Nonverbal Communication

Today, I’m going to talk about Nonverbal Communication.

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When we read the someone’s mind, what is more important than words is the part that appears in the attitude such as facial expressions and gestures.

Recently, many companies require understanding and using of nonverbal communication in order to facilitate their business. I’m going to think about the meaning of nonverbal communication and its importance in interpersonal communication.

What is Nonverbal Communication?

Nonverbal communication literally means communication without the use of words. For example, there is communication method except writing words and speaking. In communicating with others, facial expressions, complexion, voice tone, speaking speed, gestures, gaze, and so on play a greater role than words.

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We use these nonverbal communications unconsciously and sometimes consciously. There is also the idea that clothes, hairstyles, and fragrances are also affecting non-verbal communication.

Functions of Nonverbal Communication

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Conveying Meaning

Nonverbal Communication has a role to convey our intentions.

The best example is gestures. Consider the situation that you got a good grade on the test. Your father flipped you a thumbs-up gesture, and you can understand the meaning “Good job!” And also your mother made a two-finger “V”, it means an emblem for peace. For another example, if you shake your head sideways, it means “NO” As you can see, nonverbal communication can convey our intentions without using words.

Expressing Emotion

Nonverbal communication has a role to express our emotion.

We do this intentionally or unintentionally to display actual or feigned emotions. In daily life, this is presented primarily though the face and voice. For example, if you smile, you can express a peaceful feeling. For another example, if you wrinkle between eyebrows, and roar loudly, you can express the feeling of anger. Furthermore, there are a lot of way to express emotions.

Presenting Self

Nonverbal Communication has a role to present ourself.

Think about a interview situation. Surely, you want to let the interviewer know you are a hard worker. In this case, it is better to wear wrinkle-free suit than a short-sleeved T-shirt. Serious eyes increase credibility. Also, imagine that you saw a person having a ring on the ring finger. You think the person is married. By combining not only words, but also facial expressions, clothes, and appearance, the reliability of words increase.

Managing Interactions

Nonverbal communication has a role to manage our interactions.

For example, your boyfriend said “I didn’t cheat with another girl” while avoiding eye contact. Maybe, you feel like he is lying. For another example, someone who sweats on the forehead and puts his hands on his stomach and looks painful says “I’m fine, don’t worry.” But it is hard to believe what he said. In this way, you can see the truth of the meaning without using words.

Defining Relationship

Nonverbal communication has a role to define our relationships.

Imagine that there are a man and a woman sitting on the bench. They sits with one partner very close to the other. They cuddle, touch, and occasionally kiss. People who saw this situation think “they are dating.” On the other hand, if they don’t do actions like the examples, their relationship can be regarded as brother or friends. In this way, nonverbal communication becomes a clue to define the relationship with others.

Conclusion

Nonverbal communication has characteristic of the difficulty in controlling the messages. Sometimes even the emotions that you want to hide or control are revealed. It can be said that this is a more instinctive communication method. That is why nonverbal information is more reliant than words when reading someone’s mind.

However, the interpretation of nonverbal communication is not always the same when ethnicities, cultures, and societies are different. Keep in mind that there are different types of nonverbal communication, depending on culture and region.

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