A Study on Non-Verbal Communication

CHINTAN PALAN
ROLL NO.-184 FYBCom.-G Division
K.J. Somaiya College of Science and Commerce

INTRODUCTION
Communication is possible through vast variety of media and methods. The communicator has to be very careful and judicious in the choice of media or methods which will depend on various factors like the urgency of the message, the time available, the expenditure involved, and the intellectual and emotional level of the receivers. A communicator can communicate with others using two different methods of communication. First is Verbal communication and second is Nonverbal communication.

Verbal communication
Any form of communication in which words are used to convey a message is called verbal communication. A language code is the medium of transmission. It relies on words and unit arrangement.

Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless (mostly visual) cues between people. Messages can be communicated through gestures and touch, body language or posture, physical distance, facial expression and eye contact, which are all types of nonverbal communication. Speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice quality, rate, pitch, volume, and speaking style, as well as prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation, and stress. Likewise, written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the physical layout of a page. However, much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face-to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during interaction. In this study I am going to elaborate on various kinds of nonverbal communication and its importance.

Importance
In normal day-today living we communicate with each and every one in our environment. We more often than not use non-verbal forms of communication. So it is very important to know about non-verbal communication in order to interpret the various signals we receive in non-verbal communication.

Objective
The objective of my study is to learn about various types of non-verbal communications and the meanings they convey to different people in different situations.

Methodology
In this study I have adopted observe and conclude methodology. Also I will refer to many texts and online references available related to the topic in order to get perfect idea of the study. I will also study examples on each type so as to make understand it much easily.

Non-verbal communication is indirect, without words or without verbal messages. For example:-

In the examples given above, all of them convey a particular message to us, dont they? But how? There is no usage of words in both the images, even then we can identify the images stating following meanings:First image states about the correct posture of a women while thinking of something. Second image shows various facial expressions of woman showing various emotions such as excitement, calmness, puzzled look, teasing look, anger and many more.

Body Language Whether we are aware of it or not, each of us spend a lot of time decoding body language or as it is also known KINESICS. These body movements should be considered in relation to the message itself. It is obvious that facial expression and use of gestures contribute much to communication. It is, also, posture which is equally important, though perhaps less easy to understand. The body languages of a speaker tend to reveal the degree of presence, of sincerity, conviction, honesty, ability and knowledge. They reveal, also, a lot about the speakers and their attitude and feelings and about the message they are transmitting. Body Language of the receivers also reveals a lot about them and their feelings. It frequently tells the audience is accepting or not accepting the message. In other words, the body language acts as an instant feedback to the speaker. In recent years, more and more interests has been taken in body language, since it is essential that anyone trying to improve his/her communication techniques should be sensitive to these aspects of the communication process and the human elements often vividly revealed in body language. Body language can include any non-reflexive or reflexive movement of a part, or of all of the body, used by a person to communicate an emotional message to outside world.

Examples Various standing positions-

Posture
We influence communication by the position or the posture we adopt. The way we stand or sit, the position of head and hands, can speak volumes. Movements of the head and hands are not really postural movements, but points and a sequence of several such points. A position consists of a gross postural shift involving at least half the body. Each movement or position of the body has adaptive, expressive, and defensive functions; some conscious and some unconscious. The way in which we sit, stand, or walk tells a lot about our emotions and attitudes etc. The way in which a person holds himself, shows some things about his thoughts. It is an important non-verbal clue. If we adopt defensive position with hands folded, then we are not at ease. By posture itself without words being spoken, the attitude of the person can be observed. To illustrate the use of positions, imagine a situation in which the listener leans back in his chair, arms and legs crossed, as he listens to the speakers ideas in a conversation on a particular subject. But when the listener reaches a point where he disagrees with the speaker, he shifts his position in preparation for delivering his protest. He may lean forward and uncross his arms and legs. When he finishes, he will again lean back into his first position perhaps a third position.

Examples:-

Wrong Posture

Correct posture

Gestures
Gestures seem likely to have been mans earliest communication system, long preceding speech. Gestures in face-to-face communication always add and support oral communication. They supplement and intensify the speech. They convey effectively what a speaker wants to convey by words. Sincerity, eagerness and friendliness are communicated by shaking the hand firmly. The movements of parts of body, hands, arms, even legs and feet are grouped under the heading of GESTURES. It is perhaps the most commonly thought method of non-verbal communication. The understanding of gestures is very difficult when the various elements are separated from their context. However, when gestures are fitted together in their right composite positions, a complete picture evolves. It is said that each gesture is like a word in a language. In order to be understood in a language, one must structure ones words into units or sentences that express complete thoughts. So are the gestures, they are to be understood in harmony with one another. Example:Just try guessing the meaning of the given gestures:-

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DID IT MAKE ANY SENSE?

-NO.Because we dont know the meanings of any of the gestures used. Now let us see their meanings.

Now, with the help of meanings read the message given above again.

Does that make sense now? -Not at all!!!

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It is because they are not arranged in perfect manner as they should be in order to convey the message. Now try this one:-

Yeah!! Now that makes a perfect sense. It means:-

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The above example shows us the difficulty in understanding gestures, especially when we dont even have a rough idea of what do the gestures mean. Even when we become aware of the meanings of gestures, importance of fitting them in perfect harmony with each other in order to convey a message is in avoidable, as without arranging gestures in a particular manner according to the message to be conveyed, we cannot interpret it even by having knowledge of gestures meanings. Some more examples of gestures:-

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Expressions
Facial expression communicates mostly emotion and attitudes such as friendliness, affection, dislike, anger, contempt, anxiety etc. a face is like a book in which you can read a lot. When one speaks, the meaning is conveyed not only by the words spoken but also by the expressions the communicator wears on his face. It communicates much more information than his words. Unlike any other body language components, facial expressions and their meaning do not change among different cultures. For example, the most powerful, best understood, the most international body language exists is exactly the same way in every culture on earth, i.e., smile. And the message is always the same, friendship, welcome, goodwill, peace, and kindness. A smile makes friends without saying a word. Of course, facial expression has to be interpreted not in isolation but in the context of total communication process. Use of Facial expressions was traditionally limited to the face-to-face communications only but in this Electronic-Age that we live in, we can use expressions even in communications through medium very easily. The expressions we use in E-Communication usually consist of various smileys. There may be smileys which may be picturised or maybe expressed using symbols and some letters.

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Examples

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Stickers
Recently there is much usage of images and clip arts known commonly as stickers while using e-communication. Some examples of stickers:-

Example of usage of stickers in chatting

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Dress and Grooming

Closely allied to body language is the way we clothe and decorate our bodies in order to send messages about ourselves to all we meet. For instance, on special occasions we dress to suit that occasion. All the times, we dress to indicate the kind of person we wish to be thought by other and the sort of role we wish to play in life. The attitude towards dress and grooming, poses special problems, because the messages we are trying to send about ourselves, as private persons often differ considerably, from those we are expected to send in our business role. Since we cannot keep changing our clothes, hairstyle etc. during the working days, we have to decide which one takes priority, whether our private aims or our business role. When a knowledgeable person meets somebody for the first time in private life as well as in business, he or she tends to read off indicators from the others appearance, which he/she decodes according to his/her previous experience and perhaps previous prejudices, to form an impression of the others personality, attitudes etc. Thus in most of the cases, the impression of the other is formed, largely based upon the others dress and grooming. Communication by dress and grooming is as subject to misunderstanding as is verbal communication and in the same fundamental way, distortion at the coding stage is followed by further distortion at the decoding stage. An example:Peter little recalls an incident while he was serving on a panel interviewing an applicant for a teaching post. The young man, who had hair down over his shoulders, was wearing jeans and was very casual in his appearance, did not get the job. In this case, the applicant wanted

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to secure an appointment by successful interview but he did not. That is because he did not observe the fundamental communication rule that you should think of your receiver and not yourself. It is basic to communication that we communicate to produce a desired response. In this case he selected dress and grooming signals which were liable to be misinterpreted to his disadvantage, by at least some of the panel members.

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Space and Proximics

Proximics is the study of how people use and perceive the physical space around them. The space between the sender and the receiver of a message influences the way the message is interpreted. In addition, the perception and use of space varies significantly across cultures and different settings within cultures. Space in nonverbal communication may be divided into four main categories: intimate, social, personal, and public space.

The term territoriality is used in the study of Proximics to explain human behavior regarding personal space. 1. Intimate Distance: the close phase of intimate distance is used for making love, for very close friendships and for children clinging to a parent or to each other. 2. Personal distance: the second zone of territory is called the personal distance zone. Dr. Hall here differentiates between a close personal distance and a far personal distance. The close area is where you can still hold or grasp your partners hand at a distance. Whereas on the far phase of personal distance, you cannot comfortably touch your partner at distance. Yet the distance is close enough so that some degree of personal

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discussion can be held. When two friends meet in the street, they usually stop at this distance from each other to chat or to discuss. 3. Social distance: the social distance as well has a close phase and a far phase. The close phase is generally the distance at which we transact impersonal business. It is the distance that the housewife keeps from the repair man or the delivery boy. It is the distance when a businessman meets the new client. But the far phase of social distance is far more formal, social or business relationship. 4. Public distance: public distance is the farthest extension of our territorial bondage. In a close phase of public distance, it is suited for more informal gatherings such as teachers address in a classroom. The far phase of public distance is generally reserved for politicians or VIP

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Silence
Silence is the lack of audible sound or presence of sounds of very low intensity. By analogy, the word silence can also refer to any absence of communication, including in media other than speech. Silence is also used as total communication, in reference to non verbal communication. When a speaker is giving a speech and reaches the end and invites questions, leading to total silence, it may be difficult for the speaker to interpret the silence correctly. What is the audience communicating? - Boredom? Disagreement? Total rejection? Total satisfaction? The silence is ambiguous and the speaker is left to guess the meaning perhaps wrongly. We do not communicate through words, signs, and signals alone; we communicate through silence also. Silence is more eloquent than words. There are glowing tributes paid by great authors, to the significance of silence, such as:-

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Auditory Signals
Auditory signals are heard and the message is communicated instantly to the concerned receiver e.g. factory siren means reporting time for workers of a particular shift and stop work and go home time for those of another shift. Church bell indicates time for prayer. Similarly the school bell and traffic policemans whistle may make sense to the school children and traffic-rule breakers respectively.

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Visuals
Visuals have the merit of conveying information in a form which is very easy to understand and is effective. It helps transmitting messages quickly and enables quicker comprehension. Signs and Symbols communicate by the means of accepted symbols. For example mathematicians who use mathematical symbols, secretaries who write in short hand, musicians traffic signals use signs and symbols. Examples:-

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Posters
Posters are visuals that appeal to mass audience, and are often used in advertising. As they consist of pictures and/or photographs along with a slogan, they add effect of verbal communication to a non-verbal one. They can be used in creating public awareness and also internally in an organization to educate illiterate workers.

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CHARTS, MAPS AND GRAPHS

Charts, maps and graphs are pictorial representation of statistical and other kinds of information. They provide accurate information that can be gathered at a glance. Pie charts, bar charts and other types of charts represent numeric and statistical information. Maps convey space relationship between places besides giving information about climate, crops, animals, life, etc. graphs are familiar and easy to make tools useful in showing trends in continuous information over periods of time.

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Conclusion
We have seen all the different types of non-verbal communications with the help of examples. This study shows us how much is our use of non-verbal communication in all walks of life. Non-verbal communication was used from the very beginning of the human race so as to communicate when there were no languages or scripts invented. Even animals communicate with each other nonverbally. A plant turning towards sunlight is its communication with sunlight using gestures (of turning). Hence we can conclude that non-verbal communication is an inevitable part of our lives, and hence we need to be very conscious about how, when and what do we communicate by not using words because we can derive on a specific meaning by the usage of words but in absence of words, there may be different meanings of a same thing to different people at different times.

Recommendation
In this age of technology, where we are being observed every second of our lives, we need to take utmost care of our actions: be it walking, talking, dressing, or anything else. Especially for the people in their higher education and corporate world, it is very necessary to be conscious and follow the perfect means and methods of communication in order to convey a message correctly.

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BIBILIOGRAPHY
For further reference please see: Book on Business Communication-I by Mulgaonkar, Waradkar, Bapat and Chakravarty, published by Manan Prakashan. Rest of content from WIKIPEDIA. Search Engine used:

Google.com

Images Search Engine used: Google Images

Thanks to Microsoft Word for such an easy interface and attractiveness; without it this project could not had been made.

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