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NVC Text Notes

The document discusses various aspects of non-verbal communication including posture, gestures, movement, use of objects and space, time, paralanguage, inflection, senses, and the functions of substituting, reinforcing, regulating, contradicting, managing impressions, and establishing relationships.

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Chinaidine Petit-Frere
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23 views3 pages

NVC Text Notes

The document discusses various aspects of non-verbal communication including posture, gestures, movement, use of objects and space, time, paralanguage, inflection, senses, and the functions of substituting, reinforcing, regulating, contradicting, managing impressions, and establishing relationships.

Uploaded by

Chinaidine Petit-Frere
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Non-Verbal Communication Mrs.

Murphy

Generally speaking, non-verbal communication refers to a wide array of behaviors by which we


communicate messages without the use of our voices. Such behaviors are also termed communicative
behaviors since they consistently and inevitably convey meaning. As with verbal communication, non-
verbal communication can be conscious and deliberate as well as unconscious and accidental. Since
everything about us communicates some message to those around, non-verbal communication may be
said to be transmitted from everything we have, do or show. The most obvious non-verbal behaviors are
seen in our gestures, posture, movements and in our use of objects, space and time.
But while everything about us communicates, there is no guarantee that by themselves objects and
communicative behaviors will convey exactly what we mean or intended to communicate. As such, NVC
is imprecise and often ambiguous. In determining the meaning of a non-verbal act of communication, one
should consider the context of communication and certainly consider verbal cues where they precede,
coincide with or follow non-verbal acts.

Use if Posture, Gestures and Movement


Body language speaks louder than any words you can utter. The body conveys messages all the time. The
way you sit or walk says something about you. These aspects of non-verbal behaviors are perhaps the
most obvious in communicating messages about our attitudes and feelings. The meanings that such
behaviors communicate are culturally determined and may vary from place to place. These forms of
communicative behaviors reveal information about one’s interests, self-concept, attitudes towards others
and experiences.
The gestures you make convey an additional subset of meanings beyond what you say. The use of
gestures is one of the most common forms of communicative behaviors. Some gestures are culture
specific like the practice among some Eskimo tribes to rub one’s nose against that of another person as a
greeting. Other gestures are more universal, like waving goodbye or using the hand to call someone
towards you. Gestures certainly enhance a verbal presentation and there is hardly an effective public
speaker who does not know their benefit.
Movement behavior includes such actions as walking or any muscular activity associated with the act of
communicating. The more excited one is about a message the greater the likelihood that movements will
be included to animate the communication.

Use of Objects – Artifacts


The things, we own, use, wear and even discard all convey messages about us- our preferences, tastes,
resources or the lack of them. The meaning of the object we use and own is determined by the culture in
which we live in. We make fashion statements by the clothes or hairstyles we wear. The car one drives or
even the neighborhood in which ones lives can convey messages about one’s resources. Even the things
we discard have communicative significance. Objects can signal occupation and vocations. Consider the
objects we associate with doctors, nurses and priests and what messages might we infer if we observe a
person with an asthma pump or wheelchair.

Use of Space – Proxemics


Our use of space or proximity to others is a significant indication of how close or intimate we feel towards
such persons. Its no secret that persons we like may be allowed to be physically close to us, while those
we dislike or who are unfamiliar to us are kept at a discrete distance. Everyone observes a certain space
around them that they regard as their personal space and into which even those who are close are not
allowed to venture unrestrictedly. Personal space differed from person to person and among cultures.
Personal space is mainly determined within a culture by how comfortable one is with close physical
interaction and by the context or interaction.
Spatial use refers to how space is used between persons and how the arrangement and design of space
affects communication.

Use of Time – Chronemics


Chronemics is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication for setting the stage for
communication.
Our use of and attitudes towards time discloses much about our status, relationship with others and our
self-concept. Being late of appointments, duties and responsibilities is almost always read as a sign o
disrespect or lack of commitment.
Time perceptions
— Meaningfulness and relevance of speech
— Speed, tempo and rhythm of speech, and
— How long people are willing to listen
— Timing of an action messages.

Paralanguage
Refers to our use of volume, tone, pitch and rate of speaking to give additional meaning or emphasis to
what is spoken. Some do not regard this aspect as non-verbal communication since it is indivisible from
the speech act. It is not difficult to see that a single statement like “Come here” may be spoken in a
number of different ways to convey different meanings depending on the speaker’s volume, tone and rate
f speaking.
The speaker’s tone and volume can convey the impatience of a command, which would give quite a
different impression than if the tone is soft and it is spoken slowly to suggest a welcome and invitation.

Inflection – Vocalics
Inflection, or modulation in the pitch of the voice, is one clear way of suggesting meaning. In English, we
raise or voices at the end of a statement to indicate that it is a question while for a simple declarative
statement this would not be appropriate. Inflection helps a speaker to place emphasis on different aspects
of a given sentence to alter its meaning. The tone or voice used when we speak or write, example
sarcasm.

Use of our Five Senses


Our five senses are the channels via which we receive so much information about the world around us
and about others. Although human beings depend predominantly on their sense of sight for most of the
information gathers, the senses of smell and sound are just as important in conveying messages about our
needs and pleasure. Our sense of touch is also a significant register of meaning. A hug, caress or pat, for
example, can convey affection and tenderness.
Functions of Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is ital. to the total communicative process. So vital it is that without realizing
it, we often combine non-verbal behaviors with out verbal messages. Some communicators contend that
the non-verbal component of any message is responsible for upwards of 60% of the overall meaning of
the message. A simple exercise should demonstrate how indivisible communicative behaviors are to the
total message in any communicative act.

Substituting
One only has to observe the sing language used by the deaf to realize that movement can adequately
substitute for the spoken word. Any movement or gesture that is used to replace speech may be said to be
performing a substituting function. Such a function is very commonplace in everyday communicating.

Reinforcing
Often, the non-verbal behavior complements or accompanies the verbal utterance and in such cases it
many be said to be reinforcing the verbal.

Regulating
In the course of verbal interaction, non-verbal cues are often used to indicate that one want to speak or
that one speaker wishes the other to wait which he/she finishes making a point and so on. Where gestures
or movements are used to guide or control the manner in which communication takes place, they are said
to be performing a regulating function.

Contradicting
Where the non-verbal behavior is obviously in opposition to the verbal message, it may be said to be
contradicting the verbal. Sometimes it is the speaker’s tone of voice, which indicates a discrepancy
between the verbal message and the intended message.

Managing Impression
Refers to the ways we try to influence and control how other people view us. Since we are aware that in
the process of communication others are constantly judging us, we engage in communicative behaviors
that create a desired impression about us. It is important to impress not only by the words one uses but by
one’s dress and the objects one possesses, displays and uses.

Establish Relationship
We may infer status and relationships by the objects persons us, by their posture and also by their use of
space. Non-verbal elements can be used to establish relationships (e.g. a wedding ring.) here posture and
use of space would indicate the authority of a person.

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