Paralanguage: Nonverbal Communication I have learned to depend more on what people do than what they say in response to a direct question, to pay close attention to that which cannot be consciously manipulated, and to look for patterns rather than content. -- Edward T. Hall (1968:83)
Paralanguage: Communication by means other than language. The process of transmitting messages without spoken words.
Paralanguage includes Facial expressions Tones of voice Gestures Eye contact Spatial arrangements Patterns of touch Postures Silence Smell etc
60% of our messages get across nonverbally.
Nonverbal signals Haircut Touch Odors
Governed and determined by: Rules Contexts Situations
Paralanguage: refers to all nonverbal communication actions
Paralanguage includes intentional and unintentional nonverbal messages
Paralanguage may be: Complementary Unconscious Learned
Universals eyebrow flash (recognition) the nose wrinkle (social distancing) basic emotions: -- happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, anger, and surprise
The functions of nonverbal communication To repeat what was said verbally To complement what was said verbally To contradict what was said verbally To substitute for what would be said verbally To regulate and manage the communication event
Nonverbal communication divided into Kinesic and Proxemic acts Kinesics: The study of nonverbal gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and body posture Proxemics: The study of the use of space, touch, and distance as features of nonverbal communication.
Universality versus Relativism Birdwhistell (1970) Emblems: are gestures understood by participant of a communicative community to express a specific meaning
Cultural Specific Emblems Can you guess what the following gestures from Japan and France mean?
Could reflect social status and gender: In North America Dominance versus subordination ---more space---take less space ---stare at others ---less eye contact --- smile more-- smile less
Dangers of overgeneralizations Cannot assume everybody in a culture behaves the same way Infrequent actions should not be used to characterize a culture We should not ignore that nonverbal behaviors are part of complex communication processes
How do we communicate with those we don’t know? Leonard Zunin (The First Four Minutes, 1972) Three common behaviours: Which side of the path” look I acknowledge you” look Look—away priority”
Proxemics Edward, T Hall in 1963 refers to touch and issues of personal space
Distance Between Faces Tone of Voice Type of Message very close (3-6 inches) soft whisper top secret or sensual close (8-12 inches) audible whisper very confidential neutral (20-36 inches) soft voice, low volume personal subject matter neutral (4.5-5 feet) full voice non-personal information across the room (8-20 feet) loud voice talking to a group stretching the limit
General appearance and dress
All nonverbal communication is best understood within cultural context Body movements Facial expressions Eye contact Touch
Silence is also part of nonverbal communication Sends nonverbal clues during communication Culturally determined Igbos of Nigeria
What is the relationship between language and paralanguage? How and why can the study of nonverbal patterns help us identify our own ethnocentric attitudes?