Non Verbal Communication

Index

Particulars Page No.

What is non verbal communication? 2

Verbal vs. Nonverbal Communication 3

Importance 4

Barriers due to Cultural differences 7

Types 9

Functions of nonverbal communication 20

To improve nonverbal communication, learn to manage stress

23

How emotional awareness strengthens nonverbal communication

24

Kinesics 25

Posture and body stance 26

Open and closed body posture 26

Modern applications 27

Importance and need for correct analysis of postures and body movements

28

Gestures and body movements 31

Illustrations of various gestures and their varied inferences in different cultures

32

Conclusion 40

1

What is non verbal communication?

Non-verbal communication is not just body language, gestures or facial

expressions as many people mistakenly think. It also includes eye

contact, touch, spatial distance between two or more people or

positioning within a group, kinesics or body movements, appearance,

smell, tone of voice and even silence!

Even though the importance of non-verbal communication has grown

rapidly over the last few decades and it is now widely used in media,

business, interpersonal relationships, education and politics many people

still pay little attention to non-verbal messages and body signals,

concentrating mostly on words.

It is one of the biggest misconceptions to think that what is being said is

more important than how it is being said. In reality only 7% of

information is sent through words, the remaining 93% of

communication is non-verbal. If one fails to read and de-code non-

verbal messages he/she is definitely set up for constant

misunderstandings and various communication problems.

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Verbal vs. Nonverbal Communication

Verbal communication is best suited to convey specific information, and

is better suited to communication through technology over long distances.

Nonverbal communication is more immediate than verbal

communication, but its

Nonverbal communication is typically more ambiguous, notwithstanding

the fact that certain forms of nonverbal communication, such as the use of

the eyes, can convey emotions more effectively than words can.

Some technological means of communication, such as film, can

effectively convey many forms of nonverbal communication.

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Importance

Nonverbal communication and body language play a hugely

important role in all relationships

Ted, Arlene, and Jack are all articulate speakers who say one thing while

communicating something else nonverbally, with disastrous results in

their relationships:

Jack gets along with his colleagues at work, but not with those who

matter most to him. If you were to ask them why, they would say that

Jack is “too intense.” Rather than look at you, he devours you with his

eyes. And if he takes your hand, he lunges to get it and then squeezes so

hard it hurts. Jack is a caring guy but has a terrible time being in sync

with people. This awkwardness limits his ability to advance at work. He

just isn’t seen as being good with others.

Arlene is attractive and has no problem meeting eligible men. Keeping

them is the problem! Arlene is funny and interesting, but even though she

constantly laughs and smiles, she radiates tension. Arlene’s shoulders and

eyebrows are noticeably raised, her voice is shrill, and her body is stiff.

Being around Arlene makes many people feel uncomfortable. Arlene has

a lot going for her that is undercut by the discomfort she evokes in others.

Ted thought he had found the perfect match when he met Sharon, but

Sharon isn’t so sure. Ted is very eligible. He is good looking, hard

working, and a smooth talker. The trouble is that Ted seems to talk more

to himself than to Sharon. When Sharon has something to say, Ted is

ready with a reply before she finishes her thought. This makes Sharon

feel ignored, and she has started to date other men. Ted loses out at work

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for the same reason. His inability to listen to others makes him unpopular

with many of the people he most admires.

These smart, well-intentioned people struggle in their attempt to connect

with others. None of them are aware of the nonverbal messages they

communicate. If you want to communicate effectively, avoid

misunderstandings, and enjoy solid, trusting relationships both socially

and professionally, it’s important to understand how to use and interpret

nonverbal signals.

We have all heard the expression, “Their actions speak louder than

words”. This is very true, because:

In many situations people tend to hide their feelings behind

carefully chosen words. A non-verbal message is a subconscious

response of the body. Therefore, it can not be easily controlled and

is likely to be more genuine.

As words have limitations, non-verbal communication is more

effective in situations where a person has to explain shapes,

directions, inner feelings and personalities.

Non-verbal signals serve to make the message more powerful and

convincing. Try to convince or motivate another person into doing

a certain task while keeping your face expression, gestures and

tone of voice unanimated. No matter what you say, you will not be

able to sound convincing, or motivating.

If a message is too emotional or too complex a separate non-verbal

communication channel is needed to transmit this message

correctly.

Non-verbal communication helps to clarify misunderstanding and

avoid possible communication barriers.

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Most social psychologists will tell that nonverbal communication makes

up about two-thirds of all communication between two people or between

one speaker and a group of listeners. Nonverbal communication can

portray a message both verbally and with the correct body signals. There

are numerous elements of what we call body language. They include

physical features, both changeable and unchangeable, your gestures and

signals you send to others at a conscience and unconscious level, and the

space that you use when communicating with others. The wrong message

can be established if the body language conveyed does not match a verbal

message. Nonverbal communication strengthens a first impression in

common situations like attracting a partner or in a business interview.

You have less than ten seconds and realistically close to four seconds to

make a good impression on those with whom you come in contact. First

encounters or interactions with another person strongly affect a person’s

lifestyle. People are more likely to believe that the first things they learn

are the truth. When the other person or group is absorbing the message

they are focused on the entire environment around them, meaning, the

other person uses all five senses in the interaction. “Sight makes up 83%

of the impact on the brain of information from the senses during a visual

presentation. Taste makes up 1%, Hearing makes up 11%, smell 3% and

touch 2%.

How nonverbal communication can go wrong

It takes more than words to create satisfying, strong relationships.

Nonverbal communication has a huge impact on the quality of your

personal and professional relationships. 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.

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Unfortunately, many people send confusing or negative nonverbal signals

without even knowing it. When this happens, both connection and trust

are damaged.

Barriers due to Cultural differences

The following are examples of common gestures which have different

functions and meanings in different cultures. Misunderstandings occur

because the functions of paralinguistic forms vary from culture to culture,

although there are some universal nonverbals such as smiles, laughter and

sour expressions. There are also differences according to gender and age.

Nonverbal communication tends to be relatively ambiguous and open to

interpretation while its influence often depends on the nature of the

‘listener’, particularly when it is unclear whether the messages conveyed

are deliberate or unconscious. Nonverbal indicators are most common in

polychronic cultures, in which an individual often performs several tasks

simultaneously.

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Similarly even Touch is treated differently from one country to another

and socially acceptable levels of touching vary from one culture to

another (Remland, 2009).

In Thai culture, for example, touching someone's head may be thought

rude. Remland and Jones (1995) studied groups of people communicating

and found that touching was rare among the English (8%), the French

(5%) and the Dutch (4%) compared to Italians (14%) and Greeks

(12.5%).

Stoeltje (2003) wrote about how Americans are "losing touch" with this

important communication skill. During a study conducted by University

of Miami School of Medicine, Touch Research Institutes, American

children were said to be more aggressive than their French counterparts

while playing at a playground. It was noted that French women touched

their children more.

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Types

1. Kinesics or body language

The term "kinesics" was first used (in 1952) by Ray Birdwhistell, an

anthropologist. Kinesics is the study of how people communicate through

posture, gesture, stance and movement.

Body language is one of the most important and complicated parts of

non-verbal communication. Although many books have been written on

this topic, body language is still hard to decode, because it must be

interpreted in the context of a person’s lifestyle, cultural background,

family, education, physical health, and other factors that may be obscure.

Kinesics has been discussed in detail in the later part.

2. Facial expressions.

Our face is a highly developed organ that can create more than 7,000

facial expressions. Facial expression continually change during

interaction and should be constantly monitored by the recipient.

Even though the meanings of facial expressions may vary in different

countries, there are six main types that are the same in all cultures:

Happiness (sincere broad smile, raised cheeks, round eyes)

Anger (lowered eyebrow, tightly pursed lips, intensive stare)

Surprise (wide open eyes, open mouth, raised eyebrows)

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Fear (open mouth, round eyes, pale face)

Disgust (wrinkled nose, raised upper lip, lowered eyelids)

Sadness (lowered corners of mouth, sad eyes)

3. Eye-contact

Eye contact is an important feature of social communication. In many

cultures it is believed, that even if you can control your facial expressions

and body movements, eyes can never lie. This is why in business cultures

a fair degree of eye contact is viewed as a sign of a person’s openness,

honesty and trust.

Often, just by eye contact we can signal to another person when to talk or

to finish. In interpersonal relationships looking away is often perceived as

deviousness and avoidance, while gaze holding, decreased blinking rate

and dilated eye pupils show our interest in a partner. Also frequency of

eye contact may indicate either interest or boredom.

Eye-contact is the primary notion to where a message of attention is being

conveyed in engagement with Nonverbal communication. Eye contact is

when two people look at each other's eyes at the same time; it can

indicate interest, attention, and involvement. Studies have found that

people use their eyes to indicate their interest and not just with the

frequently recognized actions of winking and movements of the

eyebrows, but it can indicate social behavior. Men and women have

different ways of eye contact. Men stare at the women they are interested

in for at least a half an hour were as women tend to always keep their

eyes roaming around the room to see who is there. Disinterest is highly

noticeable when showing little eye-contact in a social setting. Pupils

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dilate when they are interested in the other person. People, sometimes,

even, without consciously doing so, probe each other's eyes and faces for

positive or negative mood signs. Generally speaking, the longer the eye

contact between two people the greater the intimacy is felt inside.

According to Eckman,“Eye contact (also called mutual gaze) is another

major channel of nonverbal communication. The duration of eye contact

is its most meaningful aspect. Gaze comprises the actions of looking

while talking and listening. The length of a gaze, the frequency of

glances, patterns of fixation, pupil dilation, and blink rate are all

important cues in nonverbal communication. Liking generally increases

as mutual gazing increases. Along with the detection of disinterest, deceit

can also be observed in a person. Hogan states “when someone is being

deceptive their eyes tend to blink a lot more. Eyes act as leading indicator

of truth or deception,” Eye aversion is the avoidance of eye contact. Eye

contact and facial expressions provide important social and emotional

information. Overall, as Pease states, “Give the amount of eye contact

that makes everyone feel comfortable. Unless looking at others is a

cultural no-no, lookers gain more credibility than non-lookers.”

4. Proxemics

Proxemics is the study of how people use and perceive the physical

distance or 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.

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There are two main types of space or distance: Horizontal and Vertical.

Horizontal space determines the distance, which people intuitively

feel comfortable with when approaching other and having others

approach them. Space in nonverbal communication may be divided

into four main categories: intimate, social, personal, and public

space.

There are four horizontal space zones:

Intimate space – from actual touching to 18 inches. It is assigned

for intimate relationships and mother- baby relationships. At this

distance the physical presence of another is overwhelming.

Violation of “our territory”, depending on the seriousness may

provoke such feelings as discomfort, irritation, anxiety and even

anger and aggression.

Personal space – from 18 inches to 4 feet. This zone is reserved

for interactions with good friends, when discussing personal and

casual matters.

Social space – from 4 to 12 feet. This is an appropriate distance for

impersonal, social gatherings and business communication.

Public space – more than 12 feet. At this distance a speaker

becomes formal. It is reserved for public speaking and interaction

in public places (like parks, supermarkets, or on the street)

The more we get to know the person and the more we like them, the

closer we permit them into our personal space.

The term territoriality is used in the study of proxemics to explain human

behavior regarding personal space. Hargie & Dickson (2004, p. 69)

identify 4 such territories:

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Primary territory: This refers to an area that is associated with

someone who has exclusive use of it. An example is a house that

others cannot enter without the owner’s permission.

Secondary territory: Unlike primary territory, there is no “right” to

occupancy of secondary territory, but people may still feel some

degree of ownership of such space as they develop the custom of

occupying it. For example, someone may sit in the same seat in

church every week and feel irritated if someone else sits there.

Public territory: this refers to an area that is available to all, but

only for a set period, such as a parking space or a seat in a library.

Although people have only a limited claim over that space, they

often extend that claim. For example, it was found that people take

longer to leave a parking space when someone is waiting to take that

space.

Interaction territory: this is space held by others when they are

interacting. For example, when a group is talking to each other on a

footpath, others will walk around the group rather than disturb their

interaction territory.

Vertical space often indicates a degree of dominance and subordinance in

the relationship.

5. Haptics

“Haptics” is a nonverbal communication study of touch. The way one

person touches another can tell a great deal of information. Even a

handshake can tell a lot about the individual’s character and social

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position. In most interpersonal relationships touching can (arm pat)

expresse tenderness, give encouragement and show emotional support.

Such physical contacts as handshakes, holding hands, kissing (cheek, lips,

hand), back slapping, high fives, a pat on the shoulder, brushing an arm,

embracing, pushing, grabbing, holding another person on the shoulder,

patting on the back, ruffling thier hair may reflect elements of intimacy,

lack of attraction, patronizing or gentleness. These behaviors are referred

to as "adapters" or "tells" and may send messages that reveal the

intentions or feelings of a communicator.

The meaning of touch depends highly on the context of the situation, the

relationship between communicators, the manner of touch, sex, age,

culture and your character. If used improperly it can become a cause of

aggravation, communication barriers and mistrust.

6. Paralanguage

Paralanguage is a non-verbal element of communication that includes rate

(speed), pitch (highness or lowness of voice), volume (loudness), and

enunciation of vocal speech.

A person’s character, emotional condition and ability to get a message

correctly to a receiver can be revealed by vocal cues.

Experimental findings suggest that people tend to listen more attentively

to men with deep, low voices and resonant tones as these vocal cues are

associated with strength, sexiness and self-confidence.

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High pitch voices are associated with rage, nervousness and helplessness,

while despair and depression is often vocalized by a lower pitch and

slower word pace. People who speak very loud are often perceived by

others as aggressive, overbearing and uncompromising. Soft spoken

people are viewed as timid, polite and unsure of themselves.

When a vocal message contradicts a verbal one it is considered an

indication of sarcasm. For example, a phrase, “Great job” can either mean

a sincere praise or if intoned sarcastically, it has the opposite meaning.

7. Silence

Silence is also viewed as a part of non-verbal communication that

depending on the situation and usage can influence conversation in a

positive or negative way. On one hand silence may create tension and

uneasiness, while on the other it may give another person time to collect

his thoughts and calm down. Silence can also be an indicator of

agreement or disagreement, depending on other non-verbal aspects such

as facial expression, body language or eye contact.

8. Chronemics

Chronemics is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication.

The way we perceive time, structure our time and react to time is a

powerful communication tool and helps set the stage for communication.

Time perceptions include punctuality and the willingness to wait, plus the

speed of speech and how long people are willing to listen. The timing and

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frequency of an action as well as the tempo and rhythm of

communications within an interaction contributes to the interpretation of

nonverbal messages. Gudykunst & Ting-Toomey (1988) identified two

dominant time patterns: Monochronic time and Polychronic time.

Monochronic Time

A Monochronic time system means that things are done one at a time and

time is segmented into precise, small units. Under this system time is

scheduled, arranged and managed.

For instance, The United States is considered a monochronic society. This

perception of time is learned and rooted in the Industrial Revolution,

where "factory life required the labor force to be on hand and in place at

an appointed hour" (Guerrero, DeVito & Hecht, 1999, p. 238). For

Americans, time is a precious resource not to be wasted or taken lightly.

As communication scholar Edward T. Hall wrote regarding the American

viewpoint of time in the business world, “the schedule is sacred.” Hall

says that for monochronic cultures, “time is tangible” and viewed as a

commodity where “time is money” or “time is wasted.” The result of this

perspective is that Americans and other monochronic cultures, such as the

German and Swiss, place a paramount value on schedules, tasks and

“getting the job done.” These cultures are committed to regimented

schedules and may view those who do not subscribe to the same

perception of time as disrespectful.

Monochronic cultures include Germany, Canada, Switzerland, the United

States, and Scandinavia.

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Polychronic Time

A Polychronic time system is a system where several things can be done

at once, and a more fluid approach is taken to scheduling time. Unlike

Americans and most northern and western European cultures, Native

American, Latin American, Arab and African cultures use the

polychronic system of time.

These cultures are much less focused on the preciseness of accounting for

each and every moment. As Raymond Cohen notes, polychronic cultures

are deeply steeped in tradition rather than in tasks—a clear difference

from their monochronic counterparts. Cohen notes that "Traditional

societies have all the time in the world. The arbitrary divisions of the

clock face have little saliency in cultures grounded in the cycle of the

seasons, the invariant pattern of rural life, and the calendar of religious

festivities" (Cohen, 1997, p. 34).

Instead, their culture is more focused on relationships, rather than

watching the clock. They have no problem being “late” for an event if

they are with family or friends, because the relationship is what really

matters. As a result, polychronic cultures have a much less formal

perception of time. They are not ruled by precise calendars and schedules.

Rather, “cultures that use the polychronic time system often schedule

multiple appointments simultaneously so keeping on schedule is an

impossibility.” [2]

Polychronic cultures include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Mexico, the

Philippines, India, and many in Africa.

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9. Olfactics

“Olfactics” is a non-verbal communication study of smell. We tend to

react to people based on their smell. For both men and women body smell

is one of the most important subconscious factors of choosing a life mate.

During interaction body odor or too much perfume can make even the

most attractive person seem repulsive.

10. Appearance

Appearance plays an important role in non-verbal communication.

Clothes, makeup, accessories, hairstyle, choice of colors and uniforms

usually offer signals relating to person’s individuality, status, wealth,

occupation and even attractiveness.

People we find attractive are perceived as more credible, sociable,

successful, interesting, sensitive, kind and popular. However you have

to remember that forming stereotypes based on other people’s physical

characteristics and attractiveness may lead to false assumptions and

communication barriers.

11. Clothing

Clothing is the most common form of non-verbal communication. The

types of clothing that an individual wears convey nonverbal clues about

his or her personality, background and financial status, and how others

will respond to them, for instance, “Miniskirts can give a woman the

appearance that she is not approachable.” This demonstrates a certain

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response, in this case, a negative and unapproachable response, simply

via appearance. It is important to understand that their exterior and

demeanor influence how others will react to them. An individual’s

clothing style can demonstrate their culture, mood, level of confidence,

interests, age, authority, value/beliefs, and their sexual identity. Some

examples of a person’s clothing type in which a negative message is

being conveyed could include the following: A person with a sloppy

appearance, messy hair, and wrinkled clothes sends the message, "I don't

care". Also, a woman who wears a tight dress with a low-cut neckline

may convey the message "I'm attractive and sexy" or “Want to come back

to my place tonight"? By showing the positive aspects of his or her self

through dress attire and grooming, one can inspire confidence in his or

her abilities.

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Functions of nonverbal communication

Argyle (1970) put forward the hypothesis that whereas spoken language

is normally used for communicating information about events external to

the speakers, non-verbal codes are used to establish and maintain

interpersonal relationships. It is considered more polite or nicer to

communicate attitudes towards others non-verbally rather than verbally,

for instance in order to avoid embarrassing situations.

Argyle (1988) concluded there are five primary functions of nonverbal

bodily behavior in human communication:

Express emotions

Express interpersonal attitudes

To accompany speech in managing the cues of interaction between

speakers and listeners

Self-presentation of one’s personality

Rituals (greetings)

In regards to expressing interpersonal attitudes, humans communicate

interpersonal closeness through a series of nonverbal actions known as

immediacy behaviors. Examples of immediacy behaviors are smiling,

touching, open body positions, and eye contact. Cultures that display

these immediacy behaviors are considered high-contact cultures.

Criticism

An interesting question is: When two people are communicating face-to-

face, how much of the meaning is communicated verbally, and how much

is communicated non-verbally? This was investigated by Albert

Mehrabian and reported in two papers. The latter paper concluded: "It is

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suggested that the combined effect of simultaneous verbal, vocal, and

facial attitude communications is a weighted sum of their independent

effects - with coefficients of .07, .38, and .55, respectively." This "rule"

that clues from spoken words, from the voice tone, and from the facial

expression, contribute 7 %, 38 %, and 55 % respectively to the total

meaning, is widely cited. It is presented on all types of popular courses

with statements like "scientists have found out that . . . ". In reality,

however, it is extremely weakly founded. First, it is based on the

judgment of the meaning of single tape-recorded words, i.e. a very

artificial context. Second, the figures are obtained by combining results

from two different studies which potentially cannot be combined. Third,

it relates only to the communication of positive versus negative emotions.

Fourth, it relates only to women, as men did not participate in the study.

Since then, other studies have analysed the relative contribution of verbal

and nonverbal signals under more naturalistic situations. Argyle, using

video tapes shown to the subjects, analysed the communication of

submissive/dominant attitude and found that non-verbal cues had 4.3

times the effect of verbal cues. The most important effect was that body

posture communicated superior status in a very efficient way. On the

other hand, a study by Hsee et al. had subjects judge a person on the

dimension happy/sad and found that words spoken with minimal

variation in intonation had an impact about 4 times larger than face

expressions seen in a film without sound. Thus, the relative importance of

spoken words and facial expressions may be very different in studies

using different set-ups.

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Interaction of verbal and nonverbal communication

When communicating, nonverbal messages can interact with verbal

messages in six ways: repeating, conflicting, complementing,

substituting, regulating and accenting/moderating. Conflicting Verbal and

nonverbal messages within the same interaction can sometimes send

opposing or conflicting messages. A person verbally expressing a

statement of truth while simultaneously fidgeting or avoiding eye contact

may convey a mixed message to the receiver in the interaction.

Conflicting messages may occur for a variety of reasons often stemming

from feelings of uncertainty, ambivalence, or frustration.[23]When mixed

messages occur, nonverbal communication becomes the primary tool

people use to attain additional information to clarify the situation; great

attention is placed on bodily movements and positioning when people

perceive mixed messages during interactions

Complementing

Accurate interpretation of messages is made easier when nonverbal and

verbal communication complement each other. Nonverbal cues can be

used to elaborate on verbal messages to reinforce the information sent

when trying to achieve communicative goals; messages have been shown

to be remembered better when nonverbal signals affirm the verbal

exchange.

Substituting

Nonverbal behavior is sometimes used as the sole channel for

communication of a message. People learn to identify facial expressions,

body movements, and body positioning as corresponding with specific

feelings and intentions. Nonverbal signals can be used without verbal

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communication to convey messages; when nonverbal behavior does not

effectively communicate a message, verbal methods are used to enhance

understanding.

To improve nonverbal communication, learn to

manage stress

Learning how to manage stress in the heat of the moment is one of the

most important things you can do to improve your nonverbal

communication. Stress compromises your ability to communicate. When

you’re stressed out, you’re more likely to misread other people, send off

confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-

jerk patterns of behavior. Furthermore, emotions are contagious. Your

upset is very likely to trigger upset in others, making a bad situation

worse.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress, it’s best to take a time out. Take

a moment to calm down before you jump back into the conversation.

Once you’ve regained your emotional equilibrium, you’ll be better

equipped to deal with the situation in a positive way.

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How emotional awareness strengthens nonverbal

communication

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. This is where emotional awareness comes in.

Emotional awareness enables you to:

Accurately read other people, including the emotions they’re

feeling and the unspoken messages they’re 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.

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Kinesics

As stated earlier, the term "kinesics" was first used (in 1952) by Ray

Birdwhistell, an anthropologist who wished to study how people

communicate through postures, gesture, body stance, body movement etc.

Part of Birdwhistell's work involved making films of people in social

situations and analyzing them to show different levels of communication

not clearly seen otherwise. Several other anthropologists, including

Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, also studied kinesics.

Drawing heavily on descriptive linguistics, Birdwhistell argued that all

movements of the body have meaning (ie. are not accidental), and that

these non-verbal forms of language (or paralanguage) have a grammar

that can be analyzed in similar terms to spoken language. Thus, a

"kineme" is "similar to a phoneme because it consists of a group of

movements which are not identical, but which may be used

interchangeably without affecting social meaning". (Knapp 1972:94-95)

Birdwhistell estimated that "no more than 30 to 35 percent of the social

meaning of a conversation or an interaction is carried by the words."

(Birdwhistell, 1985: 158). He also concluded that there were no

universals in these kinesic displays - a claim disproved by Paul Ekman's

analysis of universals in facial expression.

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Posture and body stance

In humans, posture can provide important nonverbal communication.

Posture deals with:

how the body is positioned in relation to another person or group of

persons (e.g. leaning stance, posture, standing, sitting, etc.) and how

they are positioned relative to each other various body parts (e.g. leg

imposed on the leg, hand in pocket, etc.)

Physique, that is how the body looks like (e.g. whether it is large,

has a broad back, weak legs, large head, etc.)

Open and closed body posture

The researchers distinguish these two opposing attitudes. People with an

open posture are perceived as friendly and positive attitude, creating a

sense of security around him. People with a closed body posture give the

impression of detached, uninterested contact, hostile.

A Closed posture is one in which parts of the body most

susceptible to trauma are obscured. These body parts are: throat,

stomach and genitals. They are easily damaged and the damage

could have fatal consequences. Damage to the genitals prevents

the transfer of their genes to future generations and is

synonymous with the death of the "point of view of the gene"

Therefore, both humans and animals try to protect those

vulnerable to injury part. In humans, have similar behavior: the

enclosure of the neck by leaving or propping up the chin, tilting

the head, arms weaving on the chest or abdomen, hands clasped

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obscure the genitals ("the attitude of the Soviet dignitary"),

crossing the legs. Also, clothing may close stance: buttoned suit,

golf, handbag or briefcase held in front of you, etc.

An open posture is one in which they are exposed: genitals,

abdomen and neck. The open character of the body can be

characterised by raised head, draped jacket, shirt undone at the

neck, loosened tie, bag on shoulder or in hand, slightly raised

hips.

An important element of the closing or opening position of the body are

the hands. Shown palms read as openness, friendliness, willingness to

contact, especially if the hand is relaxed - that is, his fingers gently touch

each other. Showing the back of your hand, gripping them, hiding the

thumb is a signal closure.

Closed and open postures also apply while sitting. Feet together,

clinching legs, crossed arms, etc show the closure of the body. A slight

forward bend, hanging head, open palms up, etc show an open position.

Modern applications

In one current application, kinesics are used as signs of deception by

interviewers. Interviewers look for clusters of movements to determine

the veracity of the statement being uttered. Some related words may be:

Emblems - Substitute for words and phrases

Illustrators - Accompany or reinforce verbal messages

Affect Displays - Show emotion

Regulators - Control the flow and pace of communication

Adaptors - Release physical or emotional tension

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Importance and need for correct analysis of postures

and body movements

1. Communication expressed through posture and body stance

Non-verbal communication developed in humans earlier than verbal

communication. In humans, one of the means of communication, such as

its position in the hierarchy of the group or attitude toward others, is the

appropriate attitude gain. Posture conveys information about:

Attitudes of interpersonal relations - for example I like - I do not

like, want to avoid, etc.

Personality traits - such as confidence, submissiveness, openness,

the need

Social standing - social origin, position in the social hierarchy

(particularly if it is analyzed in the context of postures callers)

Current emotional states - fear, sense of security, relaxation,

tension

Frustrations of developmental traits or character, mental injuries

(traumas), etc.

Characteristics of temperament - according to the theory of

Hippocrates, Kretschmer, Sheldon.

Posture or a person's bodily stance communicates a variety of messages.

Posture can be used to determine a participant’s degree of attention or

involvement, the difference in status between communicators, and the

level of fondness a person has for the other communicator, depending on

body “openness”. Studies investigating the impact of posture on

interpersonal relationships suggest that mirror-image congruent postures,

where one person’s left side is parallel to the other person’s right side,

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leads to favorable perception of communicators and positive speech; a

person who displays a forward lean or decreases a backward lean also

signifies positive sentiment during communication.

An example of good posture includes standing erect, and leaning forward

communicates to a person that you are approachable, receptive, and

friendly. A person talking to someone that is constantly looking at the

floor or ceiling makes it seem as though disinterest with the conversation.

Always try to avoid negative posture. “Lean forward when listening,

stand straight when speaking.”

2. Posture can be situation-relative

“A nineteen-year-old college student from New York will use different

postures than a Mid-western housewife, and a construction worker in the

state of Washington will use different postures than a salesman in

Chicago. Another example of posture being situational on more of a daily

basis can be described in Driver’s book: “Four situational norms of

posture would be, Flirting, where the norm is 60% eye contact, Job

Interview with a relaxed and open body language, Business Negotiation

where the norm is leaning back while steeping and Buying a Car where

most have hands on hips with feet more than ten inches apart.”

3. Interpersonal attitudes

Slightly bending the head, left hand based on the table, as though seeking

support, parted lips: to encourage contact, grooming, and perhaps prone

to.

Straight silhouette, straight neck: a signal of well-being, good self-

esteem. Hidden hand carries an element of mystery and anxiety, curious,

intrigued.

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Interpersonal attitudes (sympathy-disapproval, acceptance, trust, etc.) are

communicated through:

Inclination of the body: During the conversation leaning slightly

toward the speaker's trunk or tilting slightly away from him. It is

usually unconscious behavior. The inclination "towards" is an

expression of sympathy and acceptance. Reverse Buckling occurs

along with the survival of dislike and disapproval or desire to

break the relationship.

Similarity. During the conversation, people have an unconscious

tendency to imitate their behavior. This happens when the

conversation runs seamlessly and is enjoyable for both parties.

This approximation of the attitudes and gestures and body

movements indicate the emergence of a bond and sympathy. Lack

of synchronization leads to a sense that this contact is artificial,

forced and unpleasant.

Orientation of the body. Usually, people talk directed toward

each other, but not in the position of "face to face," which is a

confrontational attitude. Therefore, the body of speakers are

turned toward each other, but are set at an angle. When you

ignore someone, we tend to ignore or avoid contact - set the side

(shoulder) - this happens for example in a crowded elevator

Closed or open body position.

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Gestures and body movements

Gestures may be made with the hands, arms or body, and also include

movements of the head, face and eyes, such as winking, nodding, or

rolling one's eyes. Although the study of gesture is still in its infancy,

some broad categories of gestures have been identified by researchers.

The most familiar are the so-called emblems or quotable gestures. These

are conventional, culture-specific gestures that can be used as

replacement for words, such as the hand wave used in western cultures

for "hello" and "goodbye." A single emblematic gesture can have a very

different significance in different cultural contexts, ranging from

complimentary to highly offensive. There are some universal gestures

like the shoulder shrug. “The shoulder shrug is a good example of a

universal gesture that is used to show that a person doesn’t know or

doesn’t understand what you are saying. It’s a multiple gesture that has

three main parts: exposed palms to show nothing is being concealed in

the hands, hunched shoulders to protect the throat from attack, and raised

brow, which is a universal, submissive greeting”

Gestures can also be categorized as either speech independent or speech

related. Speech-independent gestures are dependent upon culturally

accepted interpretation and have a direct verbal translation. A wave or a

[V-sign| peace sign] are examples of speech-independent gestures.

Speech-related gestures are used in parallel with verbal speech; this form

of nonverbal communication is used to emphasize the message that is

being communicated. Speech-related gestures are intended to provide

supplemental information to a verbal message such as pointing to an

object of discussion.

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Illustrations of various gestures and their varied inferences

in different cultures

Single hand gestures

A-ok or Okay: made by connecting the thumb and forefinger in a

circle and holding the other fingers straight, may signal the word

okay; especially as a diving signal. The same gesture is offensive

in parts of southern Europe and South America.

Blah-blah: The fingers are kept straight and together, held

horizontal or upwards, while the thumb points downwards. The

fingers and thumb then snap together repeatedly to suggest a

mouth talking. The gesture can be used to indicate that someone

talks too much, gossips, is saying nothing of any consequence, or

is boring.

Check, please: This gesture, used to mean that a dinner patron

wishes to pay the bill and depart, is executed by touching the

index finger and thumb together and "writing" a checkmark,

circle, or wavy line (as if signing one's name) in the air.

Clenched fist : is used as a gesture of defiance or solidarity. Facing

the signer, it threatens physical violence (i.e., "a thumping")

Crossed fingers : are used to superstitiously wish for good luck or

to nullify a promise.

Cuckoo sign: touched or screw loose. In North America, making a

circling motion of the index finger at the ear or side of the head

signifies that the person "has a screw loose," i.e. is speaking

nonsense or is crazy.

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Fist bump : is similar to a handshake or high five which may be

used as a symbol of respect.

Fist pump : is a celebratory gesture in which a closed fist is raised

before the torso and subsequently drawn down in a vigorous,

swift motion.

Handshake: is a greeting ritual in which two people grasp each

others' hands and may move their grasped hands up and down.

High five: is a celebratory ritual in which two people

simultaneously raise one hand and then slap these hands together.

Hitchhiking: gestures including sticking one thumb upward,

especially in North America, or pointing an index finger toward

the road elsewhere to request a ride in an automobile.

Loser: made by extending the thumb and forefinger to resemble

the letter L is an insulting gesture.

Money sign: The thumb rubs repeatedly over the tip of the index

finger and middle finger. This gesture resembles the act of

rubbing coins or bills together and is generally used when

speaking about money.

Two-hand gestures

Air quotes: are made by raising both hands to eye level and flexing

the index and middle fingers of both hands while speaking. Their

meaning is similar to that of scare quotes in writing.

Añjali Mudrā: is a sign of respect among yoga practitioners. It is

made by pressing the palms together.

Applause: is an expression of approval made by clapping the hands

together to create noise.

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The Awkward turtle: is a two handed gesture used to mark a

moment as awkward. One hand is placed flat atop the other with

both palms facing down, fingers extended outward from the hand

and thumbs stuck out to the sides. The thumbs are rotated to

symbolize flippers.

Batsu: In Japanese culture, the batsu (literally: ×-mark) is a gesture

made by crossing one's arms in the shape of an "X" in front of

them in order to indicate that something is "wrong" or "no good".

Forefinger Rub pointing one index finger at a person and

rubbing the other against it: conveys the meaning "shame on

you" and is usually performed when the other person has done

something shameful or inappropriate.

Gator Chomp: displays support for University of Florida athletic

teams. The gesture is made by extending both arms in front of the

chest and clapping the hands vertically.

Guns Up: is the slogan and hand signal of Texas Tech University.

The gesture is made from a closed hand by extending the index

finger forward and the thumb up. This hand sign may be made

with one or two hands.

Hand-rubbing: rubbing both hands together, indicates either one

feels cold or one is expecting or anticipating something.

Jazz hands: are used in dance or other performances by displaying

the palms of both hands with fingers splayed.

Time-out: a "T" formed with the hands, with one hand with flat

palm placed perpendicular to the other hand with flat palm,

roughly in the center — originates in American sports. It is used

by players to signal for a time out, or brief pause in play. In

basketball, the gesture is additionally used by referees to indicate

that a player or coach is guilty of a technical foul.

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Victory clasp: is used to exclaim victory by clasping the hands

together and shaking them to one's side.

Whatever: made with the thumb and forefinger of both hands, to

form the letter “W”. Used to signal that something is not worth

the time and energy. Popularized by the movie Clueless.

Gestures made with other body parts

Air kiss: conveys meanings similar to kissing, but is performed

without making bodily contact.

Akanbe: is performed by pulling a lower eyelid down to expose the

red underneath, often while also sticking out one's tongue, and is

a childish insult in Japanese culture.

Anasyrma: is performed by lifting the skirt or kilt. It is used in

some religious rituals.

Blowing a raspberry or Bronx cheer: signifies derision by sticking

out the tongue and blowing to create a sound similar to flatulence.

Bowing: lowering the torso or head, is a show of respect in many

cultures.

Cheek kissing: pressing one's lips to another person's cheek, may

show friendship or greeting.

Chicken: performed by making one's arms into wings by putting

the hands onto one's chest, extending the elbows outwards and

flapping them, often accompanied by chicken noises (bwuck-

bwuck-bwuck!). This gesture is done to make fun of a cowardly

person afraid to do something risky or go somewhere scary,

usually provoking the person to overcome their fear to get them

to stop.

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Choking sign: to indicate that one is choking is to hold the throat

with one or both hands as if strangling oneself. This is recognized

as a request for immediate first aid for choking. It is promoted as

a way to prevent onlookers from confusing the victim's distress

with some other problem, such as a heart attack, when the person

cannot speak.

Curtsey: is a gesture of greeting typically made by women. It is

performed by bending the knees while bowing the head.

Dhyanamudra: sitting with both hands in the lap, signifies

concentration.

Drinking sign: In UK, the gesture for drinking (used for example

as an invitation to "go down the pub") is made by putting the

back of the thumb just below the lower lip, while the other

fingers are close together as if holding an imaginary pint of beer,

tipping it repeatedly. This gesture can also be used to imply that

somebody is drunk, either literally or insultingly.

Elbow bump: is a greeting similar to the hand shake or fist bump

made by touching elbows.

Eskimo kissing: is a gesture in Western cultures loosely based on

an Inuit greeting. It is performed by two people touching noses.

Eye-rolling: performed by rotating the eyes upward and back

down, can indicate incredulity, contempt, boredom, frustration, or

exasperation. The gesture can be unconscious or can be

performed consciously. The gesture occurs in many countries of

the world, and is especially common among adolescents.

Facepalm: is an expression of frustration or embarrassment made

by raising the palm of the hand to the face.

Genuflection: is a show of respect by bending at least one knee to

the ground.

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Hand-kissing: is a greeting made by kissing the hand of a person

worthy of respect.

Hand over heart: involves placing one's right hand, palm

outstretched and facing in, over one's heart. Male hat or cap

wearers typically remove their hats and hold them in this hand. In

some cultures, it is used as a gesture of respect towards flags or

during singing of a national anthem. In the United States, it is

also performed as a part of the rituals of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Hat tip or doff: is a salutation or show of respect made by two

people removing their hats.

Kowtow: shows respect by bowing deeply and touching one's head

to the ground.

Nod: tilting the head up and down, may indicate assent in Western

Europe, North America, and the Indian subcontinent, among

other places. It also means the opposite in other places, such as

Bulgaria.

Touching or tapping the side of the nose with the index finger:

means "we share a secret". It is of British origin and then was

popularized in America by the movie The Sting.

Orant: is a gesture made during prayer in which the hands are

raised with palms facing outward.

Puppy face: consists of tilting the head down with eyes looking up.

It has a number of uses.

Putting a slightly cupped hand, with palm down, under the chin

and then flicking the fingers out (usually once or twice): is a

common gesture in Italy for expressing indifference. This gesture

became the center of a controversy in March 2006, when

Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia was

photographed allegedly making the gesture to illustrate his

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response to his critics. Boston Herald reporter misinterpreted it as

"obscene" but Scalia later explained that he merely meant "I

couldn't care less."

Shrug: lifting both shoulders, indicates lack of knowledge or

concern.

Salaam: is an Arabic gesture of greeting or respect consisting of

low bow with the hand touching the forehead.]

Sampeah: is a Cambodian greeting or gesture of respect made by

lining up the palms and fingers together while bowing.

Scout sign: and salute refers to the use of the Three Finger Salute

by Scout and Guide organizations.

Shush: gesture is used to demand or request silence from those to

whom it is directed. The index finger of one hand is extended,

with the remaining fingers curled toward the palm with the thumb

forming a fist. The index finger is placed vertically in front of the

lips.

Sign of the Cross: used in many Christian rituals, consists of

drawing the shape of a cross over one's body or in the air.

Thai greeting, or wai:, shows respect or reverence by pressing the

palms and fingers together.

Throat slash: is made by moving one's finger across one's throat;

the gesture imitates cutting a person's throat with a blade. The

gesture indicates strong disapproval, extreme anger, or

displeasure with others or with oneself. It can also be a direction

to another party to bring an action to an end and is done in order

for the sign initiator to avoid speaking, whether for social

decorum, for audio recording purposes or inability to

communicate vocally.

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Thumbing the nose: is a sign of derision in Britain made by

putting your thumb on your nose and wiggling your fingers. This

gesture is also known as Anne's Fan or Queen Anne's Fan, and is

sometimes referred to as cocking a snook.

Twisting the cheek: Thumb and forefinger are placed against the

cheek, and a screwing motion, as if making a dimple, is made by

twisting the wrist. In Italian culture this can mean "I see a pretty

girl" or that something is delicious. In Germany the gesture can

be used to suggest that someone is crazy.

Zemnoy poklon or "Great bow": is used in some Eastern

Orthodox Christian rituals. It consists of bowing deeply and

lowering one's head to the ground.

Conclusion

Nonverbal communication is the process of sending and receiving

messages from another person through gestures, engagement, posture,

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and even clothing and hygiene. Nonverbal communication can convey a

very different message than a verbal conversation. This can tell someone

whether they are likes, interesting or hated.

The non-verbal elements being the tone of the voice and the body

language are particularly important for communicating feelings and

attitude, especially when they are incongruent with the words. If words

disagree with the tone of voice and nonverbal behaviour, people tend to

believe the tonality and nonverbal behaviour.

The three elements account differently for our liking for the person who

puts forward a message concerning their feelings: words account for 7%,

tone of voice accounts for 38%, and body language accounts for 55% of

the liking. They are often abbreviated as the "3 Vs" for Verbal, Vocal &

Visual.

For effective and meaningful communication about emotions, these three

parts of the message need to support each other - they have to be

"congruent". In case of any incongruence, the receiver of the message

might be irritated by two messages coming from two different channels,

giving cues in two different directions.

Nonverbal communication can have meanings in objects as well. Certain

articles in a person’s life can say a lot about them and can sometimes

even talk for them. A person’s handwriting can also tell a lot about the

way they can communicate with others. Nonverbal communication can be

easiest practiced when the two communicators are face to face.

Nonverbal communication is an important aspect in any conversation

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skill people are practicing. People can interpret body signals better than

they can talk most of the time.

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