Verbal and Nonverbal Communication PDF

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Oral Communication 11 KRYSTAL JOY M. CLAMARES, PhD  Learning Targets The students should be able to 01 compare and contrast verbal and nonverbal communication. The students should be able to 02 identify the different types of n...

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Oral Communication 11 KRYSTAL JOY M. CLAMARES, PhD  Learning Targets The students should be able to 01 compare and contrast verbal and nonverbal communication. The students should be able to 02 identify the different types of nonverbal communication. The students should be able to use 03 appropriate nonverbal cues for effective communication. Let's Assume! Monday mornings are often busy; you spotted two adults running while on your way to school one morning. They both appeared to be in a hurry, yet something was off. Can you differentiate the two based on their body language? Tell us the difference. The face is an important communicator. It is commonly said that face is the index of the mind. What emotion does each face convey? The face is an important communicator. It is commonly said that face is the index of the mind. What emotion does each face convey? Let's Recall! Communication comes from the Latin word which means “working as one”. Communication is simply the act of sending information from one person or group to another. The exchange of communication varies from person to person depending on the needs of the situation.  Let's Recall! Communication is a process of exchanging meaningful messages through the use of common symbols. Verbal communication refers to communication that makes use of language in expressing ideas or Verbal emotions. Communicators utilize Communication speech to express or communicate what they wish to say or communicate. Although spoken communication is frequently thought of when the phrase "verbal communication" is used, written communication is also a form of verbal communication.  Barriers to VERBAL COMMUNICATION PEOPLE They may have poor infirmities such as poor hearing or eyesight and others stutter.  Barriers to VERBAL COMMUNICATION CULTURAL MORES People follow cultural mores (values, customs, and behaviors that are accepted by a particular group); or they adhere to society’s attitudes toward gender and sexuality, business practices, and religious beliefs.  Barriers to VERBAL COMMUNICATION OPINIONS AND BELIEFS The participants, both speaker and listener have opinions and beliefs that belong to a culture and a gender. Gender comes into communication when people categorize certain ways of speaking or using words as being masculine or feminine. Many people do not expect men to be soft spoken or have a high- pitched voice or women having harsh and a low- pitched voice.  Barriers to VERBAL COMMUNICATION TOPIC It may also be a barrier to communication because of its vagueness, complexity, emotional pull, or hidden agenda. The speaker must avoid these qualities in the topic of the message so that, instead, it will be clear, simple, restrained, and with no hidden motives.  Barriers to VERBAL COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATIVE SITUATION There may be “noise” in the physical setting and in the participants themselves. The actual noise from the surrounding may cause the participants not to understand one another.  Barriers to VERBAL COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATIVE SITUATION At the same time, the participants may have their own motives for participating, motives that are not aligned with or support the speaker’s purpose for communicating. The audience must know whether the speaker is there to entertain or to persuade. The listener may not have enough knowledge or experience to form a basis for interpreting and responding to the message.  Barriers to VERBAL COMMUNICATION LANGUAGE CHOICE The linguistic differences among the participants can be a barrier to communication. Some words used by the speaker may mean different things to others. Depending on how a word is used, it can easily be misinterpreted by another person. The speaker must be very careful with the words he uses.  Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication refers to communication that does not make use of language to communicate. Other than words, nonverbal communication involves body language, gestures, appearance, and silence.  Types of Nonverbal Communication FACIAL GESTURES SMELL COLORS FLOWERS EXPRESSION  LANGUAGE OF GESTURES Gestures are the most often used type of non-verbal communication. To be more understandable and interesting to a listener, the speaker must accompany his/her speech with gestures but one has to consider the culture of the receiver because gestures have different meanings in other places. In the Philippines and other countries, nodding means yes but it is the opposite in the Middle East.  LANGUAGE OF GESTURES The following are other examples of gesture: a. Emblems – clenched fist upraised b. Emphasizing – “YES” clenched both fists in front of breast c. Illustrating – “this large” (open hands set apart) d. Regulating – “shh” forefinger in front of lips  FACIAL EXPRESSION The face plays a very important role in communication. It expresses various types of emotions or feelings such as joy, sorrow, anger, annoyance, confusion, fear, hatred or surprise. Within the facial area, eyes are especially effective for indicating attention and interest. However, interpretations of facial expressions differ from culture to culture.  LANGUAGE OF COLORS People choose colors based on the meaning of each. Colors have certain meanings based on the dictates of culture and gender. In the Philippines, most parents prepare everything in blue for baby boys and pink for baby girls. People wear black when they grieve while others wear white.  LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS Flowers are also used to say what we cannot expressed in words. These meanings are also influenced by culture and gender. In the Philippines, men send flowers to women. When men give flowers, it reflects their reference to women as delicate and feminine. It indicates special treatment. When a man gives a woman flowers, it's a sure sign that she is someone very dear to him.  LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS Using flowers can create conflict if one does not know the culture of a place. In the Philippines, one will be annoyed if someone gives her plumeria or kalachi. In Hawaii, they give kalachuchi to welcome guests. Italians send chrysanthemums for special occasions, but Filipinos generally see them in funeral arrangements.  Types of Nonverbal Communication Proxemics Kinesics Olfatics Chronemics Haptics  Proxemics The signs and signals we convey to others using our personal and social space are referred to as proxemics in nonverbal communication. We determine these signs and signals based on the situation, such as work or school, or how close the relationships are to us.  Proxemics As an example, proxemics determines intimacy between people, but this is not the case if you are on a train full of people.  Proxemics In some companies, the one who holds the highest position usually has the biggest office and in the best location such as on the top floor or penthouse of the building. Proxemics Intimate distance (0–18 inches) Personal distance (18 inches to 4 feet) Social distance (4–12 feet) Public distance (over 12 feet) Most communication textbooks talk about research done in the 1960s by Edward T. Hall (1968) about personal distances.  Olfatics Smells give us a lot of sensory input. Smells send strong nonverbal messages.  Olfatics We use smell to communicate messages about ourselves, our homes, our office environments, and our vehicles. Think about the large amount of money we spend on scents to alter our odor. We choose perfumes, colognes, deodorants, laundry detergents, aftershaves, shampoos, conditioners, and other products based on their smells. Aromatherapy It is a field of study where people research how smells affect our moods and stress levels. The problem is people perceive smells differently. The scent you are wearing may not be appealing to a coworker, interviewer, or new acquaintance. If the fragrance is strong, people may immediately try to avoid you. Now think about situations where there is no escape (sitting next to someone on an airplane or consulting with a coworker). Even worse, what if the receiver has allergies to the smoke lingering on your clothes, a perfume you’ve chosen, or the incense or eucalyptus in your office? At this point, the communication experience becomes intolerable for the receiver. The receiver may assume you are insensitive to people around you. This is not a good thing if the receiver is the interviewer, your boss, or potential romantic partner. The smells in our homes (baking bread, cinnamon potpourri, or pet urine) all send messages to the people who enter. Does your home smell clean? Welcoming? The person visiting makes this decision, not you. Our vehicles also carry smells. Why is this important? Well, you never know when you may be asked to give a ride to a professor, a client, a boss, or an interviewee. If your car carries the scent of smoke, and the passenger has an allergy, she may have to refuse the ride or suffer the consequences of being exposed to the allergens in the car. Neither of these impressions are ones you want someone to remember.  Kinesics Kinesics refers to the use of body parts, such as hands, arms, body, and face movements, in communicating ideas or emotions.  Kinesics We interpret a great deal of meaning through body movement. However, communication through body language might be interpreted differently in different settings and cultures, so be cautious. For instance, some cultures value eye contact in communication, while others view it as a sign of disrespect.  Chronemics Chronemics looks at how people use time. It enables us to comprehend how people conceptualize and organize time in their interactions and interpersonal relationships.  Chronemics Another example is that punctuality reveals a lot about someone's interest, so if you arrive late for an interview, you know what the interviewer will think of you. Haptics Haptics refers to the use of the sense of touch in communication. It is a type of nonverbal communication in which people communicate through touch. Haptics In interpersonal interactions, haptics play a key role in expressing physical intimacy. But similar to kinesics, communication through touch might be interpreted differently in different settings and cultures, so be cautious. Haptics Communicating through non- verbal haptics involves handshake, pat, kiss, slap, hug, massage, hit, kick, embrace, tickle etc. Each touch communicates a unique message like fear, disgust, love, encouragement, gratitude, sympathy, anger, pain, violence, and the like. PARALANGUAGE Paralanguage refers to the “how” of saying something other than what is said. The meaning of words spoken depends on how they are said. Tones, voices, and rhythm must match the content of the message if the message is to be understood at all; they reinforce the message. The words with strong points to deliver must be emphasized with strong paralanguage. PARALANGUAGE We can say the same sentence and make it sound angry, happy, romantic, or indifferent just by altering our paralanguage (try it with “Glad to see you could make it”). The words remain the same, but the meaning changes. In addition, unintentional vocal noises can send messages. PARALANGUAGE Pitch, projection, and quality of voice play a large part in creating meaning for our message. Think about a petite, giggly young woman who says coyly, “Don’t you talk to me like that,” versus a large, deep- voiced man yelling it in a loud voice. Would both individuals be conveying the same meaning with the same words? Absolutely not. POSTURE AND BODY LANGUAGE Posture and body orientation are also a type of non-verbal communication. How one stands or sits tells the people around how one sees oneself as a speaker, how he/she sees the listeners, and his attitude toward the message. POSTURE AND BODY LANGUAGE One can communicate numerous messages by the way he walks. Standing erect, but not rigid, and leaning slightly forward may mean that one is approachable, friendly, and receptive. Rarely does communication take place without being accompanied or substituted by any of these types of non-verbal communication. One must always remember that all of these are culture-bound or specific to some cultures but not in others. Communication breakdown takes place when culture concepts clash or simply do not meet.  It refers to the imaginary ownership of a particular space. Most students walk into a classroom on the first day, choose a chair, and then feel ownership of Territoriality that chair for the entire term. If you walk in and someone else is in “your” chair, you are annoyed because someone confiscated your seat. Territoriality In apartment buildings or workplaces where there is a large parking lot, people often park in the same space. These people are annoyed if you park in “their space,” even though the space does not belong to them. Territoriality is an imaginary social concept, but many individuals take the ownership of space seriously. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND Territoriality