1. Understanding Nonverbal Messages
Chapter 4
Understanding
Nonverbal Messages

2. Preview of Chapter 4 What is Nonverbal Communication?
Chapter 4: Understanding Nonverbal Messages
What is Nonverbal Communication?
Why Focus on Nonverbal Communication?
How Does Nonverbal Function?
What are the Nonverbal Codes?
How Can We Interpret NV Messages more effectively?

3. Communication Principles
Chapter 4: Understanding Nonverbal Messages
Effectively use and
interpret nonverbal
messages

4. What is Nonverbal Communication?
Communication other than ______ or ______ “language” that creates meaning for someone. (page 84)

5. Why Focus on Nonverbal Communication?
Nonverbal messages communicate feelings and attitudes
Face channels 55% of our emotional meaning
Vocal cues convey 38% of our emotional meaning
Nonverbal messages are more believable.
NV messages are not very conscious and harder to control
This is referred to as “Nonverbal Leakage”
“Poker Face”

6. Nonverbal Leakage?

7. How Does Nonverbal Function? 6 Ways
Substitute
Accent
Repeat
Regulate
Complement
Contradict

8. Definitions of NV Functions
Substitute:
NV substitute for V message
You don’t have to say anything at all because the NV message will substitute for the verbal message
Ex: extended thumb, give the finger
Ex: Breaking Bad: Mike wants the keys from Walt
KEWORD: Instead of

9. Definitions of NV Functions
Accent:
NV reinforces a verbal message, adds intensity or emotion
NV and V happen at the same time
Ex: I say you must know this section of the book for the test while pounding my fist on the book
KEYWORD: show emotion or adds intensity

10. Definitions of NV Functions
Repeat:
NV message follows V message, one after the other
V and NV message do not occur at the same time
Ex: Saying “I love you” and then giving a hug
KEYWORDS: after, then, next

11. Definitions of NV Functions
Regulate:
Control flow of conversation using NV
Ex: Looking at your book when your teacher asks a question
Ex: Awkward Elevator
KEYWORDS: control, influence, monitor

12. Definitions of NV Functions
Complement
Clarify and extend meaning of V message used in conjunction with each other
Verbally describing and using NV gestures to help reinforce the verbal meaning
Ex: Describing a dress
KEYWORDS: same time, together, at once, while

13. Definitions of NV Functions
Contradict
NV does not match V
Ex: Your partner says she is not upset with you but she will not make eye contact
KEYWORDS: opposite, opposed, differing

14. Can NV Functions overlap?
Example: Old School:
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15. Assessing Your Learning
What statement illustrates a person using nonverbal cues to complement a message?
A person pointing while giving you directions.
A person saying hello followed by a wave.
A person saying “I don’t have an attitude problem” while stomping his foot on the word “attitude.”
A person holding up her hand to interrupt another person.

16. What are the Nonverbal Codes?
Appearance
Body Movement, Gesture, and Posture
Facial Expressions
Haptics
Paralanguage
Physical Environment

17. What are the Nonverbal Codes?
Appearance
Artifacts
Dress
Body Type
Physical attractiveness

18. Artifacts
Mark Knapp's nonverbal slides UT Austin

19. Artifacts
Mark Knapp's nonverbal slides UT Austin

20. Artifacts

21. Dress

22. Body Type
Can you tell who are athletes based on their body type?

23. Body Type
Through NVs, we might be able to infer about eating habits.

24. Identifying the Standards of Physical Attractiveness (Women)
Facial Symmetry
Big eyes
Long hair
Big lips
High cheekbones

25. Identifying the Standards of Physical Attractiveness (Men)
Facial Symmetry
Height
Cheekbones
High forehead
Muscular features

26. NV Codes: Kinesics
Kenesics – Refers to the study of human movements, gesture, and posture.

27. Categories of Kinesics
Emblems – NV cue that has a specific meaning in a given culture that may substitute for a word or phrase
Index finger: come here
Illustrators – General NV behaviors that accompanies a V message by contradict, complement, accent
Yawing but claiming your not tired.

28. Categories of kinesics
Affect Displays – NV behavior that communicates emotion
Friends: Joey isn’t a gracious loser
Regulators – a NV behavior that helps control the level or interaction
Raise eyebrows, Open mouth when we want to speak
Adaptor - a NV behavior that helps satisfy a personal need and allows a person to adapt to a situation
Typically referred to as a thinking habit.
Shaking leg /Chewing fingernails

29. Interesting applications of kinesics
Quasi-courtship Behavior - “flirting”
Courtship readiness: suck in your stomach
Preening :Comb your hair, fix your tie
Positional Cues :Turn towards the person, walk their direction
Appeals to Invitation: shake their hand but hold it longer, “accidentally” bump into them

30. Vocalics Paralanguage – NV aspects of the voice
Tone, Rate, Volume, Silence
Back-Channel Cues – Cue that indicates whether you want to speak or not
“uh hu”
Response Latencies – Amount of time it takes to respond
“Are you there?”

31. Proximics Proximics – The study of space (page 97)
Intimate Space (0 to 1.5 feet) – spouse, family
Personal Space (1.5 to __ feet) – friends, family
Social Space (___ to 12 feet) – teams, meetings
Public Space (___ feet and ____) – public speaking

32. What type of space is this?
Mark Knapp's nonverbal slides UT Austin

33. Territoriality Space violations Territorial markers
We use space to provide information about power, status and intimacy
Ex: Studying at the library
Territorial markers
We use space and objects to communication occupancy or ownership of a space
Ex: Seats we choose in class

34. Space Violations
Mark Knapp's nonverbal slides UT Austin

35. Territorial Markers

36. Territorial Markers
Mark Knapp's nonverbal slides UT Austin

37. Haptics Haptics – The study of human touch
Touch is the most powerful form of nonverbal communication and the most misunderstood
Intimate human contact is vital to our personal development and well being
Kangaroo care:
parenting_and_family/t/moms-hug-revives-baby-was-pronounced- dead/

38. Haptics Even dogs prefer touch over verbal praise!
Dogs Prefer Petting Way More Than You Thought
post.com/2014/09/0 7/dogs-prefer- petting- study_n_ html

39. How to interpret nonverbal cues more accurately
Mehrabian’s 3 part framework:
Immediacy - the perception of physical and psychological closeness between communicators.
Communicates feelings of closeness and liking (eye contact, open posture, smiling, etc.)
Arousal - The degree to which a person is stimulated or activated
Communicates active interest and excitement (i.e. vocal expression, touch, facial expression)
Dominance - the disposition of an individual to assert control in dealing with others.
Communicates status, position, and importance (i.e. body position, use of space, etc.)

40. Interpreting NV Cues

41. Assessment of Chapter # 4
Chapter 4: Understanding Nonverbal Messages
1. List and define 3 of the 6 NV functions. 2. Provide an example of a NV function that you use during interactions. 3. List 3 NV codes discussed today. 4. Provide an example of an immediacy cue, arousal cue, and dominance cue