- Communicates a message but does not include words.
Nonverbal Communication is always present in talk in normal interaction and carries messages over and above the words you speak. People everyday use nonverbal communication. You can use nonverbal communication by...
- Facial Expressions
- Hand Movements
- Body Language
This pictures above are just examples on how nonverbal communication are used.
The Two Sides of Nonverbal Communication: Decoding and Encoding
What is Decoding?
- Drawing meaning to something that you observe.
- Example: If somebody blushes or turns all red, you might think this person is embarrassed.
- A decoder can work out sensitively what is going on inside another person.
Another thing to remember is that, encoding is important when you go on a job interview, give speeches, or go on a first date because you need to display that you are confident in yourself instead of looking nervous. People will take you seriously or attend to what you're saying.
What is Encoding?
- Putting feelings into behavior through nonverbal communication.
- Example: If you are feeling sad or happy, you really do look sad or happy.
- An encoder, you put your feelings out there and help other people get what is going inside of you.
Decoding is important when you're chatting with a friend, you need to be able to notice your friend or who ever you are talking to is nervous or having a bad day, but not telling you directly.
The Two Modes of Nonverbal Communication: Static vs Dynamic
What is Static?
- Fixed
- This refers to those elements of an interaction that do not change during its course.
- Examples: Body piercings, gender, age, and tattoos.
What is Dynamic?
- Changeable
- This involves movement and change during the course of the interaction.
- Examples: Facial expressions, body postures, and pitch of voice.
The Elements of Nonverbal Communication
There are five elements of Nonverbal Communication and all of them are constructed to the development of identity and the enactment of relationships.
What is Proxemics?
- Proxemics is the study of space and distance in communication.
Two Examples of Territoriality:
- Primary Territory - the space that you own or have principal control over. Such as your room, your house, your apartment, and your car.
- Secondary Territory - Your own through repeated use, even if its space that is not central to your life or exclusive to you. Such as the movies, classroom, or a restaurants.
Another thing about Proxemics is that it can be used towards friends and strangers. For an example if you have friends that you are really close with, you won't feel uncomfortable around them when they're using your personal thing or being too close to you. You would feel comfortable and welcomed. But if its towards someone that you don't know or just met, you would feel uneasy and there would be a amount of space between you and the person you just met.
What is Kinesics?
- It refers to the movement that takes place during the course of an interaction. During interaction, you may be moving around from here and there, moving your hands up and down, side to side, cross your legs, uncross them, and many more. Different movements can mean something. For example if you're giving a speech and you're using hand gesture and eye contact, that can represent that you strongly know what you're talking about and are confident about yourself. Another example is, if you're consistently tapping your fingers or your feet during a speech that can indicate that you're nervous and shy.
- Kinesics also refers to posture. Posture can indicate your attitude towards something or someone. If you're slouching that can mean that you're depressed or sad about something or if you're arms are crossed that can show people that you're mad or angry.
- Eye contact and gazing are also examples of Kinesics. When using eye contact while talking to someone that means that you and that person are having a connection and you guys understand each other. But if one is gazing off, he or she is not paying attention to what you're saying.
What is Vocalics?
- It refers to vocal characteristics that provide information about how verbal communication should be interpreted how you are feeling. It is also sometimes called paralanguage.
- Vocalics indicate your comfort zone and whether you like the person or not.
Examples:
- If your voice is high pitches that can mean that you are anxious.
- If you are talking super fast that can mean that you are excited.
- You can emphasize words that need to be stretched on, such as if someone was screaming you would yell it and if someone was crying you would have a shaky tone to it.
What is Chronemics?
- Encompasses use and evaluation of time in your interactiions, including the location of events in time.
Examples:
- Boring lectures seem to last forever if you keep looking at the clock.
- During activities and you're enjoying it, time seems to past by so fast.
- If you see a significant of a romantic encounter can often be determined by when it occurs.
What is Haptics?
- It is the study of the specific nonverbal behaviors involving touching.
- Touch is used not only as a greeting to start an interaction such as a handshake or a kiss on the cheek, but also in church, weddings, congratulations, pat on the back, and others.
- Touching can also indicate of flirtation.
Overall, nonverbal communication is behavior, other than spoken or written communication, that creates or represents meaning. In other words, it includes facial expressions, body movements, and gestures. Nonverbal communication is talking without speaking a word. It is very effective, maybe even more so than speech. Remember the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” You would be surprised on how much people use it and sometimes they don't even know, it just happens.
