Nonverbal Communication: The Types Of Body Language In Communication

923 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay: four main types of body language

Body Language is expressing a certain meaning in a kind of silent language by its types such as eye contact, gestures, posture, smile, movements, and expressions which are important cues through which people communicate with each other. Our body movements are expressing how we feel by the way we sit, stand, move, etc, rather than by words. Our bodies send out messages constantly, and often we don't recognize that we're communicating a lot more than we realize.
The paper falls into two sections: The first section introduces the body language in general and its difference with sign language. The second section talks about the types of body language we use in our daily communications and it also sheds light on the voluntary and involuntary body …show more content…

Language always had a great importance among people but very rarely we communicate without using words. Nonverbal cues such as body language has always been recognized as an important part of communication. There has been always great debates about weather verbal or non-verbal language has a higher importance in communication, but it seems non-verbal communication has greater importance than spoken words. Body language tells you the intention of the speaker so it is the most powerful form of …show more content…

Once you managed to have control over your body language, you will be able to cross many defensive barriers and establish better relationships. Body language should not be confused with sign language as body language and Sign Language both involve the use of the hands, along with other parts of the body. The difference between signing and making body gestures is that sign is like speech and is used instead of speaking, whereas gestures are mostly used while speaking. For example Emblems Are signals such as "thumbs up" (things are good) and "shush" (keep quiet) (Andersen, 1999:

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Verbal And Nonverbal Communication

    1503 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are two forms of communication, verbal and nonverbal. The strongest form of communication is when both of these elements work together to convey the person’s message. This essay will analyze the forms of verbal and nonverbal communication in the show “Blackish” by Kenya Barris, an American comedy that surrounds an African American family. The episode being analyzed is from season 3 episode 2, titled “GOD”, where the daughter explains to her dad that she is beginning to lose faith that god exists, so the father tries to persuade her in different forms. To be more specific, the scene being analyzed is when the family goes with the mother to get a sonogram of the baby. The use of verbal and nonverbal language can affect the environment or

    Read More

  • Nonverbal Communication

    1530 Words  | 4 Pages

    Any communication interaction involves two major components in terms of how people are perceived: verbal, or what words are spoken and nonverbal, the cues such as facial expressions, posture, verbal intonations, and other body gestures. Many people believe it is their words that convey the primary messages but it is really their nonverbal cues. The hypothesis for this research paper was: facial expressions directly impact how a person is perceived. A brief literature search confirmed this hypothesis.

    Read More

  • Nonverbal Communication: Cultural Differences Across Cultures

    1615 Words  | 4 Pages

    When communicating, only a small percent of the exchange is verbal. The larger part of the message is made up of body language or movements, known as nonverbal communication. The reason for people using nonverbal communication is to enhance the message they are sending to the receiver. One way nonverbal communication differs is through cultural differences. Cultural differences have a significant impact on nonverbal communication as cultures differ greatly in their nonverbal interpretations and responses. Firstly, this essay will prove how kinesics can create barriers between people as types of nonverbal cues differ amongst cultures. It will then show that paralinguistics can be based on cultural expectations and this can create stereotyping in cross-cultural communication. Turning to haptics, it will then show that different perspectives on haptics can cause problems in a cross-cultural context. Finally, it will prove that because of different cultural norms, the use of proxemics can be misinterpreted, therefore proving that cultural differences have a significant impact on nonverbal communication.

    Read More

  • Communication through Gestures and Facial Expressions

    1344 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nonverbal communication does not rely on the use of words to convey its meaning. “Nonverbal communication is usually understood as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless messages. These nonverbal messages can be transmitted by bodily gestures, posture, facial expressions, and eye contact” (Subramani 2010). Nonverbal communication is simply that, communication without words. Nonverbal communication is present everday in our society. It goes hand in hand with verbal communication. It complements and enhances spoken words. According to David McNeill, gestures have two core features: they carry meaning, and are synchronous with speech. He goes on to say, “gesture and speech express the same underlying idea unit but express it in their own ways.”

    Read More

  • Nonverbal Communication

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    Found information states that “nonverbal communication is the process of transporting messages through behaviors, physical characteristics and objects”. Its how and what we use in order to express our feelings and say things. Using symbols is a way of using nonverbal communication. Also nonverbal communication is the way we use body language and gestures too. Nonverbal communication is often used unconsciously. When using the certain communication it can be misinterpreted also. There are many different categories of nonverbal communication. They are the following: Aesthetics, Artifacts, Chronemics, Haptics, Kinesics, Paralanguage, Physical Appearance, Proxemics, and Oculesics.

    Read More

  • Resting Bitch Face

    970 Words  | 2 Pages

    Language is an extremely important tool for communication and can act as a means of asserting one’s identity. There are many different forms of language. It can be the actual language you speak, the words you choose while you speak, or even the way you carry yourself on a day-to-day basis. Body language can be a very difficult thing to control in certain social situations and can cause other people to assume things about you. This can be either a good or a bad thing.

    Read More

  • Nonverbal Communication And Body Language

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...ther recommendation for body language is to avoid chopping gestures and pointing as they can be perceived as aggressive motions. If people shove their hands in pockets, behind their back or even cross them in front of their chest, they risk appearing closed off, stiff or belligerent. Of course, this is how most people wish to appear during the important encounters and all those motions are recommended by experts to be avoided. Further mistakes we often make are the grooming gestures which signalize nervousness. For instance playing with hair, fingernails or our jewelry, all these small movements can reveal how confidant we are at the moment and they also can distract the other person from signs which might have a positive effect when building our first impression. Also the facial expression can contribute to the positive, but also damaging impression. For example

    Read More

  • Cultural Sensitivity

    1969 Words  | 4 Pages

    Axtell, E. R. (1993). The dos and taboos of body language around the world. In Social interaction in everyday life (chapter 22). Retrieved from http://www.sheltonstate.edu/Uploads/files/faculty/Angela%20Gibson/Sph%20106/taboos0001.pdf.

    Read More

  • Body Language Essay

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    When we think about communication, we think about interactions. So what is your body language communicating to me? This are the words that Amy Cuddy a social physiologist, uses when she start up her talk about body language. Cuddy’s talk “how body language shapes who you are” explains how body language can identify how much power one is feeling just by observing someone’s body language. Amy Cuddy states that when one expands one is feeling power, and when the opposite is done which is shrinking one is feeling powerless.

    Read More

  • Verbal Communication

    1500 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are different types of communication (verbal, nonverbal, paralinguistic). Verbal communication is communicating with words. For instance, an individual speaks to another at a business meeting regarding profit margins. Second, nonverbal communication is communicating without the use of words but through gesture, body language, facial expression and eye contact (Baron, Branscombe, Byrne). Also these physical expressions can provide powerful and valuable information about others’ current feelings and reactions without the need of words. Lastly paralinguistic is defined as the use of emotional expression, gestures, and the location of the body in relation to the other's body, eye contact, and level of voice instead of verbally expressing these cues (Triandis). Additionally, paralinguistic is also known as paralanguage as a way to modify or nuance meaning, or convey emotion, with the use of pitch, volume, and intonation (Triandis). For instance, as described by Triandis’ article Culture and Communication, “in Bulgaria and south India a nod means "no,” and a shake of the head, means "yes".” It’s interesting how Triandis describes the amount of difficulty it was to compre...

    Read More

  • Body Language Essay

    1314 Words  | 3 Pages

    The current multilingual society places an emphasis on the knowledge and application of language, be it English, Spanish, Chinese, etc. However, there is one universal language, commonly overlooked, that links every ethnicity and cultural background together: body language. Despite this omnipresent quality of body cues, the majority of the public does not understand the impact body language creates and the information it provides about a person. Every individual, regardless of age, sex, culture, and ethnicity, exhibits these uncontrollable gestures. From an instantaneous dilation of the eyes to a subtle turn of the feet, these involuntary actions become the key to unlocking the mind of an individual. Body language, however, does have variations such as between genders and regions. Male body language is generally more assertive and aggressive than that of females. The term body language includes all forms of communication without spoken words such as facial expressions, presentation of oneself, arm gestures, distance between two people, etc. (Pease) Verbal communication is used to express factual information while non-verbal language is used for “negotiating interpersonal attitudes.” (Beattie) This non-verbal communication has its roots during the primitive periods of development and is the link between humans and their evolutionary roots. Although humans have separated themselves from the ‘lower minds’ of animals through spoken language, people still demonstrate these involuntary movements in their everyday routines. Body language is an intrinsic mechanism which reveals the individual’s state of mind by forcing the external body to reflect the int...

    Read More

  • Effects Of Body Language Essay

    571 Words  | 2 Pages

    Your body language may speak louder than your words. Nonverbal communication is very obvious. Body Language is the easiest way to tell how someone really feels about a certain topic. The sayings body language and nonverbal communication are the same thing. Body language is very powerful because it can communicate things without a word being spoken.

    Read More

  • Why Is Communication Important to Humans?

    2155 Words  | 5 Pages

    Before the spoken word was commonly used to communicate, there was body language. Body language allowed people to effectively communicate with one another. Non-verbal gestures, facial expressions, and movements were used to express thoughts and feelings when the mouth was not. Later in history, a famous philosopher, politician, and scientist by the name of Francis Bacon stated that “as the tongue speaks to the ear so the gesture speaks to the eye.” Even though spoken l...

    Read More

  • Body Language Essay

    787 Words  | 2 Pages

    Body language is not a spoken language but it is an act or behavior that humans perform to express their internal feelings and emotions more clearly to others.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Effective Communication

    628 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...tention to how people react to one another’s comments, guessing the relationship between the people and guessing how each feels about what is being said. This can inform individuals to better understand the use of body language when conversing with other people. It is also important to take into account individual differences. Different cultures use different non-verbal gestures. Frequently, when observing these gestures alone the observer can get the wrong impression, for instance, the listener can subconsciously cross their arms. This does not mean that they are bored or annoyed with the speaker; it can be a gesture that they are comfortable with. Viewing gestures as a whole will prevent these misunderstandings. Non-verbal gestures are not only physical, for example; the tone of voice addressing a child will be different from the way it is addressed to an adult.

    Read More

More about Nonverbal Communication: The Types Of Body Language In Communication

Open Document