Nonverbal Communication

N ONVERBAL COMMUNICATION can complement, contradict,

or accentuate vocal communication. Verbal language
conveys thoughts. Meanwhile, nonverbal language conveys
emotions. Nonverbal communication uses gestures, facial
expressions, posture, body language, and other non-audible
signals to send and receive wordless messages.

Objectives:

þ 1. Describe elements of physical nonverbal com-

munication.
2. List and explain elements of paralanguage.
3. Identify guidelines for using nonverbal behaviors during presentations.

Key Terms:

Ñ emphasis
hand gestures
nonverbal
communication (NVC)
pauses
posture
inflection orientation proximity
paralanguage volume

Physical Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is the act of conveying meaningful interpersonal messages
through channels that are independent of words. Studies have shown that most messages are
transmitted by nonverbal and paralanguage communication. Nonverbal communication
behaviors are innate and learned. Therefore, people convey nonverbal communication behav-
iors subconsciously and consciously. Also, nonverbal meanings vary based on cultural context.
For example, the “O.K.” hand gesture has a positive and affirming meaning in the United
States, but it has a derogatory and insulting meaning in the United Kingdom.

BODY LANGUAGE
Body language is nonverbal communication via posture, gestures, eye movements, facial
expressions, head and foot movements, and personal space. Your body position or posture

E-unit: Nonverbal Communication

Page 1 u www.MyCAERT.com
Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. 600081
 sends wordless messages that convey emotions and moods. Proximity, orientation, posture,
and hand gestures affect nonverbal communication.

t Proximity is how close a person’s body is positioned to another person.

t Orientation is the direction or angle of a person’s body in relation to another person’s
body.
t Posture is the “shape” (e.g., erect,
slumped, crouched, bent, languid, and
fluid) a body takes at any given moment.
t Hand gestures are the activity of the
hands while communicating. Some exam-
ples of expressive hand gesturing are
wringing, shaking, clapping, encouraging,
halting, and pointing. “Hello” and “good-
bye” are nonverbal greetings expressed by
waving. Exposed palms show openness to
communicate, saying that nothing is being
concealed.
FIGURE 1. The open palm of the man speaking is a gesture
of openness, showing he has nothing to conceal.
Eye Contact
Eye contact and movement are other forms of nonverbal communication. Eye contact is the
amount of time a person looks, or does not look, directly into another person’s eyes. Looking
directly into a person’s eyes can
send a message of sincerity; wink-
ing can express jest; and rolling
one’s eyes may show disrespect or
disbelief.

Facial Expressions
Facial expressions (e.g., smile,
frown, wink, cry, and wrinkling
of one’s nose) are nonverbal mes-
sages conveyed by a person’s eye-
brows, forehead, mouth, eyes, and
nose. For instance, a raised eye-
brow is considered a submissive
greeting. Happiness, disappoint-
ment, sadness, and surprise are
some easily recognized facial
expressions.

FIGURE 2. Facial expressions can reveal a wide range of emotions.

E-unit: Nonverbal Communication

Page 2 u www.MyCAERT.com
Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. 600081
 Paralanguage
Paralanguage is the nonverbal use of your voice to communicate inflection, emphasis,
and volume.

t Inflection is the change of pitch or tone that adds an emotional dimension to a state-
ment.
t Emphasis is stress placed on particular words to affect the meaning of a sentence.
t Volume is how loudly or softly words are spoken.

Pauses and sounds are elements of paralanguage. Pauses are moments of silence in a dia-
logue or presentation. Non-lingual sounds give hints about the sender’s message. A sigh can
convey exhaustion, fatigue, exasperation, frustration, or relief. However, a sigh may convey
impatience based on the context in which it is uttered.

Nonverbal Communication in Presentations

Effective presenters communicate significant and valuable messages using verbal and non-
verbal communication. Presenters must be aware of nonverbal communication during a pre-
sentation to avoid giving mixed messages, such as by speaking confidently but acting apprehen-
sively. The nonverbal communication of effective presenters can help convey an impression of
leadership and confidence. Some nonverbal communication techniques to be mindful of dur-
ing presentations include proximity, orientation, and motion.

t Proximity—Nonverbal respect is shown by not entering the 2- to 3-feet intimate space

around a person.
t Orientation—Facing the audience most of the time is recommended. The presenter must
avoid power struggles with audience members. To defuse an escalating confrontation, it
may be best to stand at an angle to the agitated person rather than facing the individual
directly. A presenter always faces the person who asks a question and avoids folding arms
or turning his or her back after a question is asked, so as to not convey a defensive reac-
tion or rejection toward the speaker.
t Motion—It may appear more intimate to lean slightly toward an audience or an individ-
ual rather than remaining totally erect. A presenter should stand in one place initially. As
the speaker and audience loosen up, moving around a bit can be relaxing. But excessive
movement may convey restlessness or nervousness. On the other hand, standing too rig-
idly or in too stationary a position may communicate that the speaker is intimidated.
t Legs—Sitting with legs crossed can seem to create a barrier between the presenter and the
audience. Floor or leg “wagging” when seated is also unacceptable for presenters.

E-unit: Nonverbal Communication

Page 3 u www.MyCAERT.com
Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. 600081
 POSTURE
The speaker’s posture sends wordless messages. The best speaking posture is to sit or stand
tall with slightly flexed knees, the rib cage pulled up, shoulders squared, and the head held up.
The speaker should feel relaxed, but a presenter should not slouch, slump, or sit or stand too
rigidly. Being relaxed conveys the message of being in control and not feeling anxious.

HAND GESTURES
Hand gestures should be smooth. They should not compete for attention with what the
speaker is saying. Letting hands hang to one’s side or rest on a table or podium is good. Exces-
sive hand movement can communicate nervousness, jitters, and a sense of uneasiness. How-
ever, some studies state that occasional broad, sweeping hand gestures convey leadership
power.
Wringing the hands or clenching fists are unacceptable gestures that convey negative emo-
tions. Pointing fingers directly at people, especially in a defensive mode when rebuking an
objection, is not advisable. Picking or biting hands conveys nervousness. If a speaker places his
or her hands in a “steeple” or in a “thinker” position, it tends to convey the message that the
speaker is thoughtful or is considering options.

BROADENING AWARENESS…
AMAZING ASPECTS: Gesture Interpretations
Human communications are complex. Just as verbal language is unique to a region or cul-
ture, so is body language.

• A smile is interpreted the same worldwide. But spitting is another matter. In North America
and Europe, spitting is an expression of contempt. However, among the Masai of Kenya,
spitting is an affectionate gesture.
• In North America, making eye contact is a sign of trust. In Japan, eye contact is brief, only
long enough to acknowledge a person. Then the appropriate eye level for the duration of
the conversation is on the person’s neck.
• In the United States, a thumb pointed up indicates approval. The opposite, a thumb down,
shows disapproval. In Australia, Iran, and some other Muslim countries, pointing the thumb
is considered vulgar.
• The American “O.K.” sign, touching the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger, sig-
nifies approval. In Japan, it is a gesture that means money. In southern France, the “O.K.”
sign indicates something is worthless.
• Shaking your head from side to side in America means “no,” but nodding it up and down
signals “yes.” In Bulgaria, from side to side means “yes,” and up and down means “no.”

E-unit: Nonverbal Communication

Page 4 u www.MyCAERT.com
Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. 600081
 EYE CONTACT
Adequate eye contact should be maintained. However, it is important for the speaker not to
stare. Typically, 5 to 7 seconds of concentrated eye contact is considered the comfortable maxi-
mum. The presenter needs to look into the eyes of the audience to enhance communication;
staring at the mouths or sides of faces conveys distraction. When faced with a situation that
requires extended eye contact, as when listening to a long question, the presenter may focus on
one point of the person’s eyebrow rather than focusing on the eye, as this may be more com-
fortable and is perceived as maintaining eye contact.
When speaking to a large audience, it is best to avoid excessive scanning, as if trying to look
at each person individually. This conveys a message of nervousness. Instead, a sweeping
approach is preferred. If good eye contact with people in the front is maintained, people in the
back will feel as if the speaker is looking at the entire audience as a single group of people. Of
course, the presenter looks at people when they ask questions and when the speaker answers
questions.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
Facial expressions are a major form of nonverbal
body language. The speaker will want to keep a neu-
tral facial expression, smiling at times to emphasize
points and maintain listener interest. The pre-
senter’s genuine emotions are better reflected
through a relaxed face. You will not want to convey
negative emotions by frowning or furrowing your
eyebrow. As the speaker you must stay alert, not
conveying boredom through yawning or closing
your eyes.

PARALANGUAGE GUIDELINES
In presentations and general conversations,
paralanguage includes voice inflection, emphasis,
and volume. FIGURE 3. A professional-looking man delivers a
speech using facial expressions and sincerity.
Holding note cards is an acceptable practice, but it
t Inflection—The speaker needs to maintain a will limit his freedom to use hand gestures.
steady tone of voice, avoid using sarcastic
inflection, and avoid ending sentences with a
higher pitch as if turning a statement into a question.
t Emphasis—Prior to the presentation, the speaker should select which concepts or facts
from the message should be emphasized. Then the speaker should orally practice the
message using proper emphasis and tones.

E-unit: Nonverbal Communication

Page 5 u www.MyCAERT.com
Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. 600081
 t Volume—In a presentation, the speaker should speak slightly louder than normal to
ensure that the entire audience can hear. Speaking too softly may convey uncertainty.

PAUSES AND OTHER SOUNDS

The speaker should pause occasionally, using silence to signal a move from one topic or
concept to another. Using a pause in conjunction with thoughtful hand gestures helps convey
the process of thinking. Avoid sighing, groaning, or any other sounds that may convey negative
emotions or a loss of control. Also avoid verbal filler pauses as “aaaa” or “ummm.”

Summary:

2 Nonverbal communication conveys information without the use of words. Body

language is nonverbal communication via posture, gestures, eye movements, facial
expressions, head and foot movements, and personal space.
Paralanguage is the nonverbal use of your voice to communicate inflection, empha-
sis, and volume. The nonverbal communication of effective presenters can help
convey an impression of leadership and confidence. Some nonverbal communica-
tion techniques to be mindful of during presentations include proximity, orienta-
tion, and motion. The speaker’s posture sends wordless messages. Typically, the
best speaking posture is to sit or stand tall with slightly flexed knees, the rib cage
pulled up, shoulders squared, and the head held up.

Hand gestures should be smooth. They should not compete for attention with what
the speaker is saying. The presenter needs to look into the eyes of the audience to
enhance communication, and the presenter’s genuine emotions are better reflected
through a relaxed face. Studies have shown that most messages are transmitted by
nonverbal and paralanguage communication.

Checking Your Knowledge:

´ 1. In what ways does your body express nonverbal communication?

2. Explain how proximity, orientation, and posture affect nonverbal communica-
tion.
3. What are three ways in which your voice communicates with paralanguage?
4. What facial expressions affect nonverbal communication?
5. How can pauses be effective and obstructive in your presentation?

E-unit: Nonverbal Communication

Page 6 u www.MyCAERT.com
Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. 600081
 Expanding Your Knowledge:

L Being an effective speaker requires verbal and nonverbal communication skills. To

achieve success as a good presenter, you need to practice speaking and using effec-
tive nonverbal skills. Choose one of your favorite books or short stories to read
aloud in front of a mirror or with a friend. Use body language and other forms of
nonverbal communication to interpret the author’s message. Good verbal and non-
verbal communication skills will help you in school, socially, and professionally.

Web Links:

: Nonverbal Communication
http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/05/busting-myth-93-of-communication-is.php

Nonverbal Communication Tips

http://www.lifescript.com/soul/self/growth/nonverbal_communication_tips_
that_get_your_point_across.aspx?gclid=CJeu5_Gl6bMCFcU-
Mgod5DYA1Q&trans=1&du=1&ef_id=Stivzko-
KSYAAEeho2wAAADA:20121125043702:s

Speaking Without Words

https://www.rpi.edu/dept/advising/american_culture/social_skills/nonverbal_
communication/reading_exercise.htm

Nonverbal Communication
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122426675804545129.html

Communication Modes
http://www2.andrews.edu/~tidwell/bsad560/NonVerbal.html

E-unit: Nonverbal Communication

Page 7 u www.MyCAERT.com
Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. 600081