The Elements of Nonverbal Behaviour
Our nonverbal
behaviour is a powerful method of communication – so powerful, in fact, that it
may speak for us even if we think we are silent. For example, if you
are standing alone at a street corner, tapping your fingers while glancing at
your watch, and letting out a sigh, you probably think that you have not said
anything. While you have not spoken anything verbally, you have actually
communicated a lot of information nonverbally. In fact, you could have said: "I am busy and growing impatient; I wish this
light would change so I can cross the street; I am so frustrated!" and
the same meaning would be understood. Right? But how did we know this? Quite
simply, the elements (or components) of your nonverbal behaviour gave you
away. Your finger tapping conveyed
impatience, the act of glancing at your watch conveyed that you were busy and
needed to be somewhere soon, and your sigh indicated frustration.
As you can see from the above example, nonverbal behaviour involves a broad range of behaviours that we are not often aware of. Since the range of these behaviours is so broad, when trying to understand the concept of communicating nonverbally, it is best to examine the elements of nonverbal behaviour that exist in six categories of related behaviours:
1. Kinesics - communication through body language;
2. Paralanguage - the vocal features that accompany spoken words;
3. Haptics - communication through touch;
4. Proxemics - communication through the use of space;
5. Chronemics - communication through the use of time; and
6. Artifacts - communication through objects.
This page will discuss the behaviours within each category in detail and illustrate how the behaviours work together to impact the messages we send to others.
As you can see from the above example, nonverbal behaviour involves a broad range of behaviours that we are not often aware of. Since the range of these behaviours is so broad, when trying to understand the concept of communicating nonverbally, it is best to examine the elements of nonverbal behaviour that exist in six categories of related behaviours:
1. Kinesics - communication through body language;
2. Paralanguage - the vocal features that accompany spoken words;
3. Haptics - communication through touch;
4. Proxemics - communication through the use of space;
5. Chronemics - communication through the use of time; and
6. Artifacts - communication through objects.
This page will discuss the behaviours within each category in detail and illustrate how the behaviours work together to impact the messages we send to others.
Kinesics
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/4/4/16443238/1362445529.jpg)
By far, the broadest range of our nonverbal behaviours exists in the kinesic, or body language, category. These behaviours include our facial expressions, gestures (such as waving or giving a 'thumbs up'), eye behaviours (such as gazing or staring), and posture. For the most part, kinesic behaviours are telling indicators of our emotions. For example, after only a mere glance at the photo in Figure 2, you will note from the downward gaze, frowning mouth, and slouched posture that the girl in the photograph is sad.
However, body language does not convey emotion alone. As Miles Patterson explains in his book, More Than Words: The Power of Nonverbal Communication (2010), facial expressions and posture can also be signs of our intentions (or our plans to act in a certain way). Drawing on the work of social psychologist Alan Fridlund, Patterson (2010) offers that when we smile at another person, we are not just communicating our feelings of happiness, but we are also signalling our "willingness to cooperate and be friendly" (p. 45) with that person.
On a deeper level, kinesic behaviour can also reveal our attitudes. Attitudes are defined as positive or negative reactions towards a person, object, or idea (Kassin, Fein, Markus, & Burke, 2013). With this definition in mind, if we are facing someone with our arms crossed and leaning our body slightly away from them, our behaviours are generally good indicators of the negative attitude we hold towards them.
Sometimes, our kinesic behaviour can even act as a substitute for verbal words. Certain gestures such as a wave or making an 'ok' sign with our fingers have the same significance as verbally speaking the words “hello”, or “okay” (as shown in Figure 3). You might even recognize the words that are suggested when someone raises their middle finger at you – however, those words will not be listed here!
However, body language does not convey emotion alone. As Miles Patterson explains in his book, More Than Words: The Power of Nonverbal Communication (2010), facial expressions and posture can also be signs of our intentions (or our plans to act in a certain way). Drawing on the work of social psychologist Alan Fridlund, Patterson (2010) offers that when we smile at another person, we are not just communicating our feelings of happiness, but we are also signalling our "willingness to cooperate and be friendly" (p. 45) with that person.
On a deeper level, kinesic behaviour can also reveal our attitudes. Attitudes are defined as positive or negative reactions towards a person, object, or idea (Kassin, Fein, Markus, & Burke, 2013). With this definition in mind, if we are facing someone with our arms crossed and leaning our body slightly away from them, our behaviours are generally good indicators of the negative attitude we hold towards them.
Sometimes, our kinesic behaviour can even act as a substitute for verbal words. Certain gestures such as a wave or making an 'ok' sign with our fingers have the same significance as verbally speaking the words “hello”, or “okay” (as shown in Figure 3). You might even recognize the words that are suggested when someone raises their middle finger at you – however, those words will not be listed here!
Paralanguage
The second category of nonverbal behaviour, paralanguage, refers to the vocal features that accompany our spoken words. This includes the volume, tone, and pitch of our voice, along with gasps and sighs. Paralanguage conveys our emotions by way of modifying the meaning of the words we speak. For example, consider the sentence, "There is a dog over there" as spoken in a conversational volume with a moderate tone and pitch. Then consider the same sentence in a higher volume and pitch with a sharp tone. Certainly the second example reveals a feeling of excitement, while the first sentence does not. Now, whether the feeling of excitement in the second example is positive or negative depends on any kinesic behaviour that accompanies the words and paralanguage. The table below illustrates this concept well.
Haptics
Haptic behaviour refers to the ways we communicate by touching others as well as ourselves. Like kinesics and paralanguage, haptic behaviour conveys emotion. For example, when you hug a loved one, you convey your feelings of affection; when you place a firm hand on your child's back while scolding him, you convey your feelings of anger (Knapp & Hall, 2009); and when you frequently rub or your own neck, you convey your feelings of stress or anxiety (Patterson, 2010).
The use of haptic behaviour is also thought to signify power and dominance. Nancy Henley (as cited in Kassin et al., 2013) argued that people in higher-class social positions will touch others in lower-class social positions as a means of expressing feelings of dominance. Although Henley's argument has since been refuted by more current research (Hall, Coats, & LeBeau, 2005) revealing that touch is not reserved for those in power, there is still a possibility that conveying dominance is a function of haptic behaviour.
The use of haptic behaviour is also thought to signify power and dominance. Nancy Henley (as cited in Kassin et al., 2013) argued that people in higher-class social positions will touch others in lower-class social positions as a means of expressing feelings of dominance. Although Henley's argument has since been refuted by more current research (Hall, Coats, & LeBeau, 2005) revealing that touch is not reserved for those in power, there is still a possibility that conveying dominance is a function of haptic behaviour.
Proxemics
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/4/4/16443238/1361847818.jpg)
Proxemics, a term first coined in 1966 by Edward T. Hall, refers to the manner in which we use space to communicate, and includes both personal space (such as the distance between ourselves and others) and physical space (such as the way we arrange physical items within a spacial territory).
When thinking about how we use personal space, it is important to note that when we communicate with others, we prefer to do so within specific distances that vary depending on the context of the situation. These distances are often referred to as our comfort zones (O'Neil, 2009). With this in mind, when someone moves in to – or backs away from – our comfort zone, feelings and attitudes can be conveyed. For example, imagine you are on a first date with someone you do not know very well. Throughout much of your date, you maintain a distance between the two of you that is similar to the distance you would keep if you were merely out with your friends or co-workers. However, while you are watching a movie, you notice that your date keeps moving closer to you - so close that he or she is almost touching you. In this case, you would be able to decipher from the fact that your date has moved into your once-established comfort zone that he or she is conveying feelings of endearment towards you. Now imagine first that you do not share those feelings of endearment, and the fact that your date has invaded your comfort zone makes you unhappy. You could convey this unhappiness by backing away from your date, not only allowing your unhappy feelings to be heard, but also your attitude of rejection. However, if you did share those feelings of endearment and you are happy with this new proximity between you and your date, this distance becomes the new comfort zone appropriate to the now-romantic situation.
Invasions of comfort zones are not just indicators of feelings and attitudes, but also of power. As suggested by Kassin et al. (2013), when people want to convey their dominance, they are more likely to "encroach [. . .] on others' personal space" (p. 106). Perhaps you have experienced this phenomenon at your workplace. If you have ever had a manager place himself close to you while watching you work, you can be quite sure that he has done so to convey his sense of power.
When considering how we communicate through physical space, we are referring to how items within a given space (or territory) are arranged to "control the nature of interaction" (O'Neil, 2009, para. 12). Generally, this control of interaction reveals attitudes. For example, O'Neil (2009) suggests that in a North American office, a manager may have a negative attitude towards interacting with workers and therefore minimizes contact with them by arranging his or her workspace in a separate room (see Figure 5). Conversely, in a Japanese office, a manager may have a positive attitude towards interacting with workers and will arrange to sit near them (see Figure 6).
When thinking about how we use personal space, it is important to note that when we communicate with others, we prefer to do so within specific distances that vary depending on the context of the situation. These distances are often referred to as our comfort zones (O'Neil, 2009). With this in mind, when someone moves in to – or backs away from – our comfort zone, feelings and attitudes can be conveyed. For example, imagine you are on a first date with someone you do not know very well. Throughout much of your date, you maintain a distance between the two of you that is similar to the distance you would keep if you were merely out with your friends or co-workers. However, while you are watching a movie, you notice that your date keeps moving closer to you - so close that he or she is almost touching you. In this case, you would be able to decipher from the fact that your date has moved into your once-established comfort zone that he or she is conveying feelings of endearment towards you. Now imagine first that you do not share those feelings of endearment, and the fact that your date has invaded your comfort zone makes you unhappy. You could convey this unhappiness by backing away from your date, not only allowing your unhappy feelings to be heard, but also your attitude of rejection. However, if you did share those feelings of endearment and you are happy with this new proximity between you and your date, this distance becomes the new comfort zone appropriate to the now-romantic situation.
Invasions of comfort zones are not just indicators of feelings and attitudes, but also of power. As suggested by Kassin et al. (2013), when people want to convey their dominance, they are more likely to "encroach [. . .] on others' personal space" (p. 106). Perhaps you have experienced this phenomenon at your workplace. If you have ever had a manager place himself close to you while watching you work, you can be quite sure that he has done so to convey his sense of power.
When considering how we communicate through physical space, we are referring to how items within a given space (or territory) are arranged to "control the nature of interaction" (O'Neil, 2009, para. 12). Generally, this control of interaction reveals attitudes. For example, O'Neil (2009) suggests that in a North American office, a manager may have a negative attitude towards interacting with workers and therefore minimizes contact with them by arranging his or her workspace in a separate room (see Figure 5). Conversely, in a Japanese office, a manager may have a positive attitude towards interacting with workers and will arrange to sit near them (see Figure 6).
Chronemics
The fifth
category of nonverbal behaviour is chronemics, which refers to how we use time
to communicate. Specific behaviours
within this category include punctuality and willingness to wait (University of
Louisville College of Business, n.d.), arriving late (Qwerty Learning Systems,
1998), and promptness (Poyatos, 1983).
These behaviours may convey our attitudes towards certain tasks (if you have a positive attitude towards your job, you will likely show
up on time), but they may also convey power.
For example, as O'Neil (2009) suggests, it is expected that people of a
lower-class social position show up on time to meetings, but those who hold a
higher-class social position expect that others will wait for them. Similarly, Qwerty Learning Systems (1998)
mentions that senior executives in a business environment may attempt to
"emphasize her or his position and power" (p. 8-22) by consistently
arriving late to meetings.
Artifacts
The final category of nonverbal behaviour, artifacts, refers to the way we use objects to communicate something about ourselves. This concept is often seen with our choice of clothing, which can convey our interests (such as a T-shirt with the picture of a favourite band), status (such as wearing expensive clothing), or intentions (such as wearing sexually-provocative clothing). Further, as Sam Gosling (as cited in Kassin et al., 2013) notes, an array of people's personal items (such as knickknacks and books) can be telling indicators of an individual's personality. Undoubtedly, it is apparent that there is much we communicate without the use of words!
Working Together: The Impacts of Nonverbal Behaviour
A central part of understanding nonverbal behaviour involves acknowledging that the behaviours within each category work together to impact (or have an effect on) communication in various ways. One way that nonverbal behaviour impacts communication is by speaking for us when we do not. As shown in the example at the top of this page, even if you believed that you were not communicating while you stood alone at a street corner, a passerby who observed your behaviour would have perceived your impatience and frustration 'loud and clear'. Nonverbal behaviour also impacts communication by accompanying spoken words to increase the intensity of a message. For example, Knapp and Hall (2009) illustrate this concept by explaining that when a father frowns and places a firm grip on his son’s shoulder while scolding him for staying out too late, the message is amplified. A third way that nonverbal behaviour impacts communication is by contradicting the messages we speak verbally. For example, we may tell an interviewer that we are a suitable and confident candidate for a job, but our slouching posture and shaky-sounding voice may tell them otherwise. Above all, what is important to keep in mind is that all of our nonverbal behaviours influence the messages we send to others in some way – a fact telling us that nonverbal behaviour is a vital concept to remain cognizant of in our daily interactions with others.