non verbal communication thesis

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• J Adv Med Educ Prof
• v.5(2); 2017 Apr

The impact of the teachers’ non-verbal communication on success in teaching

Fatemeh bambaeeroo.

1 Paramedical Sciences Faculty, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

NASRIN SHOKRPOUR

2 English Department, Paramedical Sciences Faculty, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Introduction:

Non-verbal communication skills, also called sign language or silent language, include all behaviors performed in the presence of others or perceived either consciously or unconsciously. The main aim of this review article was to determine the effect of the teachers’ non-verbal communication on success in teaching using the findings of the studies conducted on the relationship between quality of teaching and the teachers’ use of non-verbal communication and also its impact on success in teaching.

Considering the research method, i.e. a review article, we searched for all articles in this field using key words such as success in teaching, verbal communication and non-verbal communication. In this study, we did not encode the articles.

The results of this revealed that there was a strong relationship among the quality, amount and the method of using non-verbal communication by teachers while teaching. Based on the findings of the studies reviewed, it was found that the more the teachers used verbal and non-verbal communication, the more efficacious their education and the students’ academic progress were. Under non-verbal communication, some other patterns were used. For example, emotive, team work, supportive, imaginative, purposive, and balanced communication using speech, body, and pictures all have been effective in students’ learning and academic success. The teachers’ attention to the students’ non-verbal reactions and arranging the syllabus considering the students’ mood and readiness have been emphasized in the studies reviewed.

Conclusion:

It was concluded that if this skill is practiced by teachers, it will have a positive and profound effect on the students’ mood. Non-verbal communication is highly reliable in the communication process, so if the recipient of a message is between two contradictory verbal and nonverbal messages, logic dictates that we push him toward the non-verbal message and ask him to pay more attention to non-verbal than verbal messages because non-verbal cues frequently reveal the intention of the sender of the information and reflect his/her emotional reactions. Based on the obtained results of this study, it is recommended that attention to non-verbal communication skills can make a positive change in the future of a student’s life. It seems necessary for the teachers to practice and learn effective communication skills, especially for those who always interact with a large group of students. One of the factors contributing to the success or failure of students is the quality of the relationship and how the teacher builds this relationship with students. Especially, it is more effective for students who are more responsive to human relations and communication skills. Finally, it is recommended that the teachers should improve their communication skills to have better communication with their audience. The authorities are recommended to help improve the teachers’ level of communication skills through holding training courses.

Introduction

Communication is one of the God’s great gifts bestowed to human. God not only created speaking potential with diverse dialects in the human body, but also taught him how to use it through inspiration, his inner instinct, or external guidance. Among different forms of communication in human communities, education, or teaching, requires effective communication with the learner if it is to be successful. The person with a holy job as teaching should be competent in a variety of skills, one of the important of which is body language or non-verbal communication.

The main aim of this review article was to determine the effect of the teachers’ non-verbal communication on success in teaching using the findings of the studies conducted on the relationship between quality of teaching and the teachers’ use of non-verbal communication and its impact on success in teaching. In this study, we reviewed the related research on: Verbal and non-verbal communication concepts, Teaching concept and various communication skills used in teaching, The barriers to effective non-verbal communication during teaching and suggestions for teachers’ success in effective non-verbal communication with the students.

Subsidiary questions: To deeply survey different aspects of the subject under the study, the following questions were posed: 1) What is non-verbal communication? 2) Does the use of non-verbal communication lead to success in teaching? 3) What are the efficacious methods of non-verbal communication during teaching?

In this study, we reviewed the available and related articles to the research subject and objectives.

The findings of this study can be summarized as follows:

• 1. The correlation between the academic staff’s communication skills and the students’ academic success was 0.572, indicating the significant and positive relationship between the mentioned factors ( 1 ).
• 2. The correlation coefficient among the teachers’ non-verbal communication skills, their verbal communication and the students’ academic achievement was 0.81 which reveals the significant relationship among these factors ( 2 ).
• 3. The students undergoing inappropriate behaviors in class and school have learned such features as obedience, adaptation, lack of assertiveness, and avoidance from objections, all of which have deteriorated their tendency toward curiosity, creativity, self-esteem, and independence ( 3 ). Emphasis on the students’ obedience in school will make the students learn dependence rather than freedom and independence, social discipline rather than personal respect, imitation of others’ personality rather than self-development, and obedience of the rules set by others rather than self-discipline. Such students usually lack sufficient self-esteem and independence and have no favorable attitude toward their own personality. Such features are not consistent with educational aims and hinder proper education.
• 4. There was a significant relationship between non-verbal communication, as one of the communication skills, and the efficacy of educational departments (p=0.54). Also, there was a significant relationship between the lecturers’ communication skills and increase in the students’ motivation to learn and their academic success (p=0.60, p=0.54) ( 4 ).
• 5. In a study on the factors affecting improvement in educational communication, Mortazavi ( 5 ) stated various effective communications in the educational fields including pictorial communication, the Internet and computer relations, relationship with the learning environment attention, etc., among which the latter and verbal and non-verbal communication are the most effective on both teacher and learner.
• Synthesis of findings : The synthesis of the results of the studies reviewed can be summarized as follows:

1. The concept of communication

Man needs to communicate with others in his daily life. Daily activities show that many activities cannot be performed without communicating with others. Many researchers and experts have defined communication. For example, Aristotle defined communication as the use of available resources to find a way to encourage others express their ideas and opinions. The aim of communication is to develop motivation in the addressee.

Communication means social development and the source of culture and spiritual development so that lack of communication leads to a relative static state in human life, which prevents any kind of social development ( 6 ). One of the characteristics of professional teachers is their ability to engage in effective, meaningful and purposeful relationship with educators. In case a teacher is scientifically competent but is not able to communicate effectively with the learners, he/she is not able to teach satisfactorily; thus, the teaching-learning process has not been fully implemented.

To this end, for more teachers’ familiarity, scholars of the field of education should firstly acquire the information and skills which are required to communicate well with students. Various methods of communication suggest these skills as those of the relationship between voluntary and involuntary, formal and informal, one-sided and two-way, and verbal and non-verbal communication.

2. The concept of teaching

Safavi ( 7 ) points out in his research that different definitions of teaching have been provided by different researchers, all of which have two characteristics in common:

• ✓ Interaction or relationship between teachers and learners
• ✓ objectivity of this activity on behalf of the teacher

Thus, teaching can be defined as teacher’s planned activities to create an ever-lasting change in the learners’ behavior which is done in the form of a mutual relationship. The stronger this relationship and the communication skills are, the deeper the outcome of this interaction will be, i.e. the stable and effective learning. Only in this way the teacher can develop and emerge the students' potentials. Therefore, before any action for teaching, the teacher’s relationship with the students should be strengthened at the beginning.

3. Importance of non-verbal communication

Non-verbal communication is often more subtle and more effective than verbal communication and can convey meaning better than words. For example, perhaps a smile conveys our feeling much easier than words. Silent speech is of great importance in human’s daily interactions and it influences one’s chances of failure or success in personal and professional social encounters.

Also, the Holy Quran in several cases refers to this point, for example for the tolerant and poor people, it is stated: “You would know them by their appearance” and says about the hypocrites: “and you will know them by the tone of their speech”. Also, Imam Ali (AS) believed that one’s appearance is the indicator of his/her internal state. Whenever a person conceals something in his/her heart, it manifests itself in the expressions of his face. “No one can hide anything in the unseen since it is evident in his/her thoughtless words and his/her face”.

According to the studies conducted, at each conversation only seven percent of the concepts are expressed in the form of spoken words. Most of the information is transferred through the complex combination of appearance, posture, limb movement, sight, and facial expressions. On the other hand, the effect of most body language acts lower than the addressee’s awareness, i.e. the addressee receives the profound effects of the issue without being aware of it. So, the people who have the ability to use these skills have the potential to guide others in a particular direction to achieve their goals, and precisely for this reason most of the human interactions involve non-verbal communication. Body language has the power to transfer the attitudes and feelings of people to others and in many cases can be even more effective than verbal messages ( 8 ).

In this regard, numerous studies have been conducted by Oskouhi et al. ( 1 ) on the role of non-verbal communication on educational performance of faculty members of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resource University in Sari; the results of the study showed a significant positive correlation between non-verbal communication skills and educational performance of Sari faculty members of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University.

4- Variety of communication skills in teaching

As mentioned above, proper communication between the teacher and students is the most important skills in teaching. If this relationship is well established, educational goals will be more easily realized with a high quality.

In the process of communicating, three main factors play a role, including signaling (teacher), messages (instructional), receiver (student) ( 9 ). Accordingly, first of all, the teacher himself/herself or by teaching aids sends a message to the students as the receiver of the message. In the next step, the students respond to teacher’s messages and send a new message to the teacher who is the receiver of the message this time. An important point in communication process is that the teacher-students relationship in the classroom is one of the complex human relationships, and certainly different ways are involved in how to establish this communication, e.g. two types of verbal and non-verbal communication.

Verbal communication in teaching

Such communication can be defined as total relationships that can be achieved through speaking and conversation. Teachers should use the words carefully to be successful in teaching. Each word provokes a feeling in people, specific emotions, and distinct function. If the words are applied in their proper place, it would affect the soul and body of the audience immediately. Therefore, it is appropriate that the teacher avoids using negative words in dealing with the students, i.e. such words as “I can’t, it’s impossible, is not possible, never, etc...”.

A successful educator in the field of teaching should be aware of the power of words and its impact on the audience and avoid using words habitually without thinking. Also, ordering is one of the conflicts which leads to failure in human interaction. The teacher should express his opinion with proper words and within the defined framework for his comments to be effective and penetrating. Therefore, the teacher, as the sender of the message, should first determine the framework of his message and then express his expectations of the students frankly with appropriate tone and words ( 3 ).

Expression of words clearly and eloquently by the educator causes the students to listen with dignity and willingness, sum up the facts, and think to solve the problem and supply the teacher’s comment without any tension or boredom. But using biased phrases often raises a sense of stubbornness and humiliation in the trainee, puts him out of the cycle of learning and deep understanding of scientific content completely, and leaves irreparable psychological effects on the student.

In the selection of words, the intended concept must be exactly in the words of the educator. It is appropriate to use clear, concise, accurate, polite, correct and rich expression in oral communication with the audience to transmit the speaker's intentions to the audience properly ( 4 ).

Verbal skills are generally divided into four parts: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Among these skills, speaking has the higher degree of importance and usefulness and has more decisive impact on oral communication with the audience ( 10 ).

It is worth noting that speaking skill requires non-verbal communication, or body language to complete its impact on the audience. In interactive communication which is based only on words and phrases, and the message sender does not use any non-verbal communication methods such as facial expressions, eye contact, and overall condition of the body and hands movement, we cannot not expect proper understanding of the message from the audience

Non-verbal communication during teaching

More than half of our face to face conversations are non-verbal and sign language, and gestures express our feelings and attitudes without saying a word. There was a significant correlation between the teacher’s appropriate and timely verbal and non-verbal behaviors and students’ achievement and good behavior ( 2 ). The results of the present study indicated that there was a correlation between the teachers’ verbal and non-verbal communication skills and students’ learning and motivation. Ambiguity in the teacher’s speech is known as the main obstacle in the teachers and students’ relationship, and in total, according to the teachers, most of the communication barriers in schools are related to human.

If the teacher has an encouraging manner tailored to the students’ status, he/she can achieve effective results with his communication with students. Also, if the teacher uses humiliating speech, his relationship with the students will deteriorate ( 3 ).

Facial expression, eye contact, physical appearance, etc. … express a message. Facial expression is more effective than other modes of non-verbal cues and gives us a lot of information about the emotional status of others to the extent that some theorists believe that facial expression is the most important source of information after language.

In the field of teaching, certainly one of the main characteristics of good teachers is good communication skill in classroom, and most of the observed stress in the classroom arises from the lack of proper communication ( 4 ). The classroom administration and constructive conflict resolution in the classroom require good communication skills, the most important of which is non-verbal skills. By using this skill, teachers can play a major role in the success of their students. Through the use of non-verbal language, teachers draw the student’s attention to more understanding and motivate the students and even bring excitement to the bored students. The students unconsciously receive non-verbal signals sent from the teacher; they immediately notice that the one standing before them is teaching by all his/her will or is constantly waiting for the class to be ended.

Therefore, it should be mentioned that non-verbal communication can supplement or replace verbal communication; it is either a repetition of verbal messages, making verbal communication more prominent and specific, or completes the verbal communication. Human beings use non-verbal behavior in order to complete their interpersonal interaction; they rely on non-verbal behavior to recognize when to speak, when to let others to speak, and how to speak.

Non-verbal communication often makes interactional concepts since communication always has two literal and conceptual levels of meaning, and this type of communication is associated with semantic level. It reflects cultural values. This claim implicitly indicates that most of the non-verbal behaviors are acquired during socialization and are totally variable, depending on culture and traditions ( 11 ).

An important point in non-verbal communication is the use of this relationship, especially when teaching correctly and timely ( 12 ). Teachers who had used non-verbal communication techniques in interacting with students with physical and motor impairment in Tehran province had played an effective role in increasing the students’ self-esteem and reducing their shyness ( 13 ). An appropriate method of using non-verbal communication is that the teacher gives problem solving assignment to the student according to their intellectual ability. He shows them that he is aware of their abilities and creates motivation in them. Thus, he is willing to solve the problem; on the other hand, if the teacher indirectly tells the students that he doesn’t think he is able to solve the problem, the student will be afraid as well. These mutual reactions are not important in school; rather, they are important in all human relationships, especially between parents and children ( 14 ).

The teacher’s timely use of non-verbal communication can be done through a simple greeting with students which is the best way to start the class, and is of course impossible without non-verbal language ( 5 ). An experienced speaker begins his speech by talking directly to one of the listeners, tries to look at each student throughout the speech one by one, and changes the tone of his voice during a speech so that the students do not get tired.

Teachers’ non-verbal language can be effective if students can see the teacher rather than the teacher was being hidden behind a desk or board or teaching while turning his back to students. The best place for the teacher in class is standing near his/her table and all students see him. The teacher should not put his hands in his pockets, as this limits his activeness. It is best for the teacher to keep his/her hands free; this indicates the readiness of teachers to communicate with the students. The teacher must sometimes change his place, but if he/she always changes his/her place physically in class, the focus of learners will reduce and learning process will not proceed. Another important point is that the teacher must look at individual students. Otherwise, the students will have the impression that the teacher is ignoring them, so the effect of looking at the audience is undeniable.

The right way for addressing the student is that the teacher should not point to the student by his/her finger when asking question because the student feels fearful and anxious in this case. The best method is that the teacher assumes a space with the student looks at him/her directly and points to him/her with full hand ( 8 ).

Conscious use of non-verbal language is not a show, but rather it makes the effects of individual words better; the more natural the non-verbal language is, the more acceptable it is to the audience. Teachers who use non-verbal language properly have a better relationship with their students.

Often some barriers to effective communication, both verbal and non-verbal, arise in the classroom. In order to communicate properly, especially in the case of non-verbal communication, it is necessary that the educator identifies the factors detrimental to effective communication and resolve them.

The main obstacles are as follows ( 9 ):

1- Teachers’ lack of awareness of student’s level of understanding: Experience has shown that if educational activities are not in the domain of the students’ knowledge and level of understanding, learning and achieving educational goals are little or they do not happen at all. To prevent these problems, first of all educational message should be presented according to the students’ level of understanding and then different methods should be used, especially non-verbal communication, for better understanding.

2- Long oral arguments: When teachers teach just orally for a long time, students gradually get discouraged from pursuing the teacher’s discussions. This indicates that human beings automatically listen to the favorite sounds at first, and then they block their sense of hearing on inappropriate content. To resolve this problem, a variety of teaching methods, ways of communicating, etc. can be useful.

3- Boring message: When the educational activities in the classroom are not interesting to the students, they pay less attention to it, so good communication will not take place during learning. To generate interest and motivate the students, teachers can use different communication methods.

4- Dreaming: Another factor impacting effective communication is the student’s daydreaming during teaching, which makes them temporarily out of the classroom and into their personal experience and their dream. According to the principles of psychology, personal experiences can be more attractive for individuals and they can replace and set aside materials which are less attractive for students. Experienced and knowledgeable teachers can identify such students, and use more interesting methods to communicate with them. Of course, in such cases the use of non-verbal communication methods will be very effective.

5- Inappropriate physical factors: Inappropriate physical condition can disconnect the learners from their teachers. So, the suitability of light and color in the class setting, comfortable seats, etc. … can be effective to prevent the occurrence of these factors.

Differences and similarities between verbal and non-verbal skills

Verbal and non-verbal communications have differences and similarities ( 14 ):

In these cases, the following differences can be noted:

1- Non-verbal communication is more reliable: One of the main differences in the two kinds of communication is that non-verbal communication is more reliable for the audience, especially when verbal and non-verbal messages are inconsistent.

2- Non-verbal communication is multi-faceted: The second difference between the two systems of communication is that non-verbal communication is often established simultaneously in two or more channels.

3- Non-verbal communication is continuous: Compared to verbal communication that is less continual, non-verbal one is.

Moreover, the similarities include:

• Both are symbolic: Non-verbal communication as well as verbal communication is symbolic. Shrug of the shoulders, drop-down eyes, and distance or closeness to others ... are each a symbol of a message at that moment and condition.
• Both are formulated: According to the culture and traditions of the society, community members know which non-verbal behavior is appropriate for every situation and in that situation, what it means.

Summary answers to research questions:

The ability to speak and talk is one of the most important characteristics of human that makes him/her superior to other creatures. He/She can use words and sentences to express his/her feelings and make others aware of them. On the other hand, willingly or unwillingly, in an environment with silence and no verbal language where only body language is used, he/she can transfer his/her feeling or exchange the meaning of words. For example, a person’s interest or friendship is not acceptable with frowning. Therefore, by the use of this language, interests, emotions, and feeling could be expressed well. In other words, there are other eloquent languages in the silent and quiet world, the knowledge of which is very helpful in effective communication.

Non-verbal communication includes all aspects of communication except the use of words. In other words, non-verbal communication includes not only gestures and movements of the body but also the way that the words are expressed, such as the music of the words, interruptions, loudness and accents; these non-verbal features affect the meaning of words ( 12 ).

In this regard, numerous studies have been conducted by Oskouhi et al. ( 1 ) on the role of non-verbal communication on educational performance of faculty members of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resource University in Sari; the results showed a significant positive correlation between non-verbal communication skills and educational performance of Sari faculty members of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University.

The students’ attitude about English vocabulary and their comprehension with non-verbal communication indicated that they had a positive attitude toward the use of non-verbal communication in learning the second language ( 12 ).

Moreover, Mortazavi ( 5 ) conducted a study on meta-analysis of communication patterns in mathematics journals’ articles. The results of the study revealed that supportive, collaborative and emotive methods in the form of body language, both audio and video, are effective for learners to enhance the performance in learning mathematics.

Najafi ( 4 ) in his study on "the relationship between communication skills and educational effectiveness of teachers of girls in Valiasr Technical College in Tehran" showed that as teachers' communication skills get further strengthened, the effectiveness of scientific groups, students’ learning motivation, and academic achievement as well as verbal and non-verbal communication skills increases.

To clarify the point and considering the study results, it can be mentioned that there is a kind of interaction in all human communications, such as multiple forms of non-verbal communication, exchange of information and meaning through facial expressions, gestures or body movements. And this interaction is so useful that we can say, when a person learns to interpret the body language, no words would be as clear as it is.

• What are the efficacious methods of non-verbal communication during teaching?
• Body Language: Non-verbal communication is an important part of human interaction. For example, tone, facial expressions and gestures can transfer the people’s attitudes and feelings to others and the actions in many cases can be even more effective than verbal messages.
• Language of Space: When we talk with someone, we tend to keep up personal space with him unconsciously. This space depends on the culture and positions. For example, friends stand closer compared to strangers. Language of space can be divided into intimate space, personal space, social space, and public space.
• Language of Touch: Touch is the first sense of our body that a child learns after birth, and the first experience of his relationships with others arises trough touching.
• Language of Objects: Clothing and appearance are often the basis for initial judgments about people and have a significant impact on the others’ judgment about us. In fact, the language of objects ranges from the clothes we wear to the food we put on the table for our guests.
• Language of Time: By considering the concept of time in different cultures, our relationship with others develops and becomes effective.
• Language of Signs and Password: The password is a group of signs and symbols that can be made in a manner that is meaningful to some people.
• Language of Phonetics: Language of phonetics distinguishes our emotions from each other and affects our judgment about people’s personality and social characters. The sound of every human being is unique and is a combination of the qualities that are exclusively his or hers.

The present study aimed to review the research articles to determine the impact of the teachers’ use of non-verbal communication on success in teaching. The available research articles conducted in this area were reviewed. From the results of the reviewed articles, it was found that:

• a. There should be an attempt to attract and guide the learner’s attention through verbal and non-verbal communication during teaching.
• b. Humor, fun and coordination of sound and picture are effective in the promotion of the learners’ audiovisual communication.
• c. The teachers’ challenging, and destructive relationship with the students leads to failure in learning.
• d. Peace, security, and mutual respectful relationship among the students are influential in comprehending the educational materials.
• e. Teachers’ multi-faceted relationship with students through various communication skills , both verbal and non-verbal, leads to maximum efficacy of the educational materials.
• f. Supportive non-verbal communication with isolated and non-assertive students will help them to enter team work activities. Through the teachers and other learners’ support, they will attain the mental peace to learn.
• g. During the use of verbal communication for students’ encouragement, the teachers are recommended to use the corresponding non-verbal communication patterns.
• h. The teachers are suggested to pay attention to the students’ attitudes and ask their questions in a way that the learners feel the question is designed for them and participate in the discussions.
• i. The teachers’ non-verbal communication during the students’ speech signifies their acceptability and avoidance of self-centeredness.
• j. Teachers’ attention to the students’ non-verbal behaviors in the classroom, e.g. eye contact, signs of tiredness, etc. are of importance, showing the teachers’ coordination with the students’ mental and physical status.

Limitations of the review:

This study, like any other research, had some limitations as follows:

• - Lack of sufficient studies focusing on the effect and dimensions of non-verbal communication; hence, we could not generalize their methods and results. It seems that this lies in the lack of awareness about the positive impact of non-verbal communication as used by the instructors.
• - Lack of enough research on the non-verbal communication skills and practice in teaching.

Recommendations for further research:

Considering the results of this study, future studies are recommended to research non-verbal communication skill and its effects on teaching and learning more deeply and specifically. Also, it is suggested that educational programs and workshops should be held on efficacious relationship among the learners and teachers so that the students get practically familiar with non-verbal communication skills to solve their problems and mental disorders by their counselors.

Conclusions

This article reviewed had some limitations. First, most of the studies had focused on other types of communication rather than purely on non-verbal communication. Moreover, in most of the studies, little attention had been paid to non-verbal communication. Also, due to lack of studies in the field of educational communication, there was no access to recent studies in this regard.

Conflict of interests: None declared.

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When Words Aren’t Enough: How to Excel at Nonverbal Communication

In this episode, Dana Carney shares the five nonverbal rules of power.

April 09, 2024

If communication is like painting, words are the primary colors. But to convey deeper meaning, we need a broader color palette, which Dana Carney says requires the mastery of nonverbal communication.

We often focus on the words that we say when honing our communication, but according to Carney , there are many instances “where nonverbals start to be more meaningful than verbals.” A professor at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and the George Quist Chair in Business Ethics, Carney researches the nonverbal ways in which we communicate our biases, our preferences, our power, and our status.

As Carney explores in her forthcoming book, The Five Nonverbal Rules of Power , there are several key areas of nonverbal behavior that we need to grasp in order to fully tap our potential as communicators. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , she and host Matt Abrahams discuss how to read the nonverbal communication of others — and how to gain control of the nonverbals we express to the world.

Listen & Subscribe

Think Fast, Talk Smart is a podcast produced by Stanford Graduate School of Business. Each episode provides concrete, easy-to-implement tools and techniques to help you hone and enhance your communication skills.

Full Transcript

Note: Transcripts are generated by machine and lightly edited by humans. They may contain errors.

Matt Abrahams: I’m old enough to remember watching television in black and white, and the day we got our first color tv, my mind was blown. The same thing is true when you go from just focusing on verbal messages to thinking about nonverbal communication. My name is Matt Abraham’s and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Welcome to Think Fast Talk Smart, the podcast . Today I am really excited to talk with Dana Carney. Dana is the George Quis chair in business ethics at Berkeley’s HA School of Business. This year she’s on sabbatical from Berkeley and is spending time with us here in the management group at the GSB. Her research focuses on the nonverbal ways in which we communicate our biases, our preferences, our power, and our status. Her forthcoming book on nonverbal behavior is expected at the end of the year. Welcome, Dana. I am really looking forward to our conversation. Thanks for being here,

Dana Carney: Matt. Thank you so much for having me. I was so excited when you reached out.

Matt Abrahams: Should we get started?

Dana Carney: Absolutely.

[01:04] Matt Abrahams: Dana, I’m so excited for this conversation because I have long been fascinated by your research and nonverbal communication. When I teach nonverbal communication, I referenced the three vs. Visual, verbal and vocal. Visual is what we see. Verbal is the words and fillers and spaces that we have, and then vocal is how we say those words. I’m curious, do you see nonverbal communication the same way and how do you explain it when you talk about it

[01:34] Dana Carney: Almost the same way? First, there’s two big circles, Venn diagram overlapping circles. One is the perception side. What are the nonverbal behaviors that we need to pay attention to when we’re trying to make sense of or understand other people or situations? Then there’s the expression side, which is what are the behaviors that we can use as tools to express or land a particular attribute? So I would layer those on top of your three Vs. And then I would add, when you said visual, I would split that into face and body as separate channels.

Matt Abrahams: So nonverbals gives us a whole set of tools through which we can communicate information, and some of it are things we can control as you mentioned, and other things are things that perhaps are a less in our control, but we convey information through the words we say, but also how we say it and the demeanor with which we say it. I find this fascinating because there’s this whole other channel that we often don’t think about. Can you discuss how our perceptions of power in status are influenced by nonverbal communication?

[02:40] Dana Carney: So it’s an entire chapter in my books in the chapter, it’s called The Five Nonverbal Rules of Power, and what it is is a Venn diagram where the perception nonverbals, the ones we need to know to read power accurately and the ones that people think are associated with power they intersect, and five areas of nonverbal behavior that if we remember those we can really tap into power and I’ll give you two that I think are particularly useful because people have a lot of control over them. One of them is eye contact. When you look at someone when you’re speaking and when they’re speaking, you’re really taking up space with your eyes. You’re not only saying, I see you, I hear you, but also I’m speaking to you and distributing that around the room. You’re almost spreading yourself around the room when you’re looking around there.

[03:33] So eye contact is one that we have control over and it’s easy to force yourself to distribute and to use, and it has additional benefits. Not only does it convey power, but it conveys intelligence and warmth. So you just can’t go wrong with eye contact. So that would be one that I would say is one that everyone can practice and use. And another one is expansion. And I don’t just mean with your body, I don’t just mean taking up physical space with the bubble that’s around your body. I mean expansion in all kinds of ways. So taking a longer time to say what you’re saying, if you take more time, you are taking up space. So you see there’s a number of ways of taking up space. You can do it with how much you speak, how slowly you speak physically, spreading your body out in a way that feels comfortable. So those were the two I would say are easy to control and there’s a version of each that most people could probably find.

[04:37] Matt Abrahams: So taking space and connecting through space, through eye contact, really important. That example of all the things we could do to take space shows the different types of paint that we can use to paint in this nonverbal way. It’s how you say it, how long you say it, how you physically show up, and not just you personally, but the stuff you put in front of you. All of that. And there’s this whole conversation that’s happening at that level that we perceive that we don’t necessarily consciously think about. I want to dive just a little deeper. Clearly culture and context plays a role in this. Some cultures I’m aware of, eye contact is actually seen as rude because you’re supposed to defer. What’s your take on the intersection of culture and context when it comes to nonverbals

Dana Carney: Eye contact? There’s not a lot of variability across culture when it comes to the speaker making eye contact with others. It’s where the rudeness or the cross-cultural variability in whether or not you’re being disrespectful comes from whether you’re looking at the speaker when you’re being spoken to. So it’s when you’re on the receiving end of being yelled at or reprimanded or whatever. Looking back is typically where you see the variability, not if I’m the speaker and I look at you, but yes, context matters, culture matters. So what I like to say is that there are certain sort of pillars that are safe spaces. For example, if you’re trying to convey warmth, looking at someone being a little bit closer to them, how close varies by culture, but proximity in general is associated with intimacy, body orientation toward, so these are all cues called immediacy cues, directing your communication toward them, like talking to them and smiling or nodding like you’re doing now you’re encouraging me smiling and nodding.

Those are called back channel responses. They unconsciously or implicitly are saying, I hear you, I see you. I recognize what you’re saying. We’re on the same page. There’s a cluster of things that convey liking, and so there might be some variability around how close or how much eye contact, but generally speaking, those are safe. And so when we go to another culture, we just need to figure out what are the boundaries around. So if I go to one culture, it’s two kisses, kiss, kiss, other cultures, there’s three kisses, kiss, kiss, kiss, other cultures, it’s the left cheek for them, another right? So it’s kind of like those things. It’s a nonverbal version of how many cheeks do I kiss and how many times. Right,

[07:16] Matt Abrahams: Right. I appreciate that answer. It’s very nuanced and there’s complexity to it, but that’s the reality of nonverbal communication. This is not simple. I’m taking several things away from what you said. One that there are some foundational principles are, as you said, safe spaces around which there’s nuance that is culturally learnable and we just have to be sensitive to that. And so the big message I’m taking away is we just have to build awareness and be sensitive. We can ask, we can observe, we can research to learn what’s appropriate and not appropriate and know that by invoking the appropriate nonverbals, we can achieve goals like demonstrating warmth and liking that can really help us in ways sometimes that our words don’t allow us to do.

Dana Carney: Exactly.

[08:01] Matt Abrahams: I have another question for you about the relative value of nonverbals and actual messages. Where do you fall on the relative importance of verbal content versus nonverbal behavior? In other words, what we say versus how we say it?

Dana Carney: No, I don’t think any reasonable scientists would say that nonverbal is more important than verbal. I think most of us would say both are extremely important. If we’re in a domain where I have a reason to lie or maybe I don’t know, racial bias and discrimination being one, right? People aren’t aware of their biases or they are aware of them, but maybe not the extent to which they hold them, then we get into some territory where nonverbals start to be maybe more meaningful than verbals because I don’t realize that I have bias. I think that when you get into territory where either people don’t have introspective access to how they think or feel or they have their incentivized not to reveal it, right? In an economic game or a strategic interaction or a negotiation, that’s where nonverbal becomes really fun and interesting and useful because words aren’t enough in that case.

Matt Abrahams: Absolutely. Yeah. So they’re both important and sometimes differentially important depending on the context, which again brings us back to this notion of context. So I have an example I always use when I teach. If you’re in a doctor’s office and the doctor says, how are you doing? That means one thing. If you’re at a bar at a party and somebody says, how are you doing? That means something very different. The words are the same, the environment and context is different, and we somehow know how to navigate through that, but also we can run into a lot of trouble when we misunderstand.

[09:46] Dana Carney: Yes, and this is when knowing what our goal is is so incredibly important. If I’m at that bar and my goal is I’m attracted to this person and so I want to convey some attraction, so I might dip into some cues associated with attraction or being attractive. So when people use a breathier voice, they can come off as a little more attractive versus I’m a doctor and my goal is empathy. I want you to know that I’m listening. So the first thing you need to think about in a context is what’s my goal here? If I’m a doctor, I want to make sure that my patient feels heard and understood. If I’m in a bar and I just truly want to know how someone’s doing, I don’t want to use a vocal tone that might express attraction, I might want to be more casual or upbeat like, Hey, how you doing?

[10:39] Use colloquial tone of voice with a lot of vocal variability that might be associated with having a good time. So that’s the first thing to do is what is my goal in this social interaction? And look, all of this stuff is happening in a fraction of a second, right? I mean, we don’t sit down and script out what we’re going to do before I’m going to go to the barge, and when I see this person, I’m going to say, I like to think about nonverbal communication as a language. Because once we kind of know what’s the list of cues associated with liking, which ones of those are associated with platonic liking versus intimate liking, and when I do this one, oh gosh, I don’t mean to be sending the wrong signal. So now not to do them and which behaviors are associated with being trusted, which behaviors are associated with conveying power? That I think really will help us think about how can I best land whatever it is that I am trying to land.

[11:33] Matt Abrahams: We’ve talked often about this notion of having a goal. When you communicate by default, I think many people think of the words that I say, and what I’m hearing you say is we have to expand that goal to be thinking about how do we achieve that goal, not just through the words we say, but how we say it. And that’s really, really important. This notion of there’s a language and we have to understand and become fluent in that language, and some are more fluent than others, perhaps we have a time to talk about the people receiving that language. If I’m at a bar and hope that you’re signaling attraction to me, I’m going to be looking for things in a way that I might not if I weren’t the rose colored glasses, if you will, which I think is a separate conversation about our perception of nonverbals, not just our signaling of nonverbals

[12:19] Dana Carney: Sometimes the nonverbal cues overlap, but if the audience takes one thing away from this conversation about nonverbal communication, it’s that there are perception and expression and they’re different, and also they overlap. And the easiest places to memorize what are the cues are the places of overlap, which is when we talked about the five non-verbal rules of power, and I gave you two of them, that they’re at the intersection of both perception and expression, which is those are the nice ones to memorize and practice because they do both.

[12:52] Matt Abrahams: Excellent. I want to keep this notion of language fluency. What are some things that we can do to become more aware of our nonverbal communication and how they come across? When I’m learning a language, I practice with people who say, no, your accent’s off, or you’re saying that wrong. What are some things that we can do to actually become more fluent? How can we learn about it? I ask my students to digitally record themselves as they practice. So they see their nonverbals and they watch it, and then they listen to it separately. So they’re hearing the different channels. What advice do you have about ways to help us become more conscious of what we’re doing? Because a lot of this is unconscious.

[13:29] Dana Carney: Yes, that is exactly right. Hearing or seeing ourselves. So watching yourself is a really big way to know how, at least, how you perceive yourself. I would add some layers on top of that. First of all, in an exercise like that, right down beforehand, one or two goals that you have for that interaction. Do I want to try to come off as really smart here? Do I want to be warm? Am I trying to make new friends? Am I trying to do well in this negotiation? Am I trying to do well in this negotiation and retain friends? What’s my goal? And then I watch that video or listen to the audio, and I try to assess whether I appropriately land it that way. At least did I think that I correctly sent the messages I intended to send? That’s one piece of the puzzle, but that’s your perception.

[14:20] Now it’s a matter of what did other people perceive. A big part of it is I intended to be kind, and when I look at myself, I seem to be kind, but we lack self-awareness about how we come across sometimes. And other people will see us and say like, oh, no, no, no. Let’s say our faces tend to be a little cranky, and we know that we smiled three more times in that interaction. So for us, we’re like, I was so nice in that interaction. I smiled three times. I never smile. So for us, we knew it was a big deviation from our baseline, and so we think we landed in a really warm positive way, but a stranger or another person with whom we interacted, if they were to watch and make ratings on those same dimensions, might give us a much lower score, which helps us assess, okay, so how I intended to land and whether or not I was successful, and then there was how did other people perceive that? And so that’s the missing piece in that puzzle is how do other people perceive you? And a layer a bit more on top of that, which is how do strangers perceive you versus friends or people who know you a little bit?

[15:34] Matt Abrahams: This is really useful in that we can all look to better understand our nonverbal presence in terms of how it’s landing. We have our intent and we can see it, and we have knowledge relative to our baseline, but we also have to seek outside of ourselves. And when we do that, we also have to think about how much does information does that other person have about us? That’s really insightful, and in fact, it’s going to change the way I have my students look at their own behavior.

[16:07] Matt Abrahams: I like to say the only way to get better at communication, verbal or nonverbal is three things, repetition, reflection, and feedback. You have to practice, you have to reflect, and then you have to give feedback. Dana, before we end, I’d like to ask you some questions. The first question will be unique to you, and then the other two are questions I ask everybody. Are you up for that?

Dana Carney: Yep, sounds great.

[16:28] Matt Abrahams: Is there a particular nonverbal behavior that you look to assess credibility and confidence when you’re talking to others? What is it that you look for as an expert in this? Is there one thing you look for?

Dana Carney: Yes. We have not talked about coherence across channels. We talked about different channels of communication, the voice, the body, the face, but we haven’t talked about consistency across those channels. I’m looking for consistency across channels. If my face and my body and my voice and my words, if all of those things are saying the same thing, that makes me feel like that person is full in that way, I feel comfortable with them. Not only that they know what they’re talking about and they know whatever they’re saying is probably true. That is the thing that I pay attention to the most. And if people are inconsistent across channel, doesn’t necessarily mean something’s awry, but it’s something I pay attention to because it provides information about are they conflicted about what it is they’re talking about.

[17:37] Matt Abrahams: I appreciate you sharing with us this notion of coherence because we’ve really dissected nonverbal communication into these very specific parts, and we have to remember that there’s a totality and whole that gets communicated and that we can assess that as well. It’s not just, did you make eye contact? It’s is the eye contact consistent with the body posture, with the vocal tone and the words and the words to help? Thank you. Question number two, who is a communicator that you admire and why?

[18:05] Dana Carney: Winston Churchill, the two reasons I think that he’s just one of the best communicators, or the one that I probably look up to the most is that, I mean, he was so effective in being able to grab the hearts and minds of an entire country and to galvanize people. And the second reason is that Winston Churchill turned a speech impediment into his greatest source of power. He had a stutter, and he turned that into pause because of his stutter, he learned to pause a lot and to use those pauses extremely effectively,

[18:43] Matt Abrahams: Truly an amazing communicator, and he worked hard. Final question. What are the first three ingredients that go into a successful communication recipe?

[18:53] Dana Carney: So first of all, we had talked about goals, right? You have to know what your goal is. If you don’t have clarity, at least a little bit of clarity about what your goal is, then you’re not going to be very effective. So my goal today was just to be clear, I didn’t quite know where we were going to go. I just knew that it was important for me to, whatever it was that I was going to get it across in a way that was at least a little bit succinct. Then knowing the nonverbal behaviors that land best for us, and that goes back to what we were talking about, the baseline knowing how we typically are so that we can figure out like, okay, I need to dial up the warmth. I don’t come across warmly at all. Like, gosh, I kind of see mean I’m not mean at all.

[19:40] It’s not that you’re trying to be something that you’re not. It’s that you are something, but it doesn’t come across and you’re like, oh gosh, how do I fix that? Right? And that’s where your idea of practice. So then it’s knowing which cues I can dabble in. There’s a long list of immediacy cues that you can look at to try to practice and try on to figure out which one suits you the best, literally. And then what you said, practice, and it’s not about faking it or not being authentic. It really is about, I am a nice person, or let’s say you’re not a nice person. Let’s say you truly are not a nice person. Let’s say you’re a cranky person, but there are sometimes that you’re nice and let’s say your goal is to be nice right now. So my advice is try to think about the times that you want to be nice or that you are nice or that you truly feel nice and say like, okay, what are the things that are most comfortable for me to do when I am being nice? And then tap into those behaviors because those are the ones that are comfortable for you. And then practice them, and they do in fact land the way you intend them to. So those are the ingredients. It’s having a goal, knowing the best nonverbal behaviors that land what you’re intending to land, and then practicing, right? Just making sure that you’re doing them in an unconscious way, that you don’t have to spend a whole lot of time thinking about it, that they’re just automatically coming out of you.

[21:09] Matt Abrahams: So be clear on your goal. Be clear on your baseline and practice. So Dana, thank you so much for your time and for your wisdom. People can’t see this, but I’m bowing my head and putting my hands together to demonstrate gratefulness,

Dana Carney: And I have my hand on my heart and I’m nodding my head to using, saying, thank you so much.

[21:30] Matt Abrahams: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, the podcast from Stanford, GSB. To learn more about nonverbal communication, please listen to episode 12 with Deb Gruenfeld or episode 16 with Burt Alper. This episode was produced by Jenny Luna, Ryan Campos, and me, Matt Abrahams. Our music is from Floyd Wonder. Please find us on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to subscribe and rate us. Also follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram and check out faster smarter.io for deep dive videos, English language learning content, and our newsletter.

For media inquiries, visit the Newsroom .

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Nonverbal Communication Skills: 19 Theories & Findings

In it, he introduces the concept of dramaturgy, which compares everyday social interactions to actors’ portrayals of characters, suggesting that one’s social interactions are analogous to a string of varying performances (Ritzer, 2021).

Goffman’s work also included the concept of impression management. The key to impression management includes appearance; your manner of interacting; and the attitudes conveyed through gestures, facial expressions, and nonverbal skills (Ritzer, 2021).

William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage.”

I’m not a trained actor, but teaching public speaking courses has made me aware that audiences seem to prefer speakers who use a variety of hand gestures. These gestures signify the speaker as “warm, agreeable, and energetic” (Goman, 2021).

Just that nugget of information has taught me to incorporate hand gestures to develop my public speaking skills.

What other nonverbal communication skills enhance daily interactions?

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free . These science-based tools will help you and those you work with build better social skills and better connect with others.

This Article Contains:

What is nonverbal communication, 9 types of nonverbal communication skills, is nonverbal communication important, 2 psychology theories and models, 8 fascinating research findings, importance in counseling and healthcare, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

Nonverbal communication is a way to convey information “achieved through facial expressions, gestures, touching (haptics), physical movements (kinesics), posture, body adornment (clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, tattoos, etc.), and even the tone, timbre, and volume of an individual’s voice (rather than spoken content)” (Navarro & Karlins, 2008, p. 2–4).

In this YouTube video, Joe Navarro explains several nonverbal communication cues, exposes some myths, and discusses his work with nonverbal communication in law enforcement.

Marco Iacoboni (2008, p. 81), author of Mirroring People , takes it a step further, stating that “gestures accompanying speech have a dual role of helping the speakers to express their thoughts and helping the listeners/viewers understand what is being said.”

To competently read body language, Navarro and Karlins (2008) provide suggestions such as rigorous observation and a familiarity with the person’s baseline behaviors. They also recommend watching for changes, or ‘tells.’

Navarro and Karlins (2008) advise becoming familiar with universal behaviors and contextualizing nonverbal cues. However, cultural norms could inhibit rigorous observation.

Characteristics of nonverbal communication

The United States is considered a low-context communication culture (MacLachlan, 2010). This means that much of the information in a message comes directly from words rather than through implication or body language.

This style of communication involves lots of verbal detail so as not to confuse listeners. Low-context cultures rely less on nonverbal communication, which can obscure or censor portions of the message.

Nonverbal communication is culturally determined, and it is largely unconscious. It indicates the speaker’s emotional state. When nonverbal cues conflict with the verbal message, it may convey confusion or deception (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Finally, nonverbal communication varies by gender and displays power differentials, information effective leaders can use to influence others (Hybels & Weaver, 2015; Henley, 1977).

Nonverbal communication of successful leaders

It’s essential for leaders to read body language, also known as decoding. Deciphering between engagement (e.g., nodding, tilting the head, open body postures) and disengagement (e.g., body tilting away, crossed arms and legs) can be the difference between success and failure (Goman, 2021).

Successful actors could be considered professional first-impression artists. Like actors, leaders often find themselves center stage; they must learn the art of creating first impressions.

Subjective awareness and the ability to express yourself nonverbally are known as encoding – crucial for positive first impressions. Advice from professional actors includes a maintaining a pleasant facial expression, good posture, pausing, breathing, relaxing, and avoiding hiding your hands (Shellenbarger, 2018).

This video , 8 Things Successful People Do to Look Confident , provides quick tips for confident body language even if you’re not feeling confident.

First impressions are said to be formed in less than seven seconds (Goman, 2021). In this short time, others formulate labels such as “powerful,” “submissive,” or “trustworthy.” Evolved leaders incorporate mindfulness to help.

Naz Beheshti (2018) states, “Evolved leaders… use nonverbal tools mindfully and deliberately to reinforce their message.” She goes on to say, “this lifts the value of your communication and your value as a leader” (Beheshti, 2018).

Awareness of self, others, and the situation (mindfulness) allows us to ensure that our gestures and body language align with our spoken words. This creates congruence and generates trustworthiness (Beheshti, 2018; Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

This means we are analyzing several, simultaneous nonverbal cues. A frustrated person may tap their foot, cross their arms, and tightly squeeze their biceps (Jones, 2013). These clusters may cross over and include a variety of nonverbal categories, summarized below.

1. Kinesics

Kinesics is the study of how we move our body, specifically the head, hands, body, and arms (Jones, 2013). This includes sending messages through facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and posture.

Haptics is the study of touch or coming into physical contact with another person (Hybels & Weaver, 2015). Throughout history, touch has been surrounded by mystery and taboo. We are perplexed by healing touch and riveted by stories of infants who perished due to lack of touch. Touch can denote relationship, status, power, and personality (Henley, 1977).

Cultural norms dictate guidelines regarding touch. Mindfulness regarding social and environmental settings is prudent. We greet a friend at an informal party differently than we would greet a boss or coworker in a professional setting.

3. Proxemics

The study of space and distance is called proxemics, and it analyzes how people use the space around them (Hybels & Weaver, 2015).

This YouTube video is a fun demonstration of students completing a school project on personal space and the discomfort felt by both humans and animals when social norms are violated.

4. Territory

Territory is often used to display power or reveal a lack thereof.

“'[P]osture expansiveness,’ positioning oneself in a way that opens up the body and takes up space, activated a sense of power that produced behavioral changes in a subject independent of their actual rank or role in an organization” (Goman, 2021).

Expansiveness conveys power.

5. Environment

Environment includes objects we use to adorn ourselves and the artifacts we surround ourselves with in order to create an impression. These objects provide nonverbal cues that help others form impressions (Jones, 2013).

6. Paralinguistics

Paralinguistics, also known as vocalics, is the study of how we speak and involves pitch, volume, rate of speech, tone, quality, tempo, resonance, rhythm, and articulation to help determine the context of the message (Jones, 2013).

7. Chronemics

Chronemics is the study of time, including how it is used. Nancy Henley (1977, p. 43), author of Body Politics: Power, Sex & Nonverbal Communication , asserts “Time is far from a neutral philosophical/physical concept in our society: it is a political weapon.”

Henley (1977, p. 47) describes the concept of “ritual waiting,” stating, “The more important the person, the longer we will ungrudgingly wait for the service or honor of attention.”

8. Attractiveness

The power of drawing attention to oneself doesn’t rely on physical appeal alone. Although facial symmetry and fashion of adornment are important (Jones, 2013), people who master good eye contact, have a lively face, offer encouragement, and use open gestures are also considered attractive (Kuhnke, 2012).

9. Olfactics

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Nonverbal communication is very important, as you could reveal unintentional information, as well as cause your communication to be misinterpreted.

Leakage: Unintentional messages

Teaching social–emotional skills to incarcerated people provided me with a powerful lesson about the nuances of nonverbal communication. On a particularly challenging day, I thought it wise to meditate and center myself prior to entering the jail. However, upon seeing me, the people inside began inquiring what was going on with me. What did they detect?

Nonverbal leakage can be shown through micro-expressions, which are “very fast facial movements lasting 1/25 to 1/5 of a second” and indicate a person’s real feelings (Ekman, 2003, p. 214).

This YouTube video is the opening scene of the series Lie to Me , based on the work of Paul Ekman regarding micro-expressions.

Varying statistics on the value of nonverbal communication may cause concern for those less practiced, but which statistics are accurate?

Crossed messages

The original research from Mehrabian and Ferris (1967) regarding nonverbal communication is widely interpreted. Elizabeth Kuhnke (2012, p. 10), author of Body Language for Dummies , interprets the study, saying, “55% of the emotional message in face-to-face communication results from body language.”

A nonverbal communication formula often cited is 7–38–55, which indicates 7% of the message comes from words, 38% vocal, and 55% facial. However, Lapakko (2007) believes this formula is reckless, faulty, and misleading. Sometimes the nonverbal elements of a message, such as gestures with directions, are incredibly important, and at other times incidental.

In addition, what something “means” in communication is connected to such variables as culture, history of the relationship, people’s intentions, personal experiences, time of day and specific words used. It would be naive to suggest all these nuances could be neatly quantified, and therefore attributing a precise formula to nonverbal communication is flawed in many ways.

So regardless of statistics and formulas, we know that nonverbal communication is essential and that people skilled at both reading and interpreting body language tend to enjoy greater success in life than those not skilled (Goleman, 1997).

Basic emotion theory

Basic emotion theory (BET) posits that emotions are a “grammar of social living” that situate us in the social and moral order of society (Keltner, Sauter, Tracy, & Cowen, 2019, p. 133). In addition, emotions structure interactions, particularly in relationships that matter. BET is integral to emotional expression.

Foundational to BET is the assumption that emotional expressions coordinate social interactions in three ways:

• Through rapid conveyance of important information to aid in decision making
• To evoke specific responses
• To serve as incentives for others’ actions

This is accomplished through reward systems such as parents smiling and caressing a child who exhibits specific behaviors (Keltner et al., 2019).

BET initially focused on six basic emotions. Literature reveals there are over 20 emotions with distinct, multimodal expressions, providing a deeper structure and highlighting the advancing nature of emotional expression (Keltner et al., 2019).

Neural resonance

Two people who like each other will mirror each other’s facial expressions, gestures, postures, vocalics, and movements. This is known as neural resonance, and it aids the accurate transfer of information from one person to another (Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

To fully understand what another is saying, “you have to listen to and observe the other person as deeply and fully as possible” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 81). Neural resonance uses mirror neurons to create cooperation, empathy, and trust.

Studying nonverbal communication is revealing and intriguing. Most experts will include aspects such as eyes, facial expressions, and hands, but digging deeper reveals less-acknowledged nonverbal nuggets.

1. The benefits of yawning

Yawning is one of the fastest and simplest ways to lower mental stress and anxiety (Waldman & Manning, 2017). Social norms dictate that we refrain from yawning in specific settings, but yawning has many benefits. Did you know that snipers are taught to yawn before pulling the trigger (Waldman & Manning, 2017)?

According to Waldman and Manning (2017), yawning stimulates alertness and concentration; optimizes brain activity and metabolism; improves cognitive functioning; increases recall, consciousness, and introspection; decreases stress and relaxes the upper body; recalibrates a sense of timing; enhances social awareness and empathy; and increases sensuality and pleasure.

2. Feet don’t lie

According to Navarro and Karlins (2008), the most honest part of our body is our feet, as demonstrated by small children who dance with happiness or stomp in frustration. Many people look to the face for truth; Navarro and Karlins take the opposite approach:

“When it comes to honesty, truthfulness decreases as we move from the feet to the head” (Navarro & Karlins, 2008, p. 56), reasoning that emotions are suppressed through fabricated facial expression.

3. Gestures that help

Gestures improve memory and comprehension skills. Gestures may convey information that can influence how listeners respond, depending on the hand being used. “We tend to express positive ideas with our dominant hand and negative ideas with the other hand” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 44).

4. The eyes have it

“Social network circuits are stimulated through face-to-face eye contact, decreasing cortisol, and increasing oxytocin. The result is increased empathy, social cooperation, and positive communication” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 135).

Eyes reveal a lot about us. When we are aroused, troubled, concerned, or nervous, our blink rate increases. Once we relax, our blink rate returns to normal (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

5. Power posing for success

Body language affects how others see us and how we view ourselves. In this YouTube video, Amy Cuddy discusses her research on power posing and how it affects success.

Amy Cuddy’s book is also discussed in our article listing books on imposter syndrome .

6. Fingers crossed

One explanation of the origin of crossing fingers for good luck comes from early beliefs in the power of the cross. The intersection of the digits, epitomizing the cross, was thought to denote a concentration of good spirits and served to anchor a wish until it came true (Keyser, 2014).

7. Fake positivity is harmful

Positivity that doesn’t register in your body or heart can be harmful. According to Barbara Fredrickson (2009, p. 180), “fake smiles, just like sneers of anger, predict heart wall collapse.” To truly benefit from a smile, touch, or embrace, you need to slow down and make it heartfelt.

8. Stand up straight

Poor posture can reduce oxygen intake by 30%, resulting in less energy (Gordon, 2003). Stooping over can make us look and feel old and out of touch. By straightening up, we can make significant differences in how we think and feel. The effect is bi-directional; attitude influences posture, just as posture influences attitude.

Good rapport between clients and practitioners stems from mirroring and synchronicity associated with neural resonance (Finset & Piccolo, 2011; Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

Carl Rogers’s Client-Centered Therapy is based on an empathetic understanding of clients. Nonverbal communication provides valuable information for both the client and the therapist. Showing you like and accept a client may be the most important information a therapist can convey (Finset & Piccolo, 2011).

Nonverbal patterns in therapy evolve over time. Specific behaviors that further the therapeutic process include “a moderate amount of head nodding and smiling; frequent, but not staring, eye contact; active, but not extreme, facial responsiveness; and a warm, relaxed, interested vocal tone” (Finset & Piccolo, 2011, p. 122).

Conscious awareness of nonverbal cues can aid in rapport building. Leaning toward the other signals comfort, whereas leaning away or crossing your arms signals discomfort (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Torsos and shoulder blades seem innocuous; however, blading away (turning slightly) from another person shows discomfort, while blading toward or facing another squarely shows a level of comfort (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Open palms are an ancient sign of trustworthiness that help establish rapport and are considered nonthreatening (Kuhnke, 2012). Hidden hands (placed in pockets or behind backs) signal disconnection and reluctance to engage. To display respect, keep an open posture with your muscles relaxed and weight evenly distributed.

Mirroring and matching go a long way to show synchronicity. Be careful to avoid mimicry, which signals disrespect (Kuhnke, 2012). Too much of a good thing can jeopardize credibility. An extended, fixed gaze into another’s eyes or effortful smiling can seem awkward, or worse.

This short YouTube video explains the dynamics of fluctuating facial expressions, based on the work of Charles Darwin and Paul Ekman.

This Silent Connections worksheet is an exercise for groups that combines mindfulness and nonverbal communication to build connections.

Someone who lacks the ability to make eye contact during conversation can be easily misinterpreted. To overcome this nonverbal communication issue, our Strategies for Maintaining Eye Contact can be very useful.

Our blog post 49 Communication Activities, Exercises, and Games includes six nonverbal communication activities for adults and three nonverbal exercises that work for families and children.

The blog post What Is Assertive Communication? 10 Real-Life Examples includes nonverbal qualities that complement and enhance assertive statements. Hints for eye contact, facial expressions, and posture can be found throughout.

In the blog post Cultivating Social Intelligence : 3 Ways to Understand Others , we discuss characteristics of social intelligence, including body language.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others communicate better, this collection contains 17 validated positive communication tools for practitioners. Use them to help others improve their communication skills and form deeper and more positive relationships.

17 Exercises To Develop Positive Communication

17 Positive Communication Exercises [PDF] to develop help others develop communication skills for successful social interactions and positive, fulfilling relationships.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

Nonverbal communication is an essential communication skill. Nonverbal expertise aids in delivering clear messages and forming positive impressions. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture to make a difference. Gently stroking the hand of a grieving friend speaks volumes.

Viewing life as a series of dramatic performances, as implied by both Shakespeare and Goffman, can add a sense of intrigue and adventure to enhancing nonverbal communication. These essential skills will help us achieve goals.

Just as the highly motivated thespian will study and polish their craft, anyone wanting to succeed in their career or interpersonal relationships can study and practice the nuances of nonverbal communication.

Actors and public speakers often practice their craft in front of a mirror or videotape themselves to reflect on strengths and weaknesses.

This article includes a myriad of resources to help improve nonverbal communication skills with many additional resources available.

By starting with something as simple as posture, we exit stage right, headed toward the competency of center stage. Break a leg!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free .

• Beheshti, N. (2018, September 20). The power of mindful nonverbal communication. Forbes . Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2018/09/20/beyond-language-the-power-of-mindful-nonverbal-communication/?sh=6f40b3d71501
• Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve communication and emotional life . Holt Paperbacks.
• Finset, A., & Piccolo, L. D. (2011). Nonverbal communication in clinical contexts. In M. Rimondini (Ed.), Communication in cognitive-behavioral therapy (pp. 107–128).  Springer Science + Business Media.
• Fredrickson, B. L. (2009). Positivity . Crown Publishing Group.
• Goffman, E. (1956). The presentation of self in everyday life . University of Edinburgh.
• Goleman, D. (1997). Emotional intelligence . Bantam Trade Paperback.
• Goman, C. K. (2018, August 26). 5 Ways body language impacts leadership results. Forbes. Retrieved May 1, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2018/08/26/5-ways-body-language-impacts-leadership-results/?sh=5c1b235c536a
• Gordon, J. (2003). Energy addict: 101 Physical, mental, & spiritual ways to energize your life . Berkley Publishing Group.
• Henley, N. M. (1977). Body politics: Power, sex and nonverbal communication . Simon & Schuster.
• Hybels, S., & Weaver, R. L. (2015). Communicating effectively . McGraw-Hill Education.
• Iacoboni, M. (2008). Mirroring people: The new science of how we connect with others . Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Jones, R. (2013). Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies . University of Minnesota Libraries.
• Keltner, D., Sauter, D., Tracy, J., & Cowen, A. (2019). Emotional expression: Advances in basic emotion theory. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior , 43 (3), 133–160.
• Keyser, H. (2014, March 21). Why do we cross our fingers for good luck? Mental Floss . Retrieved May 27, 2021, from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55702/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-good-luck
• Kuhnke, E. (2012). Body language for dummies . John Wiley & Sons.
• Lapakko, D. (2007). Communication is 93% nonverbal: An urban legend proliferates. Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal , 34 (2), 7–19.
• MacLachlan, M. (2010, February 12). Cross-cultural communication styles: High and low context. Communicaid. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/high-and-low-context/
• Mehrabian, A., & Ferris, S. R. (1967). Inference of attitudes from nonverbal communication in two channels.  Journal of Consulting Psychology, 31 (3), 248–252.
• Navarro, J., & Karlins, M. P. (2008). What every body is saying . Harper-Collins.
• Newberg, A. M., & Waldman, M. R. (2013). Words can change your brain . Avery.
• Ritzer, G. (2021). Essentials of sociology (4th ed.). SAGE.
• Shellenbarger, S. (2018, January 30). The mistakes you make in a meeting’s first milliseconds. Wall Street Journal . Retrieved May 22, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-mistakes-you-make-in-a-meetings-first-milliseconds-1517322312
• Waldman, M. R., & Manning, C. P. (2017). NeuroWisdom: The new brain science of money, happiness, and success . Diversion Books.

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Importance of Non-Verbal Communication | Essay Example

Significance of nonverbal communication, features of nonverbal communication, forms of nonverbal communication, samples of nonverbal communication, nonverbal communication concept, nonverbal communication at the workplace, reference list.

Wondering how to write an essay about the importance of non-verbal communication and how it affects workplace relationships? We’ve got your back covered! Check the non-verbal communication essay example below and get some fresh ideas for your writing.

In communication, a reasonable percentage of understanding is derived from non-verbal communication. This kind of communication works always. However, it is not always the case that one speaks before people can derive the thoughts of that person. A lot of these thoughts can simply be derived from gestures, signals, or expressions.

This kind of communication can be very effective if one sends the appropriate signals aimed at the right target (Abramovitch 1977, p. 82). This form of communication can easily be misunderstood if the wrong signals are sent to the recipients. Hands are significant in conveying non-verbal communication as they are used for gesturing. The facial expression and body language also play a big role in this form of communication.

It is possible to know someone’s private feelings simply by looking at that person’s facial expression. For instance if a colleague is not in a good mood, one will simply need to look for the nonverbal communication that that person portrays. For communication to be effective, attention has to be given to that which is communicated non-verbally, good examples being the use of space, gestures and body language.

Non verbal communication may differ according to different cultures and this may be the main cause of misinterpretation. There are cultures that take the nodding of the head vertically as an agreement while others take it as a refusal. There are those who would perceive a minors direct look into the eye as honest while others while perceive it as disrespect.

For one to mask feelings or spontaneous reaction to information, the attention must be paid to the nonverbal behavior. It might be easy for one to control his/her voice or words yet still that person’s body language, facial expression as well as movement can expose his/her real thoughts and feelings.

No matter the position that one holds at the place of work, the ability to interpret non-verbal communication adds to the ability of that individual to share meaning with others. This is because the shared meaning is what constitutes communication (Abramovitch 1977, p. 87).

To understand nonverbal communication, one needs to recognize that different people communicate on different levels. Every gesture usually communicates something and all that is needed is to pay close attention to it. If the verbal and non-verbal communication is not in harmony, it is more likely that the communicator will be lying or is of a different idea from that being communicated. It might therefore be reasonable for the listener not to pay attention to that person’s non-verbal communication.

Non verbal communication might play a significant role during a job interview as the interviewer will be able to deduce the kind of person the candidate is, as well as his/her strengths and weaknesses. During a criminal investigation, the non-verbal signals that are relayed by the person under investigation may be even of greater importance that the verbal statements that that person gives.

It might be easier for the investigators to determine if the person being investigated is lying, is hiding some information or if the person is speaking the truth. This will only be possible if the investigator understands and rightly interprets the non-verbal signals.

When one is issuing a speech the nonverbal communication relayed by the audience might of great importance in helping the speaker know if the audience is paying attention, if the people are bored, exhausted, irritated or when it is time for another speaker to take charge. Listening to them is very important if the speaker needs to be effective. If the nonverbal communication is effectively used while delivering a message for instance through speech, that message will be effective and memorable (Abramovitch 1977, p. 90).

Non-verbal communication is complicated and it may be challenging to understand its signals. This type of communication involves the whole body, the space occupied, the time taken, what is left out and how it is left out. Non-verbal communication flows from one to another and this makes it difficult single out one element and interpret it correctly from the series of other elements. This type of communication is constantly in motion just as human beings are and it does not replicate itself in the same place.

This kind of communication unlike the spoken or written communication is irreversible. For the written communication, the communicator might be in a position to clarify, correct or retract the message that is conveyed. For the oral communication, one is able to give an explanation or restate with the intention of clarifying the point. It is therefore possible to correct oral communication, as much as the original message remains with its impact as well.

It is not possible to separate a single non-verbal action from its context correct it and take it back. In speech, this kind of communication is always occurring and it becomes difficult to tell when a single non verbal message starts or stops and to exactly determine when the next one starts. The communication is only relevant in its context and if it is singled out then it might easily be misinterpreted and misunderstood hence leading to a wrong conclusion being drawn.

One usually expresses himself or herself first through the nonverbal communication always without even consciously thinking about it. This communication portrays ones feelings and thoughts way before the person becomes aware of it.

This kind of communication usually brings out the intentional as well as unintentional messages. It is common for people to concentrate on how someone says something than what that message is really. It is surprising that human beings use more non-verbal communication than the verbal one and in some cases this type of communication may add up or even replace the verbal one (Bull 1987).

Illustrators which are nonverbal gestures are used to communicate the message in an effective way as well as reinforcing the points. This could for instance be a node which confirms acceptance. The response to this may be in the form of an emblem, which may be by using the O.K. sign to signal.

Regulators which are nonverbal messages may also be used for controlling, maintaining or discouraging interaction. One the speaker is irritating the listener could for instance hold up his/her hand and the speaker will interpret it as a request to stop (Benjamin & Craidler 1975, p. 27).Regulators may also be used by the audience listening to a speech. They may for instance look away, make drawings at the book margins or tap their feet, and all these regulators will be representing boredom or disinterest (Kelly 1982).

Adaptors can also be used in the non-verbal communication and they help one to adapt to the environment hence ensuring that the communicator is secure and comfortable. A good example would be the hairstyle or a behavior that is self adaptive. One may also use object-adaptors to convey a message of disinterest for instance.

They may use an object for a different purpose to show disinterest. A good example may be when the audience starts chewing the backside of their pens to signify disinterest. All in all, non-verbal communications are universal. They be used differently by different people in different places or they may take a different form but they will remain to be non-verbal communications.

Nonverbal communication forms a basis for communicating emotional massages as people rarely express their emotions through the spoken word. Most of the time people express their emotions none verbally. This is contributed to by the fact that some emotions might not be expressed well or fully in the verbal form. It is very easier to deduce deception for a speaker by keenly observing the person’s non-verbal communication.

Such a person may for instance avoid eye contact, awkwardly pause during the conversation, and delay while responding to questions, changing body movement and posture frequently. They person might also smile less and reduce the rate of his/her speech. When such behaviors are noticed in the speaker, the listener(s) may be required to be a bit keener. People’s speech patterns speak a lot concerning the truthfulness in the messages being conveyed.

This type of communication is very significant in the relationship that exists between the speaker and the audience. When people meet for the first time, the first conclusions that are made about the different parties are usually derived from the non-verbal messages that are displayed (Scheflen 1964).

This is usually based on the dressing code, the physical characteristics and the posture. Nonverbal communication therefore affects the first impression made, for better or for worse. Assumed expectation is usually derived from the speaker’s maintenance of personal space, the dressing code as well as the physical characteristics right from the time the speaker meets the audience. As much as these expectations may neither be fair nor accurate, they always exist.

Controlling the verbal and nonverbal communication is important in forming a good rapport with the audience (Ekman & Friesen 1969). Maintaining eye contact with them, using space appropriately and being formal enhances this kind of relationship. Nonverbal communication is usually perceived to be part of the message and it has the capability to contribute to or lead to detraction from the overall goal.

It is believed that whatever is not said is just as significant as what is said. Words just form a section of communication. From a facial expression, it is possible to determine whether someone is happy, surprised, fearful, angered, disgusted, interested or sad. Interpreting nonverbal communication needs no special communication.

It may however require extensive training for one to be self aware of portraying nonverbal communication to others. Agreement between the two forms of communication enhances the establishment of a common understanding. A genuine and positive smile could indicate an agreement with an idea or a person.

The attire that is worn also plays a significant role in bringing out a nonverbal message. What someone puts on is what people call a ‘fashion statement.

A formal dressing code could be adapted while speaking in an official meeting. On the contrary, a casual code could be adapted if the message is targeted to people within an informal setting. Eyes have always been perceived to be windows to the soul. Maintaining an eye contact could be a show of interest or attraction, while disgust is indicated by an upward nose wrinkle and raising of the upper lip.

The element of time keeping also falls under nonverbal communication. When a speaker arrives at a meeting on time, and sticks to the stipulated time, it speaks a lot about that person.

It implies seriousness and commitment on the speaker’s side. It also says a lot about the gravity of the topic under discussion (Scheflen 1964). Culture plays a very significant role in any communication. In the case of nonverbal communication, culture determines what is and what is not allowed. Some cultures give room for lateness while others do not (Argyle & Kendon 1967).

Nonverbal communication just like the verbal one is a section of a society’s backbone. This kind of communication is necessary for helping people to coexist and build their own culture. For any communication study to be effective, one needs to grasp the basic concepts of not only the verbal but the nonverbal communication as well.

Most of the time, these two forms of communication occur together. The non verbal communication is usually composed of three major components which include; the one creating the communication, the communication itself and the recipient (Darwin 1872). There has always been a misconception that sign language falls under the nonverbal communication. This is however not the case as sign language is categorized under the visual language-based communication.

There needs to be a complementary relationship between the verbal and the verbal forms of communication. If not, then the result is confusion, disappointment and mistrust. Whatever is said must be complemented by the actions (Benjamin & Creider 1975).

Nonverbal communication is significant in the clarification and making the verbal communication to be well understood. Facial and hand gestures are used to illustrate whatever is communicated. It offers the cues that assist in ensuring that the message is understood.

This type of communication is important as it portrays one’s perceptions, beliefs and the person’s world view. They expose whatever is in a person. If one pulls back when a hug is offered it may signify that the person has an aversion to the physical touch which could be attributed to his/her past experiences (Argyle & Kendon 1967).

The non verbal communication plays a big role in affirming a message. For instance, verbal communication demonstrating how to use online purchasing tools could be affirmed by the speaker taking a computer and demonstrating the same to the audience. It helps in reinforcing the message.

At the workplace, violating ones personal space is a nonverbal communication that might be offensive. Slumping in a chair could be a sign of fatigue or an indication that the person is sad. Boredom at a meeting could be expressed through yawning while anger could be expressed by folding the hands.

Such clues can be used while encouraging someone positively respond when asked to do something. While at the workplace, it is possible to know the feelings of workers just by observing their body languages or facial expressions. This is significant I determining whether the workers are displeased or please either by the working conditions or the rules and regulations that are in place at the workplace.

Abramovitch, R., 1977. Children’s recognition of situational aspects of facial expression’, Child Development, Vol. 48. No. 4, pp. 77-98.

Argyle, M., & Kendon, A., 1967, The experimental analysis of social performance. in L. Berkowitz (ed.). Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Benjamin, G.R., & Creider, C. A., 1975. Social distinctions in non-verbal behavior.

Semiotica, Vol.14, No. 3, pp. 22-46

Bull, P.E., 1987, Posture and Gesture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Darwin, C., 1872, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. London: Macmillan Publishers.

Ekman P., & Friesen, W., 1969. The repertoire of nonverbal behavior. Semiotica, Vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 66-80.

Kelly, J. A., 1982, Social Skills Training: A Practical Guide for Interventions. London: Macmillan Publisher London.

Scheflen, A. E., 1964. The significance of posture in communication systems. Psychiatry Vol.27, No. 2, pp. 200-205

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Importance of Non-Verbal Communication | Essay Example." February 23, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/non-verbal-communication/.

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The impact of the teachers' non-verbal communication on success in teaching

Affiliations.

• 1 Paramedical Sciences Faculty, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
• 2 English Department, Paramedical Sciences Faculty, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
• PMID: 28367460
• PMCID: PMC5346168

Introduction: Non-verbal communication skills, also called sign language or silent language, include all behaviors performed in the presence of others or perceived either consciously or unconsciously. The main aim of this review article was to determine the effect of the teachers' non-verbal communication on success in teaching using the findings of the studies conducted on the relationship between quality of teaching and the teachers' use of non-verbal communication and also its impact on success in teaching.

Methods: Considering the research method, i.e. a review article, we searched for all articles in this field using key words such as success in teaching, verbal communication and non-verbal communication. In this study, we did not encode the articles.

Results: The results of this revealed that there was a strong relationship among the quality, amount and the method of using non-verbal communication by teachers while teaching. Based on the findings of the studies reviewed, it was found that the more the teachers used verbal and non-verbal communication, the more efficacious their education and the students' academic progress were. Under non-verbal communication, some other patterns were used. For example, emotive, team work, supportive, imaginative, purposive, and balanced communication using speech, body, and pictures all have been effective in students' learning and academic success. The teachers' attention to the students' non-verbal reactions and arranging the syllabus considering the students' mood and readiness have been emphasized in the studies reviewed.

Conclusion: It was concluded that if this skill is practiced by teachers, it will have a positive and profound effect on the students' mood. Non-verbal communication is highly reliable in the communication process, so if the recipient of a message is between two contradictory verbal and nonverbal messages, logic dictates that we push him toward the non-verbal message and ask him to pay more attention to non-verbal than verbal messages because non-verbal cues frequently reveal the intention of the sender of the information and reflect his/her emotional reactions. Based on the obtained results of this study, it is recommended that attention to non-verbal communication skills can make a positive change in the future of a student's life. It seems necessary for the teachers to practice and learn effective communication skills, especially for those who always interact with a large group of students. One of the factors contributing to the success or failure of students is the quality of the relationship and how the teacher builds this relationship with students. Especially, it is more effective for students who are more responsive to human relations and communication skills. Finally, it is recommended that the teachers should improve their communication skills to have better communication with their audience. The authorities are recommended to help improve the teachers' level of communication skills through holding training courses.

Keywords: Teacher; Teaching; Communication.