Verbal & Non Verbal Communication by: J.A. Tulao

1. You cannot not communicate2. Action speaks louder than words

Expand the following:

Verbal & non-verbal communication

In Verbal Communication:Words account for only - 7%ToneModulation 38%VolumeTotal - 45%

Balance 55% is through non-verbal Communication, which includes:-

Our Body Language. Our movementBreathing. Choice of clothing

Verbal Communication Non-verbal Communication

Through the words we use.

Bodily actions and vocal qualities that accompany a verbal message.

What is Verbal Communication?

‘Verbal’ is the Latin adjective of ‘Word’.

So, verbal communication means

communicating with words, whether written or spoken.

Verbal Communication

Verbal communication consists of speaking, listening, writing and

reading.

Advantages of Verbal Communication

More personal and informal.Makes immediate impact.Provides opportunity for interaction and

feedback.Helps us correct our messages according to the

feedback and non-verbal cues from the listener It is very fast and non-expensive.

Disadvantages

A word once uttered can’t be taken back.

Impact may be short lived. It can be forgotten easily. There is no legal evidence of oral communication.

Importance of Effective Communication

TO AVOIDTO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDINGMISCOMMUNICATIONS

What is non-verbal communication?

Non-verbal communication is defined as: “the process of using wordless messages to generate meaning”.The use of non-verbal communication can create a whole new meaning to a message.

Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication includes all

unwritten and unspoken messages, both

intentional and unintentional Everything

except the words!

HOW NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION WORKS

1. Nonverbal cues complement a verbal message by adding to its meaning.

2. Nonverbal cues regulate verbal communication.

3. Nonverbal messages can substitute for verbal messages.

4. Nonverbal messages accent what you are saying.

Importance of Non-verbal Communication For being an excellent

communicator, a person needs to augment

his/her verbal expressions with non-

verbal ones.

Advantages of Non-verbal CommunicationThe usage of non-verbal communication can clarify even the

toughest message to understand.Sometimes, non-verbal cues can be

more meaningful than the words themselves.

Forms of non-verbal communication

Paralanguage Language of Flowers Language of Colors Language of Time (Chronemics)

Forms of non-verbal communication

Language of Space (Proxemics) Language of Touch (Haptics)Body Movement (Kinesics)

Gestures Facial Expression Posture

Paralanguage

Paralanguage is almost similar to verbal communication.Language deals with ‘what is said’Paralanguage deals with ’how it is said’ It is a type of non-verbal communication which includes – articulation, pronunciation, volume, pitch, rate and other vocal qualities.

Language of Flowers

Flowers say for many of us what we cannot say ourselves. These meanings are also influenced by culture and gender.

Red roses are to be sent only to a female sweetheart or a wife, no one else, and only on Valentine’s Day and birthdays. But now, with flower shops pushing the idea that it is okay to send flowers on any occasion, men and women can send any kind of flower to anyone, whether there is an occasion or not.

Language of Colors

The use of colors is based on the meaning of each color. Colors have a certain meaning based on the dictates of culture and gender.

* baby boys – blue* baby girls – pink* violet people – paint their room pink* King of Thailand only can wear yellow

Language of Time (Chronemics)

Chronemics refers to the study of how time affects communication.

Language of Time (Chronemics)

Time can be classified into several different categories:•Biological•Personal•Physical•Cultural time.

Language of Time (Chronemics)

Biological time refers to the rhythms of living things.

Language of Time (Chronemics)

Personal time refers to the ways in which individuals experience time. The way we experience time varies based on our mood, our interest level, and other factors.

Language of Time (Chronemics)

Physical time refers to the fixed cycles of days, years, and seasons. 

Language of Time (Chronemics)

Cultural time refers to how a large group of people view time. Polychronic people do not view time as a linear progression that needs to be divided into small units and scheduled in advance. Polychronic people keep more flexible schedules and may engage in several activities at once. Monochronic people tend to schedule their time more rigidly and do one thing at a time. A polychronic or monochronic orientation to time influences our social realities and how we interact with others.

Language of Space & Distance (Proxemics)

Proxemics or the use of space provides us with ideas about how close or how far people are from the center of power or where a person is in the social ladder.

Language of Space & Distance (Proxemics)

Proxemics refers to the study of how space and distance influence communication. We only need look at the ways in which space shows up in common metaphors to see that space, communication, and relationships are closely related. 

Language of Space & Distance (Proxemics)

For example, when we are content with and attracted to someone, we say we are “close” to him or her. When we lose connection with someone, we may say he or she is “distant.” In general, space influences how people communicate and behave. Smaller spaces with a higher density of people often lead to breaches of our personal space bubbles. If this is a setting in which this type of density is expected beforehand, like at a crowded concert or on a train during rush hour, then we make various communicative adjustments to manage the space issue.

Intimate Space

As we breach the invisible line that is 1.5 feet from our body, we enter the intimate zone, which is reserved for only the closest friends, family, and romantic/intimate partners. It is impossible to completely ignore people when they are in this space, even if we are trying to pretend that we’re ignoring them. 

Personal Space

Personal space is your “bubble”- the space you place between yourself and others. This invisible boundary becomes apparent only when someone tries to enter your “bubble”.

Figure 4.1 Proxemic Zones of Personal Space

Social Space (4–12 Feet)

Communication that occurs in the social zone, which is four to twelve feet away from our body, is typically in the context of a professional or casual interaction, but not intimate or public. This distance is preferred in many professional settings because it reduces the suspicion of any impropriety. The expression “keep someone at an arm’s length” means that someone is kept out of the personal space and kept in the social/professional space. 

Public Space (12 Feet or More)

Public and social zones refer to the space four or more feet away from our body, and the communication that typically occurs in these zones is formal and not intimate. Public space starts about twelve feet from a person and extends out from there. 

Language of Touch (Haptics)

Haptics refers to touch behaviors that convey meaning during interactions. Touch can comfort, it can aggravate, it can encourage, or it can dissuade.

Language of Touch (Haptics)

There are several types of touch, including functional-professional, social-polite, friendship-warmth, love-intimacy, and sexual-arousal touch.

Kinesics

The word kinesics comes from the root word kinesis, which means “movement,” and refers to the study of hand, arm, body, and face movements. Specifically, this section will outline the use of gestures, head movements and posture, eye contact, and facial expressions as nonverbal communication.

Gestures

Gestures are the most often used type of Nonverbal Communication. Speech, to be understandable and interesting to a listener, must be accompanied by different gestures.

Gestures

Regulating gestures are used to control the flow of communication such as nodding one’s head.

(nodding is a way of saying “yes” but in Middle East, nodding means “no” while shaking the head means “yes”.

Gestures

Emphasizing gestures punctuate what we want to highlight

Gestures

Illustrating gestures are used to show size, height, distance, or similar qualities like using one hand to mimic a certain height or two hands to show distance or size.

Gestures

Emblems are gestures associated with specific meanings.

Emblems can be still or in motion; for example, circling the index finger around at the side of your head says “He or she is crazy,” or rolling your hands over and over in front of you says “Move on.”

Facial Expression

Our faces are the most expressive part of our bodies. Think of how photos are often intended to capture a particular expression “in a flash” to preserve for later viewing. Much research has supported the universality of a core group of facial expressions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, and disgust. The first four are especially identifiable across cultures.

Facial Expression

It is important to the Communication Process that the Listener monitors any and all the facial expressions of the Speaker. This will be the Listener’s gauge as to whether the Speaker is sincere and serious

Head Movements and Posture

In terms of head movements, a head nod is a universal sign of acknowledgement in cultures where the formal bow is no longer used as a greeting. In these cases, the head nod essentially serves as an abbreviated bow. An innate and universal head movement is the headshake back and forth to signal “no.”

Head Movements and Posture

There are four general human postures:

standingsittingsquattinglying down

Eye Contact

We also communicate through eye behaviors, primarily eye contact. While eye behaviors are often studied under the category of kinesics, they have their own branch of nonverbal studies called oculesics, which comes from the Latin word oculus, meaning “eye.” The face and eyes are the main point of focus during communication, and along with our ears our eyes take in most of the communicative information around us. 

Verbal Vs Non-verbal Communication

Although verbal communication is easier to understand, non-verbal communication is essential to understand not only a message, but more importantly, the feelings behind the message.

Questions