CHAPTER 8 The Nonverbal Code

Defining Nonverbal Communication The messages people send to each other that do not contain words – kinesics – occulesics – paralanguage – haptics – chronemics – proxemics – olfactics

Nonverbal code often… complements accents substitutes repeats contradicts … the verbal message.

Nonverbal vs. Verbal Communication NonverbalVerbal AnalogicDigital Signal-basedSymbol based InformalFormal

gestures hand/arm movement leg movement facial expressions eye gaze stance/post ure Kinesics

Categories of Kinesics Emblems—direct literal verbal translation. Illustrators—accent/complement what is being said. – Metacommunicative Affect displays—facial expressions of emotion. – Considered universal Regulators—behaviors/actions that govern, direct, or manage conversation. Adaptors—actions that satisfy physiological or psychological needs.

Occulesics an essential biological skill likely innate in humans and in animals as well culture influences eye behavior across social contexts The study of eye contact

Paralanguage Vocal qualities that typically accompany speech. Silence is considered paralanguage. Voice qualities Examples: pitch, rhythm, tempo, articulation. Vocalizations Laughing, crying, sighing, snoring Intensity Nonfluencies Two categories:

Proxemics Perception and use of space. Territoriality— physical geographical space. Personal space— perceptual or psychological space. Population size and socioeconomic factors affect perception of space.

Haptics Tactile communication; the use of touch. Contact, moderate-contact and noncontact cultures Opposite sex touch in cultures. Touch avoidance. Prohibited touch.

Olfactics Sense of smell. Humans detect up to 10,000 different compounds by smell. Scent comes from two glands: sebaceous and apocrine. Scent can function as: A sex attractant A marker for social class distinctions. Scent can function as: A sex attractant A marker for social class distinctions.

Physical Appearance and Dress Can communicate age, sex, and status within culture. – Masai – India – Japan

Chronemics Nonverbal channel of time. M-time. P-time.

Individualism vs. Collectivism IndividualismCollectivism More distant proximally More distant psychologically Smile moreSuppress affect displays More nonverbally affiliative More synchronized body movements

Power Distance and Nonverbal Communication Low power distance cultures are less aware of vocalic. High power distance cultures avert eye contact more to show respect.

Context and Nonverbal Communication Low-context cultures are more direct and talkative. High-context cultures pay more attention to nonverbal behavior in interactions.

Nonverbal Expectancy Violations Theory Premise—people hold expectancies about the appropriateness of nonverbal behaviors in others. These expectancies are learned and culturally driven. When violations are committed, arousal is triggered, and an evaluation is made. Evaluation is dependent upon: The communicator. Implicit messages associated with violation. Evaluations of the act.