JUBAIL University COLLEGE

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Bus 261 Business Communication

Non-Verbal Communication
Faculty : Dr. Solomon

By: Mussa Ramadan , Ahmad Safar , Mohammed

Al-Qunais, and Husam Zaila

Scientific research on nonverbal communication and behavior was started

in 1872 with the publication of Charles Darwins book The Expression of the
Emotions in Man and Animals. In the book, Darwin argued that all
mammals, both humans and animals, showed emotion through facial
expressions.
The emergence of behaviorism in the 1920s paused further research on
nonverbal communication. Behaviorism is defined as the theory of learning
that describes peoples behavior as acquired through conditioning.
The study of nonverbal communication began in 1955 by Adam Kendon,
Albert Scheflen, and Ray Birdwhistell. They analyzed a film using an
analytic method called context analysis. Context analysis is the method of
transcribing observed behaviors on to a coding sheet.
Research on nonverbal communication rocketed during the mid-1960s by a
number of psychologists and researchers. Argyle and Dean, for example,
studied the relationship between eye contact and conversational distance.
Ralph V. Exline examined patterns of looking while speaking and looking
while listening.

Non-verbal communication consists of all the messages other than

words that are used in communication. In oral communication, these
symbolic messages are transferred by means of intonation, tone of
voice, vocally produced noises, body posture, body gestures, facial
expressions or pauses.
A spoken message is always sent on two levels, verbal and nonverbal.
They seem to be trustable because they are mostly unconscious and
part of every-day behavior.

Nonverbal
communication
represents
two-thirds
of
all
communication. Nonverbal communication can portray a message
both verbally and with the correct body signals.

Aesthetic communication: occurs through creative expression. Including

music, dance, theatre, crafts, art, painting, etc

Physical communication: covers the personal kind of communication, and

includes a smile or frown, wink, touch, smell, salute, gesture, and other
body movements.

Signs: a more mechanical kind of non-verbal communication, which

includes signals, flags or lights.

Symbols of communication: used for religious or personal status

reasons, as well as to build self-esteem. This includes jewelry, cars,
clothing, and other things to communicate social status.

Physical communication is the most used form of non-verbal

communication. A person will get a better understanding if he is aware
of anothers non-verbal actions.
Distance:
The distance between you and another person will be interpreted a
certain way, and the meaning will change according to the culture. It
can mean either an attraction, or can signal intensity.
Example :
Standing side-to-side .
face-to-face posture.

Other forms of non-verbal communication are facial expressions,

gestures, and eye contact. When someone is talking, they notice
changes in facial expressions and respond accordingly.
Example :
raising your eyebrows.
Nodding.

Facial expressions

Body movements and posture

Gestures

Eye contact

Touch

Space

Voice

Repeat the message your words are saying

Contradict what your words are saying

Be a substitution for your verbal message

Add to the meaning of your message

Accent or make the message stronger, like pounding your fist on a

table

In order to send accurate nonverbal cues, you need to be aware of your

emotions and how they influence you. You also need to be able to
recognize the emotions of others and the true feelings behind the cues
they are sending.
Emotional awareness enables you to:

Accurately read other people, including the emotions theyre feeling

and the unspoken messages theyre sending.

Create trust in relationships by sending nonverbal signals that

match up with your words.

Respond in ways that show others that you understand, notice, and
care.

Know if the relationship is meeting your emotional needs, giving

you the option to either repair the relationship or move on.

Pay attention to inconsistencies. Nonverbal communication should

reinforce what is being said. Is the person is saying one thing, and their
body language something else?

Look at nonverbal communication signals as a group. Dont read too

much into a single gesture or nonverbal cue. Consider all of the
nonverbal signals you are receiving, from eye contact to tone of
voice and body language.

Trust your instincts. Dont dismiss your gut feelings. If you get the sense
that someone isnt being honest or that something isnt adding up, you may
be picking up on a mismatch between verbal and nonverbal cues.

What you communicate through your body language and nonverbal signals
affects how others see you, how well they like and respect you, and
whether or not they trust you.
Unfortunately, many people send confusing or negative nonverbal signals
without even knowing it. When this happens, both connection and trust are
damaged.

Thumbs-up

OK sign

Nodding