Body Language Introduction
April 27, 2009 by admin
Filed under Body Language
Body Language
Fall seven times, stand up eight.
Japanese Proverb
Definition:
Messages expressed by means other than either spoken or written language.
Nonverbal communication (NVC) is the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless messages. Non verbal communication contributes heavily to conveying meanings (Between 65-90%). Therefore the ability to understand non verbal communication is very important to developing competence in communication.
We can communicate through gesture; body language or posture; facial expression and eye contact.
Object communication occurs through clothing, hairstyles or even architecture and symbols.
Speech contains non-verbal elements known as paralanguage which includes voice quality, emotion, speaking style and prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation andstress.
Written text has nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the use of emoticons.
Much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face-to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal areas:
- Environmental conditions where communication takes place
- Physical characteristics of the communicators
- Behavior of communicators during interaction.
Verbal and Non Verbal Communication Skill Builder
Non verbal communication has a depth and richness that most of us are unaware of on a daily basis. Try the following to begin to consciously become aware of how non verbal communication works.
- Choose a partner and find some space to yourselves.
- Sit back to back so that no body parts are touching. You should be able to talk easily without being able to see each other.
- For the next 2 minutes hold a conversation about anything you like. Communicate only by using words. Do not look at each other.
- Now turn around and face each other. You should be at a comfortable distance. Now you can both see and hear each other. Carry on the conversation for a further two minutes.
Types of Non verbal Communication
• Body Orientation
• Posture
• Gestures
• Face and Eyes
• Voice
• Touch
• Physical Attractiveness
• Clothing
• Proxemics
• Territoriality
• Physical Environment
• Time
Other Non Verbal Communications
Accenting
Complementing
Contradicting
Deception
Emblems
Regulating
Repeating
Substituting
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