Verbal, Nonverbal, and Digital Communication Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards generated from the verbal and nonverbal communication lecture notes.

Verbal Communication

The use of spoken or written language to share meaning, convey ideas, and communicate information with others.

Language

A shared and changing system of symbols and rules that people use to create and communicate meaning.

The Triangle of Meaning

A framework developed by Richards and Ogden (1923) explaining how meaning is formed through the relationship among a thought, a symbol, and a referent.

Thought (Concept)

In the Triangle of Meaning (Richards & Ogden, 1923), it refers to the idea or concept formed in a person's mind.

Symbol (Word)

In the Triangle of Meaning (Richards & Ogden, 1923), it refers to the word, sign, or mental image used to represent a thought.

Referent (Object)

In the Triangle of Meaning (Richards & Ogden, 1923), it refers to the actual object, person, event, or idea being referred to.

Abstract Language

Language that expresses broad ideas, qualities, or concepts rather than specific observable actions or concrete descriptions.

Vague Expressions

Words such as 'soon,' 'later,' 'there,' and 'something' that leave out necessary details, forcing the audience to guess the communicator's meaning.

Jargon

Specialized words and expressions used by members of a specific profession, field, or group.

Denotative Meaning

The direct, literal, or dictionary meaning of a word that provides factual or objective information.

Connotative Meaning

The feelings, ideas, or associations connected with a word that influence the emotional tone of a message.

Whole Message

A communication approach that brings together relevant observations, thoughts, feelings, and needs to communicate a situation clearly and effectively.

Observation (Whole Message)

A description of something noticed without adding judgment.

Thought (Whole Message)

A statement expressing a belief, opinion, or interpretation of a situation.

Feeling (Whole Message)

A direct statement expressing an emotion.

Needs or Request (Whole Message)

A statement expressing what a person requires or wants others to do.

Affective Language

Words used to express emotions and encourage similar feelings in other people (Hayakawa & Hayakawa, 1990).

Figurative Language

Language that expresses meaning beyond the literal definitions of words using comparisons, exaggerations, and indirect expressions.

Simile

A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that describes one thing as another to express a deeper idea in a memorable way.

Personification

A figure of speech that gives human qualities to objects, nature, or ideas.

Evocative Language

Language that uses vivid and descriptive words, such as imagery, to appeal to the senses and imagination.

Nonverbal Communication

The process of creating and interpreting meaning through cues beyond the literal meanings of words, combining vocal qualities, facial expressions, gestures, posture, movement, space, touch, and appearance.

Complementing (Nonverbal Function)

A nonverbal function that occurs when a nonverbal cue adds to and supports the meaning of spoken words.

Contradicting (Nonverbal Function)

A nonverbal function that happens when a person's nonverbal behavior does not match their spoken words.

Accenting (Nonverbal Function)

A nonverbal function that uses nonverbal cues, such as gestures, volume changes, or pauses, to emphasize a word or an important part of a message.

Repeating (Nonverbal Function)

A nonverbal function that occurs when a nonverbal cue restates the exact same meaning as the spoken message.

Regulating (Nonverbal Function)

A nonverbal function that uses nonverbal cues to manage the flow of a conversation.

Substituting (Nonverbal Function)

A nonverbal function that occurs when a nonverbal cue takes the place of spoken words.

Kinesics

The study of how body movements communicate meaning, derived from 'kinesis' (meaning movement), which includes gestures, head movements, posture, eye contact, and facial expressions.

Adaptors

Movements that often reveal a person's inner state, such as nervousness, discomfort, boredom, or anxiety (Andersen, 1999).

Emblems

Gestures with a commonly understood meaning in a culture that communicate a message without words (Andersen, 1999).

Illustrators

Gestures that support or explain spoken words (Andersen, 1999).

Posture

How a person positions the body while standing or sitting, communicating attention, confidence, comfort, or disinterest.

Oculesics

Also known as eye contact, it refers to the study of how the eyes communicate meaning.

Facial Expressions

Cues from the face showing emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, or discomfort, which help others judge a speaker's sincerity, interest, and credibility.

Vocalics

Also called paralanguage, refers to the vocal features that accompany spoken words, including pitch, volume, rate, and tone.

Pitch

A vocalic element that refers to how high or low the voice sounds.

Volume

A vocalic element that refers to how loud or soft the voice is.

Rate

A vocalic element that refers to how fast or slow a person speaks.

Proxemics

The study of how space and distance affect communication, categorized into four zones by Hall (1968).

Public Space

A proxemic zone reserved for formal communication and large audiences (Hall, 1968).

Social Space

A proxemic zone used for casual or professional interactions (Hall, 1968).

Personal Space

A proxemic zone used for friends, classmates, or people who know each other well (Hall, 1968).

Intimate Space

A proxemic zone reserved for very close relationships, such as family or trusted loved ones (Hall, 1968).

Haptics

The study of communication through touch, categorized by Heslin & Apler (1983) into five distinct types.

Functional-Professional Touch

Touch used to complete a task or provide a service in a professional setting (Heslin & Apler, 1983).

Social-Polite Touch

Touch used in respectful social interactions (Heslin & Apler, 1983).

Friendship-Warmth Touch

Touch that shows care, support, or closeness between friends (Heslin & Apler, 1983).

Love-Intimacy Touch

Touch shared in close personal relationships, such as family members or trusted loved ones (Heslin & Apler, 1983).

Sexual-Arousal Touch

Touch reserved for mature, private, and consensual relationships; it is not appropriate in school or professional settings (Heslin & Apler, 1983).

Personal Presentation

The way people communicate information about themselves through physical characteristics, appearance, belongings, artifacts, and surroundings.

Textual Nuance

Small details in written digital messages—such as emojis, punctuation, capitalization, repeated letters, message length, and formatting—that help express tone, emotion, and meaning.

Profile-based Cues

Digital details such as profile pictures, usernames, display names, bios, cover photos, and shared posts that create an impression about a user's identity, personality, or professionalism.

Visual Media Cues

Digital communication tools including GIFs, memes, stickers, and photos that help replace missing nonverbal cues like facial expressions, gestures, and tone in online settings.