Nonverbal Communication and Body Language

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Actions speak louder than words. When having a conversation with someone, your body language speaks louder than your words. Men’s brains and women’s brains work differently, which causes them to have slightly different forms of interaction. Men have different proxemics, kinesics, and paralanguage than women do. Understanding these differences allow us to communicate effectively. All individuals give and receive nonverbal cues during conversation. Most individuals, when unsure whether to consider the speaker’s verbal or nonverbal cues, will pick nonverbal cues. This is because one’s nonverbal messages are natural and unconscious. It broadcasts the talker’s true feeling and intentions and typically never fails to do so. (Segal, Smith, Boose, and Jaffe, 2013) Nonverbal communications transfer various things. It regulates spoken conversation and gives feedback to the narrator; it is the foundation of relationships and tells about the truthfulness of a statement. (Skillsoyuneed.com) It modifies what was said in words in various ways. Body language cues have five major roles. The first is repetition. It repeats what the person said verbally, such as smiling while talking about how happy an event made them feel. The second is contradicting. One can contradict what they are trying to convey by giving an opposite message with their bodily gestures. An example would be making a face of disgust while complimenting an outfit. Substitution is another form of body language that plays a big role in any interaction. When somebody is deeply pained, they don’t need words to convey their sadness for it can be seen in their eyes. A person can complement what he said with his body language too. Rubbing one’s temples will show on the stress he ... ... middle of paper ... ... vary. This frequently leads to miscommunications and therefore, it is crucial to be educated about nonverbal communications in order to maximize relationships and interactions. Works Cited Brent, Michael. “Differences in Nonverbal Cues Used by Men & Women”. Ehow.com. Web. Cherry, Kendra. “Types of Nonverbal Communication”. Psychology.about.com. Web Gender and Non-Verbal Communication Miller, Ann N. “Men and Women’s Communication is Different-Sometimes” Natcom.org. February 2011. Web. Navarro, Joe and Marvin Karlins. What Every Body is Saying. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2008. Print. “Nonverbal Communication”. Skillsyouneed.com. Web “Nonverbal Communication Differences in Men and Women”. Thewordsofkim.wordpress.com. 16 January 2013. Web. Segal, Jeanne, Melinda Smith, Greg Boose, and Jaelline Jaffe. “Nonverbal Communication”. Helpguide.org. May 2013. Web.

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