Nonverbal Communication - Definitonal Entry

Nonverbal communication simultaneously occurs while verbal communication is taking place. Messages can vary from verbal/nonvocal, nonverbal/vocal, and nonverbal/nonvocal. Verbal/nonvocal refers to the use of words without any actual speaking. An example of this would be signs like a stop sign or the symbol for men or women on a restroom door. It could also be incorporated on graphic designs that contain words like t-shirts or billboards and banners. Another type of message is nonverbal/vocal in which vocalizations do exist but do not necessarily contribute specific statements such as sighing in boredom or groaning in disagreement. Again, the third type of message is nonverbal/nonvocal, which involves gestures like hailing a cab or a baseball umpire’s hand signals. All in all, these types of messages allow for communication with or without actual speaking and yet use physical movements, sounds, or written text.
Generally, there are three cues for nonverbal communication: spatial, visual, and vocal. There’s always a time and a place for things to occur. In a physical sense, there are only so much people who feel comfortable with someone hovering over their shoulder or speaking to another person closely face-to-face. The interpersonal distance zones vary from intimate distance, personal distance, social distance, and public distance. Timing should also be taken into consideration; a person can be monochronic or polychronic. Though multi-taskers think they are getting more done at the same time they tend to take a lot longer rather than thoroughly focusing on one thing at a time. When it comes to studying visual cues this is when others practice kinesics, “the study of body movements in communication.” Investigators are experts in reading people’s facial expressions and body behavior because it could give away clues on whether the person in question may be guilty or not. It could even come down to noticing even the slightest eye movement or lack of eye contact (also known as oculesics). The way a person dresses can also set a strong impression, which is often why it is important to dress appropriately for things like job interviews. Thirdly, there are vocal cues and the study of “vocal phenomena” is known as paralinguistics. The volume, quality, pitch, and rate of speaking can tell a listener something that may contradict the actual contents of the dialogue. For example, a person may say they are ecstatic but says it in a sarcastic matter. Tones like sarcasm can sometimes be over the heads of some people but those who can recognize it are much more aware of a person’s different tones for saying things.
Altogether, nonverbal communication is like a whole other language that does require spoken words. People react to the unspoken, as much (if not more) to how something is said as to what are the explicit meaning of the words. Misunderstandings can often be clarified if the people involved have the ability to notice and comment on the nonverbal communications in an interaction. People will benefit from learning the range of nonverbal behaviors in order to clarify the often subtle dynamics of the situations they find themselves in. In other words, it can be powerful enough to deceive people and they may not be aware of it. The use of signs, text messages, certain “looks,” etc. are often used and can confuse the receiver of the message. Nevertheless, without nonverbal communication certain things would probably not be able to be presented in a discreet matter and the whole world may be considered too loud and noisy if everything had to be said verbally.

Tubbs, Stewart, and Sylvia Moss. Human Communication. 11th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008.