Have you ever heard the phrase “actions speak louder than words”? Well, in this case, they do! Your gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and posture consistently send signals that might not be obvious to the people you interact with.
In this article, we will explore the different roles that body language plays in everyday communication and discuss how to improve your nonverbal communication skills.
Types of Nonverbal Communication
The study of these nonverbal communications is called “Kinesics”, categorized into the following:
Facial Expression: Facial expression is arguably one of the most important nonverbal communication cues, with the look on someone's face being the first thing we notice. A frown, smile, or smirk is a telltale sign of an individual's mood and can change the meaning of a word by a mile.
Eye Contact: Have you ever avoided eye contact with someone when they were lying or noticed dilated pupils in someone you were interacting with? Well, the eyes play a crucial role in nonverbal communication, with staring, blinking, and pupil dilation indicating a range of different emotions like interest, boredom, hostility, and more.
Gestures: Ever since the 1970s, research on body language, such as posture, hand placement, and overall poise, has grown significantly, with increasing emphasis placed on it, and it is not without a reason. Whether or not the gestures are intentional or spontaneous, they subtly hint and indicate feelings, perspectives, and more.
Touch (Haptics): Touch between individuals can convey a wide range of emotions, from comforting and supportive to invasive or aggressive. For example, a reassuring pat on the back can offer comfort, while a firm handshake hints towards confidence and trust.
Proximity (Proxemics): Have you ever had a conversation where you felt awkward because the other person was occupying your space and standing way too close? Well personal space is something we all require, and here is where Proxemics come into play. Proximity between individuals is subtle nonverbal communication cues that may just hint at signs of affection, annoyance, aggression, and more.
How can I improve my nonverbal communication?
Encoding and decoding are two aspects of unconscious communication that significantly influence our nonverbal communication. Encoding refers to the way you display nonverbal cues. These can be purposeful or unconscious signals—your emotional expressions that you might not intend to display or body postures you are not wary of. In contrast, decoding is the process of interpreting someone else’s nonverbal messages. This improves our ability to perceive and understand nonverbal cues and enables us to communicate effectively in our everyday lives.
While it may seem impossible to encode our nonverbal cues, we always do this! Although some of our encoded nonverbal behaviors are not intended, many gestures and movements are purposely encoded. There are various ways to practice encoding our nonverbal behavior more effectively and purposefully; these ways include the following:
Be mindful of our communication approach.
Practice being in the presence of a situation
Reduce the amount of stress
Address any underlying conditions
Prioritising face-to-face communication
Interpreting nonverbal cues from others is the next step in nonverbal communication. Accurately decoding nonverbal cues can prevent miscommunication and enhance a friendly and harmonious peer relationship. To improve our capacity to interpret nonverbal cues, apply the following techniques:
Building emotional intelligence
Gaining proficiency in active listening
Looking for discrepancies between their true feelings and conversation
Strengthening cultural intelligence
Not being afraid to inquire
By using these techniques, we can learn to recognize and interpret nonverbal cues. These vital communication skills can improve our daily lives and encourage us to interact with others more effectively.
Reference List
Matsumoto, D. (2016). Nonverbal communication speaks volumes, with David Matsumoto, PhD. [online] https://www.apa.org. Available at: https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/nonverbal-communication [Accessed 12 Jun. 2024].
Patterson, M.L. (2012). Nonverbal Communication. Elsevier eBooks, [online] pp.731–738. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-375000-6.00255-x.
VeryWell Mind (2023). What Are the 9 Types of Nonverbal Communication? [online] Verywell Mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/types-of-nonverbal-communication-2795397#:~:text=Every%20day%2C%20we%20respond%20to,we%20relate%20to%20other%20people [Accessed 12 Jun. 2024].
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