Nonverbal Communication Accounts for 75-90% of all communication

What is nonverbal communication? Body Language Facial Expressions Tone of Voice Space

Body Language Body Language – the way we use our bodies to send messages. Humans produce up to 700,000 different signs. While practiced everywhere, body language is not a universal language.

Learning to Read Body Language Positive Body Language: Relaxed posture Arms relaxed Good eye contact Nod agreement Smile at humor Lean closer Use gestures Negative Body Language: Body tension Arms folded Speaking hand to mouth Fidgeting Yawning

Facial Expressions Facial expressions: carry the greatest impact in convincing someone of something Face is capable of 250,000 expressions Six emotions are the foundation for most facial expressions: Surprise, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Happiness, and Sadness

Tone of Voice Tone of voice offers a valuable clue to a speaker’s feelings The rate of speech also tells us about a speaker’s feelings Faster rate: excited, nervous, anxious speakers or those trying to persuade Slower rate: depressed, disgusted, tired speakers

Space Personal space varies greatly among cultures. Four levels of personal space: Intimate: under 18 inches Personal: 1 ½ to 4 feet Social: 4 to 12 feet Public: over 12 feet

How to Tell When Someone is Lying Decreased hand activity: people sense their hands will give them away, so they suppress them. Increased face touching: generally increases during stressful situations. Increased body shifting: people squirm with their urge to escape.

Nonverbal Messages in Conversation Starting a Conversation: before two people can talk, both must signal they are paying attention. Helping a Conversation Continue: you must send positive feedback to keep the flow moving, i.e. eye contact and head nods.

Nonverbal Messages in Conversation Taking Turns: listen for pauses. Ending a Conversation: never end too abruptly. Use nonverbal gestures, i.e. less frequent eye contact, moving spatially apart, as well as, verbal cues to end the conversation.

Multicultural Messages Body language is not a universal language Humans can produce 5,000 different gestures, but certain gestures mean different things in different areas of the world