1.3.

Methods of Communication

The ideas we express need a device through which they can be sent. There are two methods of
communication (verbal and non-verbal) which are used in different situations for communicating
effectively.

I. Verbal Communication
With verbal communication, people express their thoughts, ideas and emotions through spoken or
written language. They use verbal communication to express themselves in many ways during
discussions, speeches, and everyday conversations. The effectiveness of it varies depending on the
receiver’s listening skills, as well as a number of communication skills such as volume of voice, tone and
clarity of speech.

Characteristics of Verbal Communication:

1.​ Involves spoken or written words
2.​ Provides precise and detailed information
3.​ Allows immediate and direct feedback
4.​ Influenced by body language and dialect
5.​ Can be hindered by language barriers
6.​ Suitable for conveying complex ideas
7.​ Emotions are expressed through words
8.​ Communication speed can be faster for conveying information.

There are two subtypes of verbal communication:

A.​ Oral Communication
Oral communication is communication by means of spoken words. Oral communication refers to
the transmission of messages through speech. This form of communication is the most common
and used in our daily lives. It is the oldest way humans have had to express themselves. The need
to express information, knowledge and ideas made our ancestors begin to establish
communication between them. Oral communication continues to be temporary and immediate. In
addition, it relies on non-verbal elements such as gestures, grimaces, and body language to
emphasise the message.

Principles of oral communication:

1. Know your objective 4. Know how to use your voice
2. Know your audience 5. Know how to use body language
3. Know your subject 6. Know when to stop

Advantages of oral communication:

1.​ It is direct and time-saving. The listener understands the words as soon as they are spoken.
Oral communication is the best way to transmit messages quickly and to save time.
2.​ It saves money. It is economical as it does not require costly equipment or stationery.
3.​ It conveys the exact meaning of words. A great advantage of oral communication is its use of
non- verbal elements like body language and paralanguage. Body language includes facial
expressions and posture. Paralanguage includes features like voice volume, pitch and speed
of speaking; it also includes the sounds we make while speaking, like sighing or clearing the
throat. These non-verbal elements allow the speaker to express his/her meaning more
accurately.
 4.​ It provides immediate feedback from the receiver. The sender gets the receiver‘s response
immediately, even on the telephone. This also explains why oral communication is so
effective in teaching and coaching.
5.​ It is more persuasive in nature. Oral communication is more useful when arguments and
reasons have to be given to convince someone, as in sales and marketing, or in a court of law.
6.​ On-the-spot additions and corrections are possible. The speaker has the scope to change,
improve and add to her/his message as s/he is speaking.
7.​ Confidential messages can be communicated. When subjects of a delicate and confidential
nature cannot be written, one can take recourse to oral communication. 8. It is informal and
friendlier. It can build friendly relations with people and develop social contacts.

Disadvantages of oral communication:

1.​ It lacks legal validity. Oral messages have no legal proof.
2.​ It lacks accountability. In oral messages, we cannot fix responsibility. The speaker can deny
that he said something.
3.​ Possibility of misunderstanding. This happens when the listener is not attentive to the
message.
4.​ Problem of retention. People do not remember oral messages for a long time. Or they may
retain only a part of the message.
5.​ Not always effective. Oral communication is not effective when the distances are great or
when the message is very lengthy.
6.​ The need for good speaking skills. Oral communication cannot be effective, if the speaker
does not have the necessary skills.

B.​ Written Communication

Written communication is the exchange of information through a physical channel, such as a piece
of paper, a screen, or even the ground. Prehistoric humans communicated by painting pictures or
signs on walls or floors that conveyed an idea in written form. Conveying emotions today in
written form are emoticons, emojis, etc., that provide emotional context to text messages, emails,
or social media posts. This type of communication is characterised by not being simultaneous and
being planned. In addition, the message generated by written communication is for the long term.

Advantages of Written Communication

1.​ Reference: Written communication provides a permanent record. It can be filed and stored
for future reference whenever needed.
2.​ Legal validity: It provides legal proof. Documents of importance are always stored in written
form.
3.​ It aids memory and retention: the reader can go to the written matter again and again. This
aids understanding as well as retention.
4.​ It is more accurate and organised. Written messages are drafted with greater time at our
disposal; they are more accurate. The writer can edit and alter his message to make it as
perfect as possible, and add the details needed. Words are chosen carefully to convey the
exact meaning and matter is organised properly. This makes written communication an
essential part of every business organisation.
5.​ Fixing responsibility: Written documents are always signed; hence it is possible to fix
responsibility on a certain person or group of persons.
6.​ Wider reach: Written messages have a wider reach than oral messages, as printing and
photocopying make it possible to transmit messages easily to a very large number of people.
7.​ Goodwill: Good written communication can create a good impression and generate goodwill
for a business organisation.
 Disadvantages of Written Communication
1.​ Time, trouble, expense: A written message needs more time and care to prepare. It is also
costlier as it needs machinery and stationery.
2.​ Feedback is slow: Feedback is slow and often delayed in written messages; sometimes it
may even be absent. Getting answers to queries and clarifications may become difficult.
3.​ Written communication can create problems of storage: The number of documents is almost
always far greater than the space and means available for storage.
4.​ Lacks friendliness: Written communication is essentially formal in nature. It cannot have the
warmth and personal touch of oral communication.
5.​ Unsuited to countries where there is a great degree of illiteracy: Written communication is a
literate skill. The lack of literacy makes it impossible to use written communication.

II. Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is the process of sending and receiving messages without using words,
either spoken or written. It has been defined as any message you give other than the literal
interpretation of your words. It is expressed by our posture, gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice,
eye contact, etc, and involves the way we present ourselves to others.

Characteristics of non-verbal communication:

1.​ Involves the use of sign language, picture symbols, and other means that enable communicating in
the absence of words.
2.​ Used to express emotions, interpersonal attitudes, and self-presentation.
3.​ Is an inexpensive and speedy means of communication.
4.​ It is used to establish and maintain relationships.
5.​ It complements verbal communication, and helps to build a corporate image.
6.​ During face-to-face communication, feedback can be given immediately.
7.​ Its effectiveness depends on the attentiveness of the receiver, and their capability of understanding
the communication.

Types of Non-Verbal Communication

1. Facial expressions:
Facial expressions refer to the look on an individual’s face. Expressions of happiness, sadness, anger and
fear are universal emotions and key forms of non-verbal communication. The face of the person mirrors
the emotions and conveys a host of different messages. Facial expressions also include eye contact.
Smiling, frowning, widening the eyes, raising the eyebrows, pursing the lips are all examples of facial
expressions. Such expressions communicate in one of two ways. Sometimes, they act as a complement
to the words used and add to their meaning. They can also act as a substitute for the words. Facial
expressions often reveal the true feelings of a person, even when his words are saying something else.

2. Kinesics:
Kinesics are gestures, conscious body movements like waving, pointing, and giving thumbs up or down.
Eg. Making eye contact while speaking in public makes a person appear confident, while keeping eye
contact in a conversation makes a person appear interested in what the other person is saying.

3. Paralinguistics:
Paralinguistics are aspects of verbal communication apart from words. Paralanguage includes pitch,
volume, intonation, and such non-verbal elements of communication which modify meaning and convey
emotion. e.g. the vocal sounds hmmm or ah. The study of paralanguage focuses on how you say what
you say. The tone of voice, rate of speech, pause, accent can not only communicate but alter the meaning
significantly. This type of communication is powerful, since altering the voice changes the meaning of
the sentence.

4. Body language and posture:

‘Body language can include any non-reflexive or reflexive movement of a body part, or all of the body, used
by a person to communicate an emotional message to the outside world.’
The body language of the speaker and the receiver reveals a lot about them and their feelings. In the
case of the speaker, it reveals the degree of their presence and sincerety, conviction, honesty, ability, and
knowledge. It also reveals their feelings about the message they are sharing. In the receivers’ case on
the other hand, body language can indicate of their awareness and attentiveness, and whether they are
accepting or not appepting whatever the speaker is saying. The body language of the receivers give an
instant feedback to the speaker.

Posture is an important part of body language. It means the manner in which we carry ourselves, i.e. the
way we walk, sit and stand. Posture says a lot about a person‘s personality, her/his mood and general
nature. Hunched shoulders, slouching in a chair can mean lack of self- confidence and low energy levels,
or shyness; an erect stance shows positivity and confidence; standing with hands on the hips and head
thrust forward shows aggression and anger.

5. Space and Proxemics:

Proximity means how near something is. Proxemics can be called the language of space. It is the study
of space and how we use it in communication. The manner in which we use space, in personal as well as
in group communication, creates different kinds of meaning and sends different messages to others.
Experts have identified different kinds of areas or zones of space: Intimate space, for immediate family
members and close friends. Personal space is for friends and colleagues. Social space is for one‘s senior
or junior colleagues. Formal or Public space is for meetings and gatherings. The closer the relationship,
the closer the space we allow the individual.

6. Gaze:
Gazing, in its simplest form, refers to the act of looking steadily at someone or something. It's the silent
dialogue that takes place through eye contact, expressing sentiments that words alone might struggle to
capture. Gazing goes beyond mere eye contact. It's a sustained focus, a deliberate direction of your
attention that conveys a range of emotions, intentions, and even social cues.

The power of gazing plays a crucial role in conveying emotions, building connections, or challenging
dominance. The eyes, often hailed as the windows to the soul, play a pivotal role in this communication
style. A fleeting glance, a prolonged stare, or averted eyes all contribute to the intricate language of
gazing. It's a universal form of expression, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers, making it a
fundamental aspect of human connection. For example, our pupils dilate when we are afraid, we blink
rapidly when something excites us, and maintaining eye contact while speaking can be an indication of
being truthful.

7. Haptics:
Haptic communication refers to communicating by touch. The term haptics has its roots in the ancient
Greek word haptikos. Communicating through non-verbal haptics involves handshake, pat, kiss, slap,
hug, massage, hit, kick, embrace, tickle etc. Each touch communicates a unique message like fear,
disgust, love, encouragement, gratitude, sympathy, anger, pain, violence etc.

Communication through touch is an essential part of human social development. Haptic is either
intentional or unintentional leads towards either positive or negative consequences. The sense of touch
is the effective, direct and intimate way of communication that starts from a foetus and helps to sense
the world in and around. It carries distinct emotions and the intensity of its emotion may vary as good
and bad touch. Non-verbal haptic communication sends messages through sensory nerves and receives
messages through brain sensors as it impacts the psychological stimulus. Involuntarily and persistently
both humans and animals communicate with their environment through touch, since it’s a basic and
vital survival instinct for them. Touch communicates emotions and feelings in a physical form, creates
physical intimacy, bonds, rapport, comfort, and amplify.

8. Appearance:
The clothes we wear and the level of our grooming play an important role in giving people an
impression about us. Our choice of clothes on different occasions and in different places, our attention
to neatness and to details like well combed hair and clean nails, all provide important clues to others
about our personality. It is said that ‘clothes make a man’; how we wear clothes and how we carry them
is what makes the real impact. Thus, dress and grooming play a vital role in providing a clue to the man
behind the appearance. Elements such as physique, height, weight, hair, skin colour, gender, odours, and
clothing send nonverbal messages during interaction.

9. Chronemics:
Chronemics is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication, though it carries implications
for verbal communication as well. Time perceptions include punctuality, willingness to wait, and
interactions. The use of time can affect lifestyles, daily agendas, speed of speech, movements, and how
long people are willing to listen.

Personal time refers to the ways in which individuals experience time. The way we experience time
varies based on our mood, our interest level, and other factors. Physical time refers to the fixed cycles of
days, years, and seasons. Physical time, especially seasons, can affect our mood and psychological states.
Cultural time refers to how a large group of people view time.

Additionally, the way we use time depends in some ways on our status. For example, doctors can make
their patients wait for extended periods of time, and executives and celebrities may run consistently
behind schedule, making others wait for them. Promptness and the amount of time that is socially
acceptable for lateness and waiting varies among individuals and contexts.

10. Physiological responses:

Our nonverbal responses have a connection to our physiological responses to stress, such as heart rate,
blood pressure, and skin conductivity. Physiological responses refer to bodily reactions that can’t be
controlled. These include automatic responses, such as sweating, blushing, getting goosebumps, shaky
voice, or tearing up. Whether or not the person acknowledges them explicitly, other people may be able
to understand the message based on these hints.