As we interact with each other we are constantly giving out messages and cues through our words but also through non-verbal communication. The Encyclopedia Britannica define non-verbal communication as, “the transfer of information from one person to another without the use of words or spoken language”. Research published in 1967 by Mehrabian and Wiener seemed to indicate that 93% of communication was non-verbal, which seems incredibly high. Subsequent articles and research on the subject has established that the original study has likely been misinterpreted and misrepresented and that a truer figure is anywhere between 60% and 80%.
Communication Types
There are various types of non-verbal communication, each of which will help to convey messages in different ways and will either help to reinforce a verbal message, will contradict a verbal message or will actually replace a verbal message completely.
Facial expressions
We’ve all heard the phrase “poker face” whereby someone attempts to not let their facial expression act as a sign of whether they have a good, bad or indifferent hand of cards. The phrase is widely used though in society to understand if your facial expressions are giving away your true emotions or not. You can often convey what you are going to say or the emotion behind the message before you say it by the expression on your face. If you are smiling then the message is likely to be happy and positive, if you are frowning then that message is going to be sad or downbeat. Some people will try to give a positive message but with a negative facial expression and the mixed message this creates leads the recipient to believe that the verbal communication is not genuine or lacks sincerity, so it is important that your verbal message aligns with your facial expression.
Gestures
Gestures are a very simple, yet effective way of communication. A wave of the hand or a thumbs up gesture are widely used and understood by people around the world. Indeed, formal sign language is used as a means of communication by those who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as by people who are nonverbal for whatever reason. Gestures and signals can be very powerful but it is important to remember that some gestures can mean different things in different cultures and contexts so be wary.
Body language
In Mehrabian and Wiener’s research they believed that around 55% of our communication is through body language. Whilst that figure may not be entirely accurate body language does form a significant amount of our non-verbal communication. Analysing and interpreting someone’s body language can certainly provide added information on the messages that they are giving. When we are communicating it’s important to think about how what our body language is saying affects the people we are communicating with. For example, crossing your arms can be a sign that you are closed off, that you disagree with someone or that you are being defensive. Leaning forward towards the person you are communicating with could be perceived as you paying attention but it can also come across as you being aggressive particularly depending on the space between you so be mindful. Slouching in a chair and looking at your watch or around the room shows that you are disengaged from the conversation, you are not really listening and you are not interested in what is being said. You are sat still and upright with relaxed arms then this is far more positive and sends better signals in terms of your body language.
Eye contact
Eye contact is another important facet of non-verbal communication. A person’s eyes can communicate non-verbally in a number of ways. The eyes can convey happiness, sadness, fear or surprise. You can also hold someone’s attention by maintaining eye contact with them and sustaining eye contact also demonstrates an interest in what is being said.
Paralinguistics (tone of voice, volume, inflection, speed)
The Cambridge Dictionary defines paralinguistics as, “the ways in which people show what they mean other than by the words they use, for example by their tone of voice”. Although it is therefore linked to verbal communication it is distinct from the actual language someone uses to communicate. Tone of voice can communicate confidence or nervousness, volume can convey anger or simply that the speaker is communicating with a large audience and needs to be heard by everyone. In terms of inflection someone may be communicating in a high pitched voice which could again be a sign of nerves or could mean that they are trying to quickly gain attention in the case of an emergency situation. Low inflection can make someone sound boring but when used at the end of a sentence it can also be used to convey certainty in the statement being made so content and context are important.
Regardless of which research and what percentage figure you ascribe to, non-verbal communication is undoubtedly crucial in how we communicate with each other. Being aware of this and considering other aspects of communication apart from your words will make you a better all round communicator. Watching out for how others use non-verbal communication will also enhance your understanding of messages you are receiving in addition to the actual words you are hearing.
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Why not also check out our blog on a similar topic The Psychology of Communication
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