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Non-Verbal Communication
Non-Verbal Communication
Non-verbal communication
1) Kinesics:
Kinesics is the study of the body’s physical movements. In other words, it is the way that body communicates without words
i.e. through various movements of its parts. It is the study of inner states of emotions as expressed through different parts of the body
and their physical movements.
b) Gestures:
Gestures are the physical movements of arms, legs, hands, torso and head. To be sure, we can conclude that gestures tell us
something about people’s internal emotional states. Gestures are made relationally i.e. they are used not individually but in relation to
another person. Speaking and gesturing are linked as well. The game of charades proves that gesturing really works.
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d) Appearance:
Appearance includes style, clothes, hair, jewelry, cosmetics and such. People respond to others on the basis of their physical
appearance. Appearance tells others how we want to be seen. Appearance has effect on perception that how would others perceive us
during the dramatic change. If we wear dresses formal and informal –people perceive us differently.
2) Proxemics:
The study of how we communicate with the space around us is known as Proxemics. Proxemics creates meaning in our mind
and in other’s mind. It studies the space around us how we arrange it and what we arrange in it. It is also known as ‘personal space
language’ because we maintain the amount of space we need and the amount of space we perceive around us according to needful
circumstances. This type of communication is influenced by a number of factors including social norms, situational factors,
personality characteristics and level of familiarity.
Some space maintained in this communication is as follows:
Intimate –physical contact to 18 inches
Personal –18 inches to 4 feet
Social –4 feet to 12 feet
Public –12 feet to range of eyesight and hearing
3) Time language:
Time language involves the meaning we give to time. That means how we communicate to others what time means to us. In
order to give meaning to time, we must perceive it, filter it and symbolize about it. Culture teaches us meaning of time. Time is very
important for North Americans, Germans and Japanese. North American culture teaches that being on time is a virtue. Try being late
for an appointment and see how others respond. Generally, when someone is late, we react negatively and when someone arrives
early, we see him/her as eager or aggressive. Businesses generally pay employees more for working overtime, weekends and holidays.
4) Paralanguage:
It is also known as paralinguistic. Of all the non-verbal communication types, it is the closest to actual verbal communication.
Paralanguage means how a person says something. Paralanguage involves the ‘how’ of a speaker’s voice rather than the ‘what’ of the
words. In paralanguage, we examine the sound of someone’s speech. Is it fast or slow? Is it high pitched or deep? Is it loud and
forceful or barely audible? Is it smooth or disjointed?
5) Physical context:
Physical context means the physical environment which is also the part of von-verbal communication because we get
meaning from our surroundings. Physical context in non-verbal communication refers to how color and layout/design communicate.
We give different meanings to different colors and to the different layouts/designs of our physical environment.
a) Color:
We all people have a ‘color language’. The effects of colors conclude that different colors are associated with different
moods and behaviors. The right color combinations can project appropriate feelings. Colors can create meanings in our mind. Black
and Gray convey negative feelings whereas Blue and Yellow convey positive feelings.