"A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication or non-vocal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate particular messages, either in place of, or in conjunction with, speech."
The use of hand or arm movements to convey meaning, such as pointing or waving.
Types of Gestures: Different types of gestures, including illustrators, emblems, adaptors, regulators, and affect displays.
Body Language: The overall body language cues that can be used to convey various messages, such as posture, facial expressions, and eye contact.
Cultural Differences: Variations in nonverbal communication across different cultures, including differences in acceptable touch, proximity, and gestures.
Gender Differences: Differences in the way that men and women use gestures to communicate, and how they are perceived by others.
Hand Gestures: Various hand gestures, including pointing, waving, and handshaking, and the meaning behind each gesture.
Facial Expressions: The different facial expressions that can be used to communicate various emotions, such as happiness, anger, fear, and surprise.
Personal Space: The concept of personal space and how it can vary depending on cultural norms, social status, and the situation.
Nonverbal Communication in Business: How nonverbal communication can impact business negotiations, meetings, and presentations.
Lie Detection: The use of nonverbal cues to detect when someone is lying or not telling the truth.
Power Dynamics: How nonverbal communication can reveal power dynamics in a conversation or relationship.
Emotion Regulation: How people use nonverbal communication to regulate their emotions and manage their social interactions.
Health and Well-being: The links between nonverbal communication and health, including how posture and facial expressions can affect mood and overall well-being.
Animal Gestures: The use of nonverbal communication in animals, including primates, dogs, and horses.
Evolutionary Psychology: The evolutionary basis of nonverbal communication and how it has adapted across human history.
Technology and Gestures: How technology has impacted the way people interact and use nonverbal communication, such as with texting, video chats, and virtual reality.
Hand gestures: Use of hands to portray specific meanings, such as pointing, indicating size or distance, waving, and signaling stop or go.
Facial expressions: Use of the face to convey emotions and states of mind, such as smiling, frowning, winking, rolling eyes, and raising eyebrows.
Body posture: How the body is positioned and held can communicate various messages, such as confidence, relaxation, defensiveness, and anger.
Eye contact: Making or avoiding eye contact conveys different types of sentiments, such as sincerity, shyness, aggression, and lack of interest.
Touch: Physical contact with another person conveys emotions like affection, support, or aggression.
Tone of voice: Variations in the way words are spoken can indicate different moods or attitudes, like happiness, anger, or sarcasm.
Proxemics: The use of space and distance between people can reveal the level of intimacy, comfort, or tension between them.
Object language: The use of objects, such as a pen or a book, can convey different meanings, such as nervousness, boredom, or engagement.
Haptic communication: The use of touch to communicate between people, such as a handshake, hug, or pat on the back.
Symbolic gestures: The use of symbolic acts, such as a thumbs up, a peace sign, or a victory sign, can convey meanings universally recognized by different cultures or communities.
"Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or other parts of the body."
"Gestures differ from physical non-verbal communication that does not communicate specific messages, such as purely expressive displays, proxemics, or displays of joint attention."
"Gestures allow individuals to communicate a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection."
"Gestures often work together with body language in addition to words when they speak."
"Gesture processing takes place in areas of the brain such as Broca's and Wernicke's areas, which are used by speech and sign language."
"Language is thought by some scholars to have evolved in Homo sapiens from an earlier system consisting of manual gestures."
"The theory that language evolved from manual gestures, termed Gestural Theory, dates back to the work of 18th-century philosopher and priest Abbé de Condillac."
"Contemporary anthropologist Gordon W. Hewes revived the discussion on the origin of language through gestures in 1973."
"Gesticulation and speech work independently of each other, but join to provide emphasis and meaning."
"Gestures often work together with body language in addition to words when they speak."
"Gestures allow individuals to communicate a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection."
"Gestures communicate particular messages."
"Gestures differ from physical non-verbal communication that does not communicate specific messages."
"Gestures allow individuals to communicate a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection."
"Gesture processing takes place in areas of the brain such as Broca's and Wernicke's areas."
"The theory that language evolved from manual gestures, termed Gestural Theory, dates back to the work of 18th-century philosopher and priest Abbé de Condillac."
"Contemporary anthropologist Gordon W. Hewes revived the discussion on the origin of language through gestures in 1973."
"Gesticulation and speech work independently of each other, but join to provide emphasis and meaning."
"Gestures often work together with body language in addition to words when they speak."