Non-Verbal Communication

• Verbal communication


  The use of words to pass information between people, the words can be spoken, but verbal communication also includes or writing/reading
• Non-verbal communication


  Any other way that information can be passed between people. Common examples are the use of facial expressions and body language, but can also include how someone talks such as tone and volume
• Eye contact


  A form of non verbal communication in which two people will look directly at each other, (or avoid eye contact) in order to pass on social meaning
• Regulating flow of conversation


  1. The correct timing of eye contact during a conversation indicates when leading the conversation switches to the other person

  2. With people looking away when they are speaking and looking when they are listening/ about to listen
• Extended holding of eye contact while talking


  Used while "flirting" to indicate attraction to the other partner
• Holding eye contact in this way

  Demonstrates that you are paying attention and are interested in that other person
• Getting eye contact from across a crowded room

  Indicates attraction
• The amount of eye contact in combination with facial expressions


  Can communicate the level of emotion felt
• People appearing more emotional (happy, angry, sad)


  If they hold eye contact while showing the emotional facial expressions
• Open postures


  • Demonstrate self-confidence, and approval and acceptance of the other person
  • Relaxed with open arms and facing towards the other person
• Closed postures


  • Indicate low self-confidence, disapproval and rejection of the other person
  • Tense, facing away, hunched with crossed arms
• Postural echo


  • Also called mirroring, people who like each other will start to copy each others body language
  • Demonstrates interest in the other person and is common to see on dates
• Traits


  Characteristics (e.g. behaviour) that an individual develops over time due to experience
• Children very quickly observe a wide range of body language
• Individual differences in peoples expressions of body language


  • Comfort with personal space
  • Eye contact
  • Tendency to vary body language with context
• There is cross-cultural research that shows people use body language differently around the world
• There is evidence that Japanese and Americans look at different areas of the face when interpreting emotion from the facial expressions
• There is evidence from new-borns that we are born with the ability to smile
• Innate


  Traits (e.g. behaviour) that an individual is born with, this is a result of genetics that have been inherited from their parent's DNA
• New-born babies (Neonates) and the sensory deprived provide useful subjects, they haven't learnt body language from visual observation, so their behaviour must be instinctual
• Neonates


  • Display a pre-cry expression of sadness
  • Show facial expressions of surprise and disgust
• As neonates show these expressions before they observe them modelled, this is evidence for non verbal behaviour being innate, that genetics provide humans the innate ability to smile from birth
• The smiling behaviour found in neonates is also found in sensory deprived babies and children who have been blind from birth
• If non verbal behaviour was learnt from observation these children should not smile in the same way as other children
• Darwin's evolutionary theory of non-verbal communication


  Traits that help survival and reproduction are selected for and passed on in a species. These traits may be physical, or behavioural (body language)
• Researcher bias is possible in the interpretation of infant body language
• Non-verbal communication as evolved


  • Observations of animal behaviour show a range of non verbal behaviour such as courtship rituals in birds and dominance displays in primates
  • Animals show primates raised in isolation will respond appropriately to pictures of other primates displaying threating body language
• There is cross cultural evidence that body language varies, so is learnt
• Non-verbal communication as adaptive


  A behaviour is adaptive if it increases the chances of survival. Human babies show a range of body language designed to cause appropriate caregiving behaviour from the adults around it
• Interactionalist approach


  It is likely that some aspects of body language are innate, however is then influenced by experience
• Research in neonates and the sensory deprived shows the presence of body language at birth, this indicates a genetic origin, selected for by evolutionary pressures
• Cross cultural Research such as Yuki, demonstrates there is variation between groups of people, if human body language was just evolved it should be universal between all
• Touch


  • Used to indicate comfort and affection for the other person
  • Can also be used to display dominance over the other person
• When you briefly touch other people

  They are more likely to agree to your request
• Researchers studying the persuasive effect of touch


  • When a man touched women's arms for a second while asking them for a dance, two-thirds agreed to dance with him
  • When the same man did not use touch, his success rate halved
• Personal space


  • Distance from our bodies we see as "our own" and expect others to avoid
  • Varies with relationship (strangers, acquaintance, close relationship) and context
  • Getting closer to someone's personal space can communicate familiarly, or intimidation
• Cultural differences in personal space


  • Closer "contact cultures" include (South America, the Middle East, Southern Europe)
  • "Non-contact cultures" include (Northern Europe, North America, Asia)
• Gender differences in personal space


  The personal space of men between men tends to be larger than the personal space women keep between other women
• Status differences in personal space


  People who share a social status level will have a smaller area of personal space between each other, compared to high and low status people who will keep a larger distance between each other