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Chapter 5: Nonverbal Communication - Notes

Definition and opening context

  • Nonverbal communication is communication produced by means other than words (e.g., eye contact, body language, vocal cues).
  • An opening example: Botox usage to paralyze facial muscles to reduce wrinkles can unintentionally reduce natural facial expression, illustrating the impact of nonverbal signals on perceived meaning.
  • Hollywood example: a 40-year-old reality star is described as having a “frozen face” due to botox; emphasizes how nonverbal cues (or their absence) shape interpretation.
  • Chapter purpose: begin with the importance of nonverbal communication and its role in everyday interaction.

5.1 Importance of nonverbal communication and interaction

Learning outcomes

  • 1) Understand the importance of nonverbal communication.
  • 2) Differentiate the functions of nonverbal communication.
  • 3) Understand the functions of nonverbal communication in day-to-day interactions.
  • 4) Understand and provide examples of the subcategories of nonverbal communication.

Foundational idea: you cannot not communicate

  • Even when not verbalizing, we continually send nonverbal messages.
  • Importance of recognizing how nonverbal messages impact daily interactions.

The role of nonverbal communication in daily life

  • Nonverbal communication is constant and carries communicative value.
  • Nonverbal cues add meaning to interactions alongside verbal messages.
  • Example: in a breakup scenario with a friend, nonverbal cues (facial expressions, posture, tone, pace) inform how you respond (comfort, empathy, etc.).
  • Awareness and belief in the value of nonverbal communication are crucial for effective interaction.
  • If people doubt the value of nonverbal cues, they may miss crucial interactional information.
  • Anecdotes illustrate deliberate use of nonverbal signals (e.g., sighing during meetings) and attribution of meaning to nonverbal behavior.

Ambiguity in nonverbal communication

  • Nonverbal signals can be ambiguous (e.g., crossed arms could mean cold, upset, or angry).
  • Flirting signals (smile, light touch, eye contact) can signal romantic interest or platonic interest; interpretation depends on context and conversation.
  • If you need to interpret another’s nonverbal cues, you may need to pair them with verbal signals for clarity.

Nonverbal communication is culturally based

  • Understanding nonverbal cues requires cultural awareness; differences exist across cultures.
  • Two aspects of cross-cultural nonverbal understanding:
    • Recognize the need to be flexible, avoid quick judgments, and ask questions.
    • Learn culture-specific nonverbal rules when entering a new culture.
  • Example: a contractor in Afghanistan interacting with Filipinos on a military base—differences in space, touch, and acceptable behavior require cultural sensitivity and training.

Attribution error in nonverbal interpretation

  • Attribution error: tendency to explain others’ behavior via internal factors rather than external factors.
  • Serena Williams example: a judge misattributed a coach’s nonverbal gesture to intentional coaching rather than habitual behavior; highlights risk of misinterpreting nonverbal cues.
  • Consequences: attribution error can cause relational strain; awareness of intention behind nonverbal behavior reduces misinterpretation.

Omnipresence of nonverbal communication

  • Omnipresent: nonverbal signals are everywhere (e.g., silence can convey hurt, impatience, or disagreement).
  • Examples: posture, walking pace, eye contact, gestures.
  • Paul Watzlawick’s axiom: humans cannot not communicate; everyday behaviors convey meaning.
  • The idea of a universal nonverbal language is cautioned: universal basics exist for some basic emotions, but context matters.

Basic emotions and universal cues

  • Ekman’s basic emotions: seven emotions often recognized across cultures (SADFISH): Surprise, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Interest, Sadness, Happiness.
  • Not all facial expressions are universally recognized; context is important.
  • The importance of context is underscored when interpreting facial expressions.

Nonverbal misunderstandings and humor

  • Comedian Calmer (Samuel J. Calmer) discusses misinterpretations of nonverbal signals (e.g., winking when he has Tourette’s) and how signals can be misunderstood, affecting personal and professional relationships.
  • Day-to-day misreadings (e.g., a canned interview responses perceived as insincere) illustrate how tone and nonverbal cues influence interpretation.

Trust and perception of meaning

  • In many cultures, eye contact avoidance is wrongly equated with lying; research shows this is not universally true.
  • The “it wasn’t what you said, it was how you said it” refrain reinforces the central role of nonverbal cues.
  • Estimates of the share of meaning attributed to nonverbal communication vary:
    • Albert Mehrabian’s often-cited claim: up to 93% of meaning in some interactions is nonverbal, with the remainder from verbal content; this breakdown is sometimes described as three components of nonverbal meaning (the exact distribution is contextual and debated).
    • Other researchers (Bird, Whistill, and Philpot) report 60–70% of meaning is attributable to nonverbal cues.

The six functions of nonverbal communication

  • Nonverbal cues have six primary functions in relation to verbal messages:
    1) Complementing: nonverbal behavior reinforces the verbal message (e.g., excitement while saying \

Definition and opening context

  • Nonverbal communication is communication produced by means other than words (e.g., eye contact, body language, vocal cues).
  • An opening example: Botox usage to paralyze facial muscles to reduce wrinkles can unintentionally reduce natural facial expression, illustrating the impact of nonverbal signals on perceived meaning. This loss of expressive range can lead to others misinterpreting emotions or perceiving a lack of engagement.
  • Hollywood example: a 40-year-old reality star is described as having a “frozen face” due to botox; emphasizes how nonverbal cues (or their absence) shape interpretation. The subtle movements that convey sadness, joy, or surprise become muted, leading to a disconnect in interpersonal communication.
  • Chapter purpose: begin with the importance of nonverbal communication and its role in everyday interaction, highlighting its pervasive nature and significant influence on how messages are received and understood.

5.1 Importance of nonverbal communication and interaction

Learning outcomes
  • 1) Understand the importance of nonverbal communication, recognizing how it underpins nearly all human interactions.
  • 2) Differentiate the functions of nonverbal communication, such as complementing, contradicting, regulating, substituting, accenting, and repeating verbal messages.
  • 3) Understand the functions of nonverbal communication in day-to-day interactions, observing its practical application in various social contexts.
  • 4) Understand and provide examples of the subcategories of nonverbal communication, including kinesics, haptics, proxemics, chronemics, paralanguage, and artifacts.
Foundational idea: you cannot not communicate
  • Even when not verbalizing, we continually send nonverbal messages through our posture, facial expressions, actions, and even silence. This implies that communication is an ongoing process.
  • Importance of recognizing how nonverbal messages impact daily interactions, as they often carry more weight than verbal content or even contradict it.
The role of nonverbal communication in daily life
  • Nonverbal communication is constant and carries communicative value, often being the first signal picked up in an interaction and setting the tone.
  • Nonverbal cues add meaning to interactions alongside verbal messages, providing context, emotional depth, and clarifying intent.
  • Example: in a breakup scenario with a friend, nonverbal cues (facial expressions, posture, tone, pace) inform how you respond (comfort, empathy, etc.). A downcast gaze and slouched shoulders might prompt a comforting embrace, whereas an exasperated sigh might lead to a more direct discussion.
  • Awareness and belief in the value of nonverbal communication are crucial for effective interaction. Recognizing its power allows individuals to become more astute observers and more intentional communicators.
  • If people doubt the value of nonverbal cues, they may miss crucial interactional information, leading to misunderstandings or a lack of rapport.
  • Anecdotes illustrate deliberate use of nonverbal signals (e.g., sighing during meetings to express frustration or disagreement) and attribution of meaning to nonverbal behavior by observers, even if the sender's intent was different.
Ambiguity in nonverbal communication
  • Nonverbal signals can be ambiguous (e.g., crossed arms could mean resistance, feeling cold, or simply a comfortable posture). The same gesture can have multiple interpretations, making accurate decoding challenging.
  • Flirting signals (smile, light touch, prolonged eye contact) can signal romantic interest or platonic interest; interpretation depends on context, individual personalities, and the nature of the relationship.
  • If you need to interpret another’s nonverbal cues, you may need to pair them with verbal signals for clarity. Asking