Non-Verbal Communication
Introduction
Non-verbal communication is an important way people reveal emotions and ideas and is vital that it is understood for business communication.
Body Language (Kinesics)
Body language is the way we communicate how we think or feel through our body.
Posture
Posture relates to how we sit or stand, our body movements and height for example bowing, lowering one’s body to another, is seen as a universal sign for respect, rigidness can be seen as a sign of aggression, a signal for personal combat and slumping can be seen as unhappiness, loss, meekness or withdrawal.
Gestures
Gestures are movements of the body to quickly express simple ideas or emotions and vary between cultures.
Facial Expressions
The face is most basic way humans show emotions and the level of expression or suppression of emotions can be seen as signs of status or position.
Eye Contact/Aversion
Eyes are often known as ‘the portals of the soul’ and communicate numerous messages that can vary between cultures with some seeing direct contact as a sign of sincerity or decency, equally an aversion of contact is seen as devious or deceitful and in others the direct contact is seen as impolite and aversion polite.
Space (Proxemics)
Personal space or territory is the invisible borders animals use to feel safe and secure and identify conflict can occur when individuals invade this space. These are the four basic zones that define the imaginary borders of personal proximity:
Intimate space or the Blue Zone, reserved for family and lovers, is the zone for individuals that are well liked and very well known.
Personal space or the Green Zone, reserved for friends and close associates, is the zone for individuals that are liked and quite well known.
Social-Consultive space or the Demilitarized Zone, reserved for general associates, is the zone for individuals that are moderately known and where collaboration is required.
Public space or the Red Zone, outside the further most border and is for everyone else, the zone for those slightly known or not at all.
Touch (Haptics)
Touching merges the fields of gesture, posture and space together and is well recognised as a basic need but to what extent can differ from person to person or culture to culture.
Most professional touching is restricted to handshakes as different cultures have certain taboos and expectations with touch and the main touch based professionals are usually health care & medical practitioners and beauticians.
Typically classified into five types
Voice (Paralinguistics)
Voice can affect the meaning or way words are used by changes such as
Non-verbal communication is an important way people reveal emotions and ideas and is vital that it is understood for business communication.
Body Language (Kinesics)
Body language is the way we communicate how we think or feel through our body.
Posture
Posture relates to how we sit or stand, our body movements and height for example bowing, lowering one’s body to another, is seen as a universal sign for respect, rigidness can be seen as a sign of aggression, a signal for personal combat and slumping can be seen as unhappiness, loss, meekness or withdrawal.
Gestures
Gestures are movements of the body to quickly express simple ideas or emotions and vary between cultures.
Facial Expressions
The face is most basic way humans show emotions and the level of expression or suppression of emotions can be seen as signs of status or position.
Eye Contact/Aversion
Eyes are often known as ‘the portals of the soul’ and communicate numerous messages that can vary between cultures with some seeing direct contact as a sign of sincerity or decency, equally an aversion of contact is seen as devious or deceitful and in others the direct contact is seen as impolite and aversion polite.
Space (Proxemics)
Personal space or territory is the invisible borders animals use to feel safe and secure and identify conflict can occur when individuals invade this space. These are the four basic zones that define the imaginary borders of personal proximity:
Intimate space or the Blue Zone, reserved for family and lovers, is the zone for individuals that are well liked and very well known.
Personal space or the Green Zone, reserved for friends and close associates, is the zone for individuals that are liked and quite well known.
Social-Consultive space or the Demilitarized Zone, reserved for general associates, is the zone for individuals that are moderately known and where collaboration is required.
Public space or the Red Zone, outside the further most border and is for everyone else, the zone for those slightly known or not at all.
Touch (Haptics)
Touching merges the fields of gesture, posture and space together and is well recognised as a basic need but to what extent can differ from person to person or culture to culture.
Most professional touching is restricted to handshakes as different cultures have certain taboos and expectations with touch and the main touch based professionals are usually health care & medical practitioners and beauticians.
Typically classified into five types
- Professional/Functional
- Polite/Social
- Friendship/Warmth
- Intimacy/Love
- Sexual/Arousal
Voice (Paralinguistics)
Voice can affect the meaning or way words are used by changes such as
- Emphasis
- Volume
- Pitch
- Inflection
- Nasality
- Articulation
(Eunson, 2012)
(Guerrero & Farinelli in Barker, 2015)
(Guerrero & Farinelli in Barker, 2015)