Learning Objectives

1.

Define and distinguish between the following terms: nonverbal communication, kinesics, paralanguage, proxemics, chronemics, and haptics. Nonverbal communication includes all the human responses that are not expressed in words. Over 65 percent of the social meaning of the messages we send to others is communicated nonverbally. Perceiving and analyzing nonverbal cues can help us understand what is really happening during a conversation.
Nonverbal messages fall into seven main categories: (1) body language or kinesics (facial expressions, posture, eye gaze and eye contact, and gestures); (2) clothing and artifactual communication; (3) voice or paralanguage (including pitch, volume, rate and pauses); (4) space and distance, or proxemic factors (including both the space that exists between us when we talk to each other and the way we organize space in our homes, offices, and communities); (5) color; (6) time, or chronemics; and (7) touch, or haptics.

2.

Explain why the face is an important source of information. Since the face cannot be easily hidden, it is an important source of nonverbal information and communicates a variety of emotions. In addition, eye contact, pupil size, and the smile provide additional cues to informed observers.

3.

Explain how artifactual communication and color can affect interaction. Artifactual communication, another category of nonverbal cue, is an integral part of the nonverbal package. It includes the use of personal adornments such as clothing, jewelry, makeup, hairstyles, and beards. People are apt to make inferences about us based on the way we dress.

4.

Distinguish between the following terms: intimate distance, personal distance, social distance, and public distance, and informal space, semifixed-feature space, and fixed-feature space. Proxemic cues, including the treatment of space and territory influence interaction and help define the communication experience. According to Edward Hall there are four different distances that we keep between ourselves and other people: intimate distance-0 to 18 inches; personal distance-18 inches to 4 feet; social distance-4 to 12 feet; and public distance-12 feet to the limit of sight. In addition, researchers divide environmental spaces into three categories: informal, semifixed-feature, and fixed-feature based on the perceived permanence of the physical space.

5.

Explain why territoriality is an important concept in communication. Typically, human beings stake out space or territory. Territoriality describes the need to demonstrate a possessive or ownership relationship to space. Markers are used to reserve space and set boundaries that help identify the space as belonging to someone.

6.

Identify the ways in which gender, diversity, and technology influence nonverbal behavior. The use of nonverbal cues is affected by variables such as gender, culture, and technology. The ways men and women use nonverbal cues reflects societal practices. To a large degree, people modify their use of nonverbal cues depending on the culture they belong to or identify with. Nonverbal communication is also affected by whether communication is occurring on- or off-line.

7.

Identify how you can improve your nonverbal communication effectiveness. You can improve your effectiveness as a nonveral communicator by observing and analyzing both the physical environment of interactions and the body language, appearance, gestures, vocal cues, eye contact, and touching behavior of the participants.

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