Quote: "Nonverbal communication (NVC) is the transmission of messages or signals through a nonverbal platform such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, use of objects and body language."
The study of how people communicate without using words, such as through body language and tone of voice.
Body language: This includes understanding the meaning of various gestures, postures, and facial expressions, and how they can be used to convey different emotions, attitudes, and intentions.
Vocal cues: This refers to the use of tone, pitch, volume, and speed in spoken language, and how they can reflect different emotions and attitudes.
Proxemics: This is the study of how people use space and distance in communication, including the concept of personal space and territoriality.
Eye contact: Understanding how eye contact can be used to convey interest, attention, and confidence, and how different cultures interpret eye contact differently.
Touch: The role of touch in communication, including the meaning of different types of touch, such as affectionate touch, aggressive touch, and social touch.
Appearance: The way people dress, style their hair, and present themselves can all communicate different messages about their personality, status, and self-image.
Cultural differences: Nonverbal communication can vary greatly across different cultures, and understanding these differences is crucial for effective cross-cultural communication.
Gender differences: Men and women may use nonverbal communication differently, and understanding these differences can help avoid misunderstandings and promote effective communication.
Deception: Understanding how nonverbal cues can be used to deceive, and how to detect deception using nonverbal cues.
Nonverbal cues in different contexts: Nonverbal communication can vary depending on the context, such as in a business meeting, romantic relationship, or social setting. Understanding these differences is important in effectively communicating in different situations.
Facial expressions: The movements and positions of the eyebrows, eyes, mouth, nose, and other facial muscles that indicate emotions and thoughts.
Body language: The posture, body position, and movements that indicate how a person is feeling or thinking, including gestures and eye contact.
Eye contact: The use of eye movements and gaze to communicate emotions, interest, and power dynamics in a conversation.
Touch: The use of physical contact or proximity to convey emotions and build strong interpersonal connections.
Paralanguage: The nonverbal sounds a person makes when speaking, such as tone, pitch, volume, and pacing.
Proxemics: The use of space and distance in communication, including how close or far apart people stand during interactions.
Appearance: The physical features, clothing, accessories, and grooming habits that communicate personality, status, culture, and attention to detail.
Silence: The absence of sound or communication that can indicate boredom, discomfort, or deep thoughtfulness.
Artifacts: The objects and items that surround a person, including technology, furniture, decorations, and other material possessions that can communicate personality and lifestyle.
Chronemics: The use of time and the perception of time in social interactions, including punctuality, responsiveness, and time management habits.
Quote: "It includes the use of social cues, kinesics, distance (proxemics) and physical environments/appearance, of voice (paralanguage) and of touch (haptics)."
Quote: "A signal has three different parts to it, including the basic signal, what the signal is trying to convey, and how it is interpreted."
Quote: "These signals that are transmitted to the receiver depend highly on the knowledge and empathy that this individual has."
Quote: "The study of nonverbal communication started in 1872 with the publication of The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin."
Quote: "Darwin began to study nonverbal communication as he noticed the interactions between animals such as lions, tigers, dogs etc. and realized they also communicated by gestures and expressions."
Quote: "Today, scholars argue that nonverbal communication can convey more meaning than verbal communication."
Quote: "Ray Birdwhistell concludes that nonverbal communication accounts for 60–70 percent of human communication."
Quote: "Just as speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, as well as prosodic features, so written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the physical layout of a page."
Quote: "much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on interaction between individuals, where it can be classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during interaction."
Quote: "Nonverbal communication involves the conscious and unconscious processes of encoding and decoding."
Quote: "Encoding is defined as our ability to express emotions in a way that can be accurately interpreted by the receiver(s)."
Quote: "Decoding is called 'nonverbal sensitivity', defined as the ability to take this encoded emotion and interpret its meanings accurately to what the sender intended."
Quote: "For example, in the picture above, the encoder holds up two fingers, and the decoder may know from previous experience that this means two."
Quote: "Both of these skills can vary from person to person, with some people being better than others at one or both."
Quote: "women are found to be better decoders than men since they are more observant of nonverbal cues, as well as more likely to use them."
Quote: "Culture plays an important role in nonverbal communication, and it is one aspect that helps to influence how learning activities are organized."
Quote: "In many Indigenous American communities, for example, there is often an emphasis on nonverbal communication, which acts as a valued means by which children learn."
Quote: "Within cultures around the world there are extreme differences and similarities between a lot of nonverbal gestures or signals."
Quote: "In this sense, learning is not dependent on verbal communication; rather, it is nonverbal communication which serves as a primary means of not only organizing interpersonal interactions but also conveying cultural values, and children learn how to participate in this system from a young age."