NOTES ON CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4
Communicating through Nonverbal Behavior

Goal: To understand nonverbal communication, the types of nonverbal signals used, and how they are used to communicate along with verbal messages.

Overview: This chapter identifies the characteristics of nonverbal communication, describes the sources of nonverbal information and explains how gender, sex, and cultural context will affect how different nonverbal messages will be received. The chapter concludes by offering suggestions to improve both the construction and the interpretation of nonverbal messages.

Chapter Outline

I.    Nonverbal communication behaviors: bodily actions and vocal qualities that typically accompany a verbal message. They are usually interpreted as intentional and have agreed upon meanings within a given speech culture or community.

II.   Characteristics of nonverbal communication

A.      Nonverbal communication is continuous

B.      Nonverbal communication is multi-channeled

C.      Nonverbal communication can be intentional or unintentional

D.      Nonverbal communication meaning can be ambiguous

E.      Nonverbal communication is the primary conveyor of our emotions

III. Sources of nonverbal communication

A.      Kinesics: the interpretation of body motions used in communication

1.   Gestures: movements of our hands, arms, and fingers that we use to describe or to emphasize

a.      Illustrators: gestures that augment a verbal message

b.      Emblems: gestures that substitute for words

c.       Adaptors: gestures that respond to a physical need

2.   Eye contact, or gaze: how and how much we look at people with whom we are communicating

3.   Facial expression: the arrangement of facial muscles to communicate emotional states or reactions to messages

4.   Emoticons: typed symbols that convey emotional aspects of an online message.

5.   Posture: the position and movement of the body; body orientation: posture in relation to another person

6.   Haptics: the interpretation of touch

a.   Reaction to touch is affected by individual preference, family background, and culture.

b.   Reaction to touch differs within context (public versus private)

B.   Vocalics: the interpretation of the message based on the paralinguistic features; paralanguage: the voiced but not verbal part of a spoken message.

1.   Pitch: the highness or lowness of vocal tone

2.      Volume: the loudness of softness of tone

3.      Rate: the speed at which a person speaks

4.      Quality: the sound of a person’s voice

5.      Intonation: the variety, melody, or inflection in one’s voice

6.      Vocalized pauses: extraneous sounds or words that interrupt fluent speech

C.   Proxemics: the interpretation of a person’s use of space

1.      Personal space: the distance you try to maintain when you interact with other people

2.      Physical space: the part of the physical environment over which you exert control

3.      Artifacts: objects and possessions we use to decorate the physical space we control

IV.  Self-presentation cues

A.      Physical appearance

1.   Endomorph: round and heavy body type

2.   Mesomorph: muscular and athletic body type

3.   Ectomorph: tall and thin body type

B.      Clothing and personal grooming: physical appearance sends a message and one should adapt their style of clothing and personal grooming techniques to the setting

C.      Use of time; chronemics: the way others interpret your use of time

1.   Monochronic time orientation: a time orientation that emphasizes doing one thing at a time, adheres to schedules and rigid appointment times, and schedules interpersonal relationships

2.   Polychronic time orientation: a time orientation that emphasizes doing multiple things at once, views schedules as flexible, and subordinates scheduled activities to interpersonal relationships

V.   Cultural and gender variations in nonverbal communication: many behaviors such as touch and time are culturally determined

A.   Kinesics

1.   Eye contact is not universally appropriate and differs in cultures and subcultures

2.   Facial expressions and gestures

a.   Many similarities in facial expressions across cultures

b.   Gestures differ across cultures

3.   Displays of emotion differ based on culture and gender; gesture style is often used to label masculinity or femininity

B.   Haptics, or touch, is closely linked to culture. Some cultures encourage contact and touch, others do not. The meaning of touch also differs by gender.

C.   Paralanguage

1.      Volume varies greatly by culture

2.      United States stereotypes masculine voices as low-pitched and loud, and feminine voices as high-pitched and expressive

D.   Proxemics and territory refer to the difference between individualistic and collectivistic concepts of personal space

E.   Artifacts and physical appearance: culture and gender influence clothing choices

F.   Chronemics: The dominant U.S. culture has a monochromic time orientation, while many Latin American and Arab cultures have polychronic orientation.

VI.  Guidelines for improving nonverbal communication

A.      Interpreting nonverbal messages

1.      Don’t automatically assume a particular behavior means something specific

2.      Consider cultural, gender, and individual influences on behavior when interpreting nonverbal cues

3.      Nonverbal messages should be interpreted in context

4.      Use perception checking

B.      Sending nonverbal messages

1.      Be conscious of your own nonverbal behavior

2.      Be purposeful in your use of nonverbal communication

3.      Don’t let your nonverbal cues distract from your message

4.      Make sure your nonverbal cues match your verbal communication

5.      Adapt nonverbal behavior to the situation