is by defining and defending a territory.

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Space

Four distances observed in middle-class adults in the U.S.A:

Intimate Distance (Contact to 18 inches):

-begins with skin contact and ranges to about a foot and a half.

-this distance is used for people who feel emotionally close, and for comforting, protecting, and lovemaking.

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Space

When forced into intimate distance with strangers, i.e. elevator, people tend to use nonverbal cues to reestablish separateness. Such as avoid eye contact, fold our arms, or hold our briefcase in front our bodies.

This distance allows for trust, and voices are usually kept at a low level.

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Space

Personal Distance (1.5 to 4 feet): - preferred by most conversation

partners in public settings. Subjects of personal interest and moderate involvement can be discussed at this distance.

- the far range of this distance is just beyond where you can comfortably touch the other person. (i.e. “keeping some at arm’s length)

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Space

In this zone, its far away not to threaten the other person and yet close enough to encourage the kind conversations.

This distance is used for interviews and training people for positions.

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Space

Social Distance ( 4 to 12 Feet): -More impersonal business is generally

carried out at this distance. - salespeople and customers are within

the four- to seven-foot zone. - at this range , eye contact becomes

especially important.

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Space

-This is also the distance we often use with people of significantly higher or lower status.

-Sitting at this distance from a superior will tend to create much more formal conversation than might take place if one or both persons move their chairs closer.

-As a result, it can be more effective to reprimand using social distance and less effective to give praise at this zone.

Primarily Nonverbal Cues: Space

Public Distance (12 to 25 feet): - this range is usually reserved for

public speeches. - when communicating this distance,

voices need to be loud. - at this range, facial expressions,

movements, and gestures also need to be exaggerated in order to be meaningful.

Why is nonverbal communication important to graduate students?

Most of our communication is nonverbal. About 93% is nonverbal.

Through nonverbal communication we make all kinds of inferences and decisions- even though we don’t realize it. Must be careful.

It’s important to be aware of nonverbal messages, so we can avoid sending unintentional messages.

Why is nonverbal communication important to graduate students?

Be aware that what we are saying verbally matches with our nonverbal gestures.

Be aware of the cultural differences that are present both socially and at work in order to not offend someone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_N1Cmt_QB0&list=FL0ndPcGH-GWs_SwNLwUVF1Q&feature=mh_lolz