NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

In communication, we send messages not only through words but also through non-
verbal cues. These include body gestures, facial expressions, and vocal variety.

Below are examples of vocal and non-vocal manifestations of verbal and non-verbal
communication.

TYPE VERBAL NON-VERBAL

Verbal Communication
Non-verbal Communication
spoken words written words
 sighs, screams, laughs,  bodily motions
fillers, vocal qualities  facial expressions, eye
and features (tone, contact, gestures,
loudness, pitch, speed, postures
and pacing)  touch
 use of space and time
 personal appearance

I. Characteristics of Non-verbal Communication.

A. Non-verbal cues show interaction among people.

Even if a person does not understand the language spoken around him/her,
he/she can still interact and communicate what he/she wants to convey. For
instance, hailing a taxi by raising a hand or acknowledging a person simply by
nodding and smiling are ways of interacting.

B. Non-verbal cues suggest how people feel.

When you are bored listening to a lecture, you do not say out loud that you
are bored. Rather, your slumped posture, breaking eye contact, and glazed eyes
can already show how you feel.

C. Non-verbal cues provide clues, not facts.

It is impossible to interpret non-verbal messages accurately. Real

meanings still need to be verified. For example, you notice that your friend pays
less attention to you. While you can come up with various assumptions for this
behavior, you will not be able to understand him/her unless you talk about it,
because his/her actions are simply clues to what he/she is thinking.

II. Functions of Non-verbal Communication

A. Complementing. Non-verbal behavior complements the verbal message to

express meaning. For example, a fan’s wide smile or pumped fist complements
 his/her announcement that his/her favorite basketball team wins the
championship.

B. Contradicting. Non-verbal communication is sometimes used to oppose the

meaning of the verbal message. For example, a man yawns while telling his date,
“Your story is so interesting!”

C. Accenting. Non-verbal cues can help emphasize oral messages. For instance, a
public speaker may raise his/her hands, or point a finger, or bang the table to
stress an important point.

D. Substituting. Non-verbal communication is also used to express something

without saying anything verbally. For instance, when asked about the outcome of
a job interview, a person can simply smile widely to signify that it went well.

E. Regulating. Non-verbal cues can also be used to control the flow of verbal
communication. One example is the intonation pattern of the speaker. Notice the
difference between the verbal intonation pattern of a speaker who wants to
continue talking and a speaker who wants to end the conversation.

F. Repeating. Repeated non-verbal cues can have specific meanings. An example is

when one waves repeatedly to greet someone hello or waves slowly to say
goodbye. Repeated nodding expresses agreement to a point while repeated
shaking of the head shows disagreement.

III. Types of Non-verbal Symbols

Non-verbal cues can be classified into six groups.

A. Kinesics (Bodily Motions)

Kinesics is the study of body language or movement which includes a large

repertoire of physical actions such as eye contact, facial expression, gesture, and
posture. Researchers contend that human beings are capable of making approximately
20,000 facial expressions, 700,000 physical signs, 1,000 postures, 7,777 gestures in
the classroom, and 5,000 hand gestures in clinical situations (Whalstrom 88-89).

1. Oculesics (Eye Contact or Gaze). Eye contact is the way we meet someone
else’s glance during the communication process. The presence of eye contact
is a proof that we are paying attention and the way we look at a person reveals
our feelings such as affection, anger, or fear (Oearson, WQest & Turner 121).
Through eye contact, we can be sure if our listeners are paying attention to us
 and if they understand what we are saying. Maintaining eye contact signifies
that you pay attention to the conversation. People maintain eye contact when
they are in discussion groups, when they are interested in others’ comments
and reactions, or when they try to influence them.

Maintaining Eye Contact

Research shows that while talking, the speaker holds eye contact shorter
than the listener – about 40 percent and about 70 percent, respectively, (Knapp
& Hall 298). Also, people generally maintain eye contact when:

 they are discussing topics with which they are comfortable;

 they are genuinely interested in a person’s comments and reactions;
and
 they are trying to influence the other person.

Avoiding Eye Contact

On the other hand, they tend to avoid eye contact when:

 they are discussing topics that make them uncomfortable;

 they are not interested in the topic, and
 they are embarrassed, ashamed, or trying to hide something.

2. Facial Expression. You can always choose which expression you can show
or hide. For example, people keep a poker face, or a neutral facial expression,
to hide how they feel or to save themselves from embarrassment. Facial
expression/display refers to the way our facial muscles are set to indicate
emotions or feelings of happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, excitement,
indifference, and disgust, among others.

Some researchers claim that facial displays are inborn, while others say
they are acquired or learned (Wahlstrom page 92). Whether or not they are
inborn, facial expressions can be managed and controlled. We can get our
faces express what we want to convey and hide what we want to hide. For
instance, we can make a face, keep a “poker face” and create other faces to go
along with how we feel.
Sometimes, a person’s facial expression is enough to see what he/she is feeling or thinking.

3. Gestures. Gestures refer to any purposive movement of fingers, hand, arms,

head, or shoulders to emphasize or suggest something. For example, a priest
may raise his hands during sermon to refer to God or to emphasize a point.
Another example, we expect to see a hand gesture to accompany the verbal
description “this long,” a gesture of shrugging a shoulder or tossing the head
with the verbal suggestion “something like that” and a pointing finger, a
pounding clenched fist ort some other gestures with the verbal emphasis “stop
it right now.” People, however, differ in the amount of gesturing that they
make while talking; some “talk with their hands” more than others.
 4. Posture. Your posture also conveys a message to your listener. It means our
manner of bearing the body, while we are in a standing or sitting position.
The generally accepted posture is when we are erect, but appear relaxed.
Posture indicates self-confidence, status, friendliness, and mood. Poor posture
in an interview may mean that a person is disrespectful, unenthusiastic, or
lazy. Even changes in posture can convey a meaning. Suddenly sitting
upright and leaning forward means “I’m interested” and standing up signals
“I’m done.”

B. Paralanguage (Use of Voice)

Paralanguage refers to the non-verbal sounds accompanying oral language.

These elements can help shape the meaning of the message or completely change it. It
is the nonverbal sound of what we hear or how something is said that is conveyed by
certain qualities of the voice and these vocal cues can do much to change the meaning
of a sentence. For instance, your vocal characteristics can easily emphasize or
contradict the literal meaning of words. The mere change of emphasis that we make
from one word to the other is enough to change the meaning of a simple sentence.

MARy is diligent. (Mary in particular, not any other person.)

Mary IS diligent. (This is a positive assertion of Mary’s being diligent.)

Mary is DILigent. (Normal utterance – Mary is persevering and unflagging).

Our vocal characteristics can easily emphasize or contradict the literal

meaning of words. Try uttering the single sentence below in different ways:
normally, sarcastically, angrily, fearfully, and happily.

“Thanks for being such a good friend.”

The following are some non-verbal sounds used in communication.

1. Tone (vocal quality). Tone is the distinct sound of the voice. No two
persons have exactly the same sound or quality of voice, so that we can
recognize the voice of a person close to us (like a friend or a family
member) even when we do not see him/her. While some voices are
pleasant, some are not as lucky, because they are throaty, raspy or even
lifeless. Whatever kind of voice quality we have, any slight change can
communicate the particular state of our mind at the moment of speaking.

There are five common voice qualities:

a. Normal Voice: speaking naturally with little or no emotions. A
normal voice is needed to interpret literary pieces to express thoughts
rather than feelings.
 b. Breathy or Whispery Voice: used to create an atmosphere of
mystery.

c. Full Voice: used in public speaking; also used to create solemnity or

reverence.

d. Chesty Voice: described as a hollow and deep voice as if coming from

a deep and empty cave.

e. Thin Voice: has high pitch as its chief characteristics.

2. Speed. Speed refers to the rate of speech or how fast you are talking. It is
the rate of how we speak. We speak faster when we are excited, happy,
afraid or nervous; we speak slower when we are emphasizing something
or when we are trying to solve a problem loud. Increased tempo or speed
can also emphasize intelligence and energy.

3. Pitch. Pitch refers to the highness and lowness of the voice. Raising or
lowering the pitch may signify the speaker’s emotions. Most of the time,
a high-pitched voice may mean excitement or nervousness, while a low
pitch may mean indifference or stressing a point. By using certain pitch
patterns of inflections, one can utter a statement as a question constructed
declaratively (“That was an exciting boxing match”?) This displays the
capacity of pitch to qualify meanings of verbal messages.

4. Volume. Volume refers to the loudness or softness of voice. A loud

voice often signifies a need to stress a point while a soft voice may mean
that the information is confidential. Although some of us normally speak
with a loud or soft voice, we tend to make our voice louder or softer,
depending on the kind of communication situation we are in.

To illustrate how meaning can change through the influence of

paralanguage elements, try saying, “This is so beautiful. I love it so much”
happily, angrily, fearfully, and sarcastically and note how the characteristics of
your voice change according to how you utter the line.

C. Haptics (Use of Touch)

Haptics is the study of how touch is used to deliver a message. People

differ in the way they perceive and use touch. Culture defines the meaning of
human touch; it varies according to age, gender, and status of the people
interacting. Heslin and Harper classify touch into five categories according to
function (Burgoon, David, Buller, Gill, Woodall, 1989). These are functional or
professional touch, social or polite touch, friendly or warm touch, love or
intimate touch, and sexual touch.
 a. Functional/Professional Touches are used in the exercise of a
profession. For example, a doctor checking on the pulse of a patient, a
nurse giving a patient a sponge bath, and a piano teacher showing a
student the proper finger position and movement.

b. Social/Polite Touches are governed by social norms. For example,

shaking hands and kissing the relatives on the cheeks during a visit.
Shaking hands have definite rules. It must be firm but not too firm,
rigorous but not vigorous, and must not last too long.

c. Friendly/Warm Touches are usually harmless and intend to show

affection and affiliation. For instance, comforting someone who has
just lost a loved one or congratulating a friend for a job well done.

d. Love/Intimate Touches are permitted and enjoyed among people

who are intimate with one another. For example, hugging and kissing
lightly.

e. Sexual Touches pertain to and/or prompted by sexual love or desire

Touch can be perceived positively or negatively based on what part of the

body is being touched, under what circumstances it is being touched, and
what meaning is given to the touch. Therefore, before we touch anyone, it
is always better to know whether our touch is welcome or not.

D. Proxemics (Use of Space)

Proxemics refers to the way people use space to convey meaning. This
includes permanent structures, movable objects within space, and informal space
(Verdeber, 1989).

1. Permanent Structure. Permanent structures refer to immovable places in

which we live or work that cannot be moved – an apartment, condominium,
duplex, and individual home. The kind of houses or offices we have reflects
our lifestyle so when we rent, buy or build them, we carefully select those that
fit the image we want to communicate. For example, a person who wishes to
express his/her need for solitude will choose to live near a forest or on a thinly
populated area.

2. Movable Objects. The types of objects and their arrangement in a room

depend on the intended message. For instance, a person who wants to express
his/her religious beliefs may place an altar in his/her home. Another example,
a house without a single ashtray signifies that the people who live there don’t
smoke thereby giving the message that smoking is not allowed in that house.
 3. Informal Space. Informal space is the space around us at any given time.
Consciously or unconsciously, we feel uncomfortable when someone intrudes
into what Americans call our “intimate space.” In a movie house with very
few people, for example, we tend to sit with one or more vacant seats away
from the next person whom we don’t know; if a stranger sits beside us, we
feel threatened and instinctively move away.

Informal space can also refer to comfort zone. It is a personal space, a

sort of invisible bubble around us which we feel is sours and which we don’t
wish to be intruded upon. We also tend to regard a certain space as our
“territory,” whether or not we are currently occupying it.

E. Personal Appearance

A persons’ appearance depends on his/her age, gender, race, educational

attainment, and profession. The way we dress and groom also communicates your
social and cultural roles and personal qualities.

1. Clothes. The type of occasion or context often suggests what a person

should wear, but even when the dress code is restricted, a person’s
personality is still evident. A person’s clothing choice and grooming can
also differentiate him/her from or associate him/her with other groups. For
example, a woman from Afghanistan who wears a burqa can be identified
as a Muslim.

2. Hairstyles. Your hairstyle also gives off a message. A girl with short hair
could be seen as simple and unfussy, while a person with hair dyed a
striking color such as pink or blue could be seen as unique and bold. But
sometimes, hairstyle is just a fashion statement.

3. Accessories. Accessories such as piercings, jewelry, and the like tell

something about status. Some people who wear expensive or elaborate
jewelry are perceived to be of high social status. On the other hand, there
are people who never wear any accessories at all. These are the people
who are considered to be the simple, minimalist type.

4. Tattoos. Some cultures use tattoos as a way of distinguishing ranks and

showcasing their cultural heritage. For example, the Arioi in Tahiti, an
island in French Polynesia, a group of entertainers, use tattoos to show the
rank of their members. In the Philippines, tribal tattoos carry meaning and
are usually tied to the group’s rituals, customs, and achievements of tribe
members. Well-known Filipino tattoo artist, Whang Od, the last Kalinga
tattoo artist, has become famous for her artistry in tattooing.