Chapter 5

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Chapter 5 Understanding Nonverbal Communication

• OHS

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Introduction

• What you do, how you look and the sound of
  your voice can send nonverbal messages that are
  even more powerful than words.

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Topics of Discussion

• Categories of nonverbal
• Functions of nonverbal
• Characteristics of nonverbal
• Characteristics of positive professional image
• Types of nonverbal communication
• Characteristics of voice
• Cues that accompany speech
• Voice production
• Body talk
• Environmental nonverbal cues

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Section 1

• Principles of Non-verbal Communication

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Categories of Nonverbal

• Sounds
• Kinesics
• Environment

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Function of Nonverbal

• Reinforces verbal messages 65 to 93 of the time

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Function of Nonverbal

• Contradicts verbal
• Receiver will believe nonverbal over verbal
• Can lead to confusion

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Function of Nonverbal

• Substitutes for verbal

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Characteristics of Nonverbal

• Subconscious
• Most often sent and received at this level

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Characteristics of Nonverbal

• Contextual
• Competent communicator takes circumstances into
  account before making judgments
• Touch, glance, smile positive
• Avoid eye contact, frown, fold arms negative

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Characteristics of Nonverbal

• Cultural
• Signal in one culture may be entirely different
  in different cultures
• U.S State Department has experts to advise
  diplomats

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Characteristics of Nonverbal

• Ambiguous
• No specific meaning except that assigned
• May last a split second
• May be unnoticed
• May be misinterpreted

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Characteristics of Nonverbal

• Advice
• Increase awareness and sensitivity
• Process on a conscious level
• When confused use perception checks

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Section 2

• Using Nonverbal Communication to Create a
  Professional Image

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Characteristics of Positive Professional Image

• Confidence
• Believes in self and skills
• Conveys to others a belief in ability to
  accomplish tasks and build relationships

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Characteristics of Positive Professional Image

• Poise
• Read situations and act accordingly
• Dont hesitate in speech
• Seldom uncertain how to act
• Keeps cool in stressful situations
• Conveys control of self and situation

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Characteristics of Positive Professional Image

• Assertiveness
• Sense of purpose
• Confident of self and beliefs not afraid to
  take a stand
• Doesnt allow pushing, bullying or inconsiderate
  people to treat them unfairly

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Characteristics of Positive Professional Image

• Assertiveness
• Projects messages conveying and commands respect
• Doesnt impose will on others
• Uses tact, persuasion and logic

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Characteristics of Positive Professional Image

• Immediacy
• Approachable, open
• Others feel they have full attention

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Types of Nonverbal

• Voice
• Kinesics
• Environmental Cues

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Types of Nonverbal

• Body talk

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Types of Nonverbal

• Environmental cues

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Characteristics of Voice

• Pitch
• Closely tied to emotion
• High or low sound on a musical scale
• High stress, fear, tension, excitement, youth
• Medium calmness, confidence
• Low sadness, tenderness, concern
• Pleasant to listen to
• Long use lulls listeners

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Characteristics of Voice

• Pitch
• Range variations possible high/low
• Inflections rising falling - adds variety
• Same pitch monotone/very ineffective

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Characteristics of Voice

• Volume
• Louder/softer
• Speaker is responsible for being heard
• Loud overbearing or rude
• Soft shy, incompetent
• Use listener to judge appropriateness
• Leaning forward talk louder
• Leaning back talk softer

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Characteristics of Voice

• Tone
• Vocal quality
• Can be mellow, weak, harsh
• Resonance comes from breathing deeply and using
  the diaphragm

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Characteristics of Voice

• Duration
• Rate
• Too fast hard to follow
• Too slow loss of interest
• Variety is best
• Speeding up and slowing down holds interest
• Tempo rhythm
• Analyze feedback

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Cues That Accompany Voice

• Pauses/silence
• Pause short break
• Silence longer break
• Punctuates by setting off thoughts
• Provokes thought
• Develops curiosity or suspense
• Dramatic effect
• Raises questions
• Demonstrates a willingness to listen
• Expresses approval, disapproval or apathy
• Demonstrates courtesy, respect, intense emotion

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Cues That Accompany Voice

• Laughter
• Often conveys humor, friendliness, acceptance
• Can convey cruelty or sarcasm
• Analyze context
• Is laughter controlled
• Avoid loud, raucous laughter
• Laugh WITH others not AT them
• Learn to laugh at yourself
• Use to promote goodwill

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Cues That Accompany Voice

• Vocalizations
• Sighs, whines, throat clearing
• Overuse will clutter speech

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Characteristics of Kinesics

• Personal appearance
• People respond first to sight
• Appearance can block communication
• Culture overrides all else

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Characteristics of Kinesics

• Personal appearance
• Grooming
• Clean, conservative
• Avoid unnatural colors and fad cuts
• Take cue from majority even if style is not
  forbidden
• 1 earring per ear for females, none for males
• Cover tattoos

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Cues That Accompany Kinesics

• Kinesics
• Posture
• Straight and relaxed confident
• Makes clothes fit better
• Muscular tone and tension
• Taut muscles, stiff neck, jerky movements
  stress
• Relaxed comfortable and in control

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Cues That Accompany Kinesics

• Movement and gesture
• Movement gait way you walk
• Dont take long, aggressive strides
• Dont shuffle or drag feet

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Cues That Accompany Kinesics

• Movement and gesture
• Gesture reinforces message or substitutes for
  speech
• Cultural
• U.S. nod yes
• Turkey/Greece nod no
• Can be distracting

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Cues That Accompany Kinesics

• Facial
• Eye
• Direct honest, respect
• Avoidance dishonest, hiding something
• cultural

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Characteristics of Environmental Cues

• Spatial
• Intimate up to 18 inches
• Personal 18 to 24 inches
• Social 4 to 12 feet
• Public 12 -25 feet

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Characteristics of Environmental Cues

• Territory
• Respect territory of others
• Maintain your own

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Characteristics of Environmental Cues

• Touch
• Handshake is more appropriate in business than a
  hug or pat

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Characteristics of Environmental Cues

• Time
• Use of time reflects priorities
• All have same time, not same talent, more or
  physical ability
• Mandated slices
• Learn when to say no
• Staying within limits responsible

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Characteristics of Environmental Cues

• Artifacts
• Keep in good repair
• Color creates atmosphere
• Classic, clean, conservative
• Navy, brown, black, grey professional colors

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Characteristics of Environmental Cues

• Fragrance and odor
• Most direct link to memory
• Use light and sparingly or go fragrance free

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Dealing with Differences

• Ethnicity
• Dont use physical features
• consider culture not ethnicity

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Dealing with Differences

• Gender
• American culture C as equals
• Others females defer to males

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Dealing with Differences

• Age
• Dont consider it

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What This Means

• You are more than what you say. Everything about
  you reflects how you perceive yourself and how
  you think others perceive you.