NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

GRETA G. COLON

What is Communication?
Is a process of sending and receiving messages that enables humans to share knowledge, attitudes, and skills Composed of TWO DIMENSIONS:
Verbal Nonverbal

What is Nonverbal Communication?

Defined as communication without words Includes apparent behaviors such as

facial expressions, eyes, touching and tone of voice as well as less obvious messages such as dress, posture and spatial distance between 2 or more
people

Why we use Nonverbal Communication

Words have limitations Nonverbal communications are likely to be more genuine Nonverbal signals can express feelings inappropriate to state A separate communication channel is useful to help send complex messages

Why we use Nonverbal Communication

1. Words have limitations 2. Nonverbal communications are likely to be more genuine 3. Nonverbal signals can express feelings inappropriate to state 4. A separate communication channel is useful to help send complex messages

Types of Nonverbal Communication

1. Facial Expression
Responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal communication While nonverbal communication and behavior can vary dramatically between cultures, the facial expression for happiness, sadness, anger and fear are similar throughout the world

2. Gestures
Used in place of words because of the situation

3. Paralinguistic
Includes factors such as tone of voice, loudness, inflection and pitch

4. Body Language and Posture

5. Proxemics
personal space The amount of distance we need and the amount of space we perceive as belonging to us

6. Eye Gaze
Looking, staring and blinking can also be important nonverbal behaviors When people or things that they like, the rate of blinking increases and pupils dilate

7. Haptics
touch

8. Appearance
Our choice of color, clothing, hairstyle and other factors are also considered as nonverbal communication Research on color psychology has demonstrated that different colors can evoke different moods Appearance can also alter physiological reactions, judgments and interpretations

Power of Nonverbal Communication

Social Psychology Professor Albert Mehrabian explored the relative impact of various channels of communication in terms of the power they have to convey our feelings and attitudes to others. Mehrabian's now well-known equation (illustrated to the right - see his book Silent Messages, 1971 for more details) depicts the relative effectiveness of words alone compared to the other non-verbal channels of voice and tonality and facial expressions and body language.

 7% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in the words that are spoken.
38% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said). 55% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in facial expression.

KEY ELEMENTS

Universal Functions of Nonverbal Communication

IDENTIFICATION Usually conveyed via appearance RELATIONSHIP Conveyed via gaze, touch & proximity

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS

EMOTION Conveyed via facial expression & vocality

DELIVERY Conveying message through voice & gesture

1. Kinesics
Often referred to as body language Emblems can be translated directly into words Illustrators- movements that complement verbal communication by describing or accenting or reinforcing what the speaker is saying

Affect Displays- nonverbal displays of the

body/face that carry an emotional meaning or display affective states Regulators- accompany speech to control or regulate what the speaker is saying Adaptors-can be though of as behaviors that are done to meet a personal need as one adapts to the specific communication situation

2. Proxemics
Has to do with how close we stand to others Distance may vary based on cultural norms and the type of relationship existing between the parties

Four Distance Zones

1. Intimate Distance- normally reserved
for those with whom one is intimate 2. Personal Distance- distance of interaction of good friends 3. Social Distance- appropriate distance for casual friends and acquaintances to interact 4. Public Distance- generally formal

Vertical Distance- often understood to

convey the degree of dominance or sub-ordinance in a relationship

RESUME Format
Your Contact Information First Last Name Street Address City, State, Zip Phone (Cell/Home) Email Address
Objective (optional) What do you want to do? If you include this section it should be a sentence or two about your employment goals. A customized objective that describes why you are the perfect candidate for the job can help your resume stand out from the competition.

Career Summary / Highlights (optional) A customized section of your resume that lists key achievements, skills, traits, and experience relevant to the position for which you are applying can serve dual purposes. It highlights your relevant experience and lets the prospective employer know that you have taken the time to create a resume that shows how you are qualified for the job.
Experience This section of your resume includes your work history. List the companies you worked for, dates of employment, the positions you held and a bulleted list of responsibilities and achievements.

Education In the education section of your resume, list the schools you attended, the degrees you attained, and any special awards and honors you earned.
College, Degree Awards, Honors

Skills Include skills related to the position / career field that you are applying for i.e. computer skills, language skills. References available upon request There is no need to include references on your resume or even to mention that references are available. Rather, have a separate list of references to give to employers upon request.

PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

The Heading (The Retern Address) or Letterhead - Companies usually use printed paper where heading or letterhead is specially designed at the top of the sheet. It bears all the necessary information about the organisations identity.
Date - Date of writing. The month should be fully spelled out and the year written with all four digits October 12, 2005

PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

The Inside Address - In a business or formal letter you should give the address of the recipient after your own address. Include the recipient's name, company, address and postal code. Add job title if appropriate. Separate the recipient's name and title with a comma. Double check that you have the correct spelling of the recipient 's name.
The Inside Address is always on the left margin. If an 8 1/2" x 11" paper is folded in thirds to fit in a standard 9" business envelope, the inside address can appear through the window in the envelope.

The Greeting - Also called the salutation. The type of salutation depends on your relationship with the recipient. It normally begins with the word "Dear" and always includes the person's last name. Use every resource possible to address your letter to an actual person. If you do not know the name or the sex of of your reciever address it to Dear Madam/Sir (or Dear Sales Manager or Dear Human Resources Director). As a general rule the greeting in a business letter ends in a colon (US style). It is also acceptable to use a comma (UK style).

The Subject Line (optional) - Its inclusion can help the recipient in dealing successfully with the aims of your letter. Normally the subject sentence is preceded with the word Subject: or Re: Subject line may be emphasized by underlining, using bold font, or all captial letters. It is usually placed one line below the greeting but alternatively can be located directly after the "inside address," before the "greeting."

The Body Paragraphs - The body is where you explain why youre writing. Its the main part of the business letter. Make sure the receiver knows who you are and why you are writing but try to avoid starting with "I". Use a new paragraph when you wish to introduce a new idea or element into your letter. Depending on the letter style you choose, paragraphs may be indented. Regardless of format, skip a line between paragraphs.

The Complimentary Close - This short, polite closing ends always with a comma. It is either at the left margin or its left edge is in the center, depending on the Business Letter Style that you use. It begins at the same column the heading does. The traditional rule of etiquette in Britain is that a formal letter starting "Dear Sir or Madam" must end "Yours faithfully", while a letter starting "Dear " must end "Yours sincerely". (Note: the second word of the closing is NOT capitalized)

Signature and Writers identification - The signature is the last part of the letter. You should sign your first and last names. The signature line may include a second line for a title, if appropriate. The signature should start directly above the first letter of the signature line in the space between the close and the signature line. Use blue or black ink.

Initials, Enclosures, Copies - Initials are to be included if someone other than the writer types the letter. If you include other material in the letter, put 'Enclosure', 'Enc.', or ' Encs. ', as appropriate, two lines below the last entry. cc means a copy or copies are sent to someone else.