1. Nonverbal Communication
•An Introduction to a Field

2. The Basic Communication Model
Message
•Sender
•(Encoder)
Channel
Receiver
(Decoder)
Feedback
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3. • 1) It seems that we cannot, not communicate. That is,
we constantly behave.
• 2) Nonverbal behaviors can influence both sender and
receiver
• 3) The role of nonverbal communication can change
from person to person
Three Important Points

4. •
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•
•
•
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Omnipresent
Multifunctional
(some behaviors) Universal
Affect Understanding
Primacy
Trusted
NV Important to Study
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5. •
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•
•
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Defining Nonverbal Communication
Classifying Nonverbal Behavior
Nonverbal comm. in the communication process
History of Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication in everyday life
Five Perspectives of Nonverbal
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6. • A. What do we mean by Nonverbal
Communication?
• “The study of behaviors other than
words that create shared meaning
between people who are interacting
with one another,” (Hale, 2003)
Defining Nonverbal Communication

7. • Processing Nonverbal
Communication
• Encoding
• Decoding
• Awareness and Control
• Level of Awareness
• Level of Control over a
Behavior
Defining Nonverbal Communication
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8. • The Communication Environment
• Physical Environment
• Fixed features (e.g. room, walls)
• Movable Objects (e.g., desks, lamps)
• Architecture
• Spatial Environment
• Proxemics
Classifying Nonverbal Behavior

9. • The Communicator’s Physical Characteristics
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•
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Attractiveness
Body shape
Odor
Artifacts
Tattoos
Defining Nonverbal Communication
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10.  Body Movement and Position
 Kinesics – the study of how humans use movement to
communicate
1. Speech-Independent
2. Speech-Related
 Gestures
 Posture
 Touching
 Facial Expressions
 Vocal Behavior
 Nonverbal TED Talk
Defining Nonverbal Communication
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11. • Emoticons/CMC
• Technology has not reduced the importance of NV communication,
rather the opposite
• We now rely on NV in CMC more than we ever have 
• Time
• Chronemics - Study of how time can be used to communicate
• For example, what does being late to every class communicate?
Nonverbal Communication
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12.  The verbal and nonverbal dimensions of communication are
often woven together to create the entire communication
process.
 Verbal and Nonverbal Interrelate
 Repeating
 Conflicting
 Complementing
 Substituting
 Accenting and Moderating
 Regulating
Nonverbal Communication in the
Total Communication Process

13.  NV Communication has been around for centuries
 Scholars have primarily been interested in the
functions of nonverbal communication
1.
2.
3.
4.
Expressing emotions
Conveying interpersonal attitudes
Presenting one’s personality to others
Accompanying speech for the purposes of turn taking,
feedback, attention…
History of Nonverbal Communication
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14.  Most Importantly…
 One cannot communicate effectively unless he/she has an
appropriate use of NV in their interactions
 First impressions
 Attire, smiling, posture, proximity all tell you something about the
individual
 The negative aspects of a first impression are remembered much
longer than the positive.
 Occupations
 NV communication plays a large role in our jobs as well
Nonverbal Communication in
Everyday Life
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15. It is virtually impossible to separate verbal and nonverbal
communication
 Most often used together to communicate a message
The symbolic nature of communication is an inherent and
important aspect of communication
The amount of control we have varies
 Some things we may have very little control over (e.g., the shape
of the building we work in), while other things we have a high
levels of control (e.g., the clothes we wear)
Extra Notes
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