Nonverbal Communication

Posted on October 26, 2022 by Angeless Watkins-Gallar, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

Most nonverbal communication methods are done on a subconscious level, meaning we don’t actually realise we’re doing it. Yet oddly enough, not everyone can recognise it, let alone decipher it.
A University of California, Los Angeles study showed that 55 percent of communication is done through nonverbal methods.
Of the remaining communication statistics, 7 percent used words and 38 percent used vocal expressions, although not involving speech.

There are several types of nonverbal communication.

These include body movements
language
posture
eye movement
facial expressions
gestures
tone of voice
touch

Body movements
refer to any motion made by the body.
This usually covers two aspects, body language and posture. Body language is typically an involuntary response and is usually also quite subtle.
Posture is the position of the body itself, compared with others.
Interestingly, body language was a popular area of study in the 1970s.
However, as time has progressed, there is more of a focus on posture, and what that means about a person’s reaction to the world around them.

Eye movement
An important method of communication.
The study of the role of the eyes in the field of nonverbal communication is also known as oculesics.
Eye gaze, blinking, and the dilation of one’s pupils are all a part of eye contact as a form of nonverbal communication.
There are other forms of eye contact, as well, such as eye contact (when two people look into each other’s eyes at the same time), and eye aversion (when eye contact between two people is avoided).
When someone looks into the eyes of another it can also mean a range of emotions are at play.
This includes interest, attraction, or hostility.
It’s being able to decipher these connections that helps.

Facial expressions
Can also be a form of nonverbal communication. In fact, this is the area that is believed to offer the most information, or messaging between one person and another, or group of others.
Examples of Facial expression
Smiles, frowns, position of eyebrows
It also tends to cut across cultural boarders, as it is the simplest form of indicating a particular feeling, especially when our words are failing us.
More often than not, it is possible to gauge a person’s reaction or mental state before hearing their own take on it, because we are able to see, or read it on their faces.

Gesture
This refers to a movement of the hands or other extremities.
This form of body movement is one that is deliberate, unlike that of body language or posture.
Gestures use signals as a means of passing on the communication to others, without requiring the use of words. Gestures can refer to arm movements, hand signals, or finger use.

Tone of voice
Two areas of study.
The first is the study of nonverbal cues, called vocalics.
The second is paralinguistics, which refers to vocal characteristics that do not require language.
For vocalics, the forms of non-verbal communication include
Pitch
Tempo
quality of the voice
style of speech
accents of the patterns of a person’s voice

Paralinguistics focus on
inflection
volume
pitch

Touch
The study of touching in relation to nonverbal communication is called haptics.
It is one of the most important forms of nonverbal communication and can be found in many forms.
Interactions such as
Backslaps
Handshakes
high-fives
kissing
brushing of an arm or leg
These movements are used to indicate a particular intention or feeling that an individual may feel for another. Sometimes these are received with a positive, or reciprocal, response, while other times they may elicit negative feedback.
The use of touch is also frequently used differently by men and women.
For instance
women
use touch to show they care, are concerned, or as a means of providing comfort
Men
use touch more so as a means of asserting power
indicating one’s place in their environment
Of course, this does not mean that men cannot use touch to display affection in the same way that women do, or vice versa.

Cultural differences in nonverbal communication
One of the interesting aspects of nonverbal communication is how it can often be used without cultural distortion, yet there are extreme circumstances where misinterpreting a nonverbal message can lead to negative implications.

The display of emotion and hand gestures are two of the most easily misinterpreted and/or received forms of nonverbal communication.
Speaking of the former, this is because in some cultures the display of emotion is not acceptable, and therefore found offensive and sometimes disrespectful to be shown in a public setting.
The latter can be misconstrued easily, as well.
Example
A Japanese person using their hands, in full, to communicate a message or point out a specific item
whereas someone from the US and even parts of Europe would use their index finger to do so.
However, in Japanese culture, this is considered rude.
Knowing the basics of culture, when travelling to a different part of the world, is the best way to avoid these offences.