The meaning of words
Vocal:
The meaning of words can be altered significantly by changing the intonation of one’s voice. Think of how many ways you can say “no”-you could express mild doubt, terror, amazement, anger among other emotions. Vocal meanings vary across cultures. Intonation in one culture can mean support; another anger
Use of Time as Nonverbal Communication:
Use of time can communicate how we view our own status and power in relation to others. Think about how a subordinate and his/her boss would view arriving at a place for an agreed upon meeting…
Physical Space:
For most of us, someone standing very close to us makes us uncomfortable. We feel our “space” has been invaded. People seek to extend their territory in many ways to attain power and intimacy. We tend to mark our territory either with permanent walls, or in a classroom with our coat, pen, paper, etc. We like to protect and control our territory. For Americans, the “intimate zone” is about two feet; this can vary from culture to culture. This zone is reserved for our closest friends. The “personal zone” from about 2-4 feet usually is reserved for family and friends. The social zone (4-12 feet) is where most business transactions take place. The “public zone” (over 12 feet) is used for lectures. Similarly, we use “things” to communicate. This can involve expensive things, neat or messy things, photographs, plants, etc. Image: We use clothing and other dimensions of physical appearance to communicate our values and expectations
Nonverbal Communication:
A “majority” of the meaning we attribute to words comes not from the words themselves, but from nonverbal factors such as gestures, facial expressions, tone, body language, etc. Nonverbal cues can play five roles:
21.Repetition: they can repeat the message the person is making verbally
22.Contradiction: they can contradict a message the individual is trying to convey
23.Substitution: they can substitute for a verbal message. For example, a person’s eyes can often convey a far more vivid message than words and often do
24.Complementing: they may add to or complement a verbal message. A boss who pats a person on the back in addition to giving praise can increase the impact of the message
25.Accenting: non-verbal communication may accept or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for example, can underline a message.
Skillful communicators understand the importance of nonverbal communication and use it to increase their effectiveness, as well as use it to understand more clearly what someone else is really saying.
A word of warning: Nonverbal cues can differ dramatically from culture to culture. An American hand gesture meaning “A-OK” would be viewed as obscene in some South American countries. Be careful.
