Non Verbal Communication

Is non-verbal behaviour innate?

A common question you will encounter while studying psychology is whether the behaviour is innate – something we are born with, or learned? Darwin's theory suggests that non-verbal behaviour is an innate, adaptive function that can be observed in neonates.

Research has shown that neonates use a pre-cry expression to show sadness or smiles and similar/appropriate facial expressions to demonstrate pain or surprise. But is non-verbal behaviour learned? If non-verbal behaviours are learned, then individuals who are sensory deprived would not be able to use them in the same way. However, this is not the case. Studies have shown babies born blind have similar expressions behaviours to babies born with vision.

Is non-verbal behaviour learned?

Contradictory research has found that non-verbal behaviour is learned. Yuki (2007) gave the same questionnaire to American and Japanese students. Students were required to rate how happy to sad emoticon faces were in this research. The results showed that Japanese students focused on the eyes. In contrast, Americans focused on the mouth when interpreting emoticons, suggesting people learn about expressions and how to interpret emotions and cultural norms influence this.

Cultural differences in non-verbal communication

You may have noticed that non-verbal communication can have differences in certain cultures. Different cultures across the globe have different ways of engaging in and interpreting social interactions. Cultures are often categorised as:

Types of non-verbal communication

Mehrabian (1971) found that when expressing emotions and attitudes to others, 7% is conveyed through words, 38% via tones and 55% through body language, highlighting the importance of non-verbal communication. This finding showed that it is used to express and interpret others' thoughts and actions. Now let's look at some of the commonly known types of nonverbal communication.

Four people having a conversation, freepik.com/vectors

Non-verbal communication examples

There are different methods of non-verbal communication. Individuals use these to express their feelings and intentions or pass along information to others. Some nonverbal communication examples that will be discussed are:

• Gestures

• Facial expressions

• Paralinguistics

• Body language and posture

• Eye gaze/contact

• Proxemics/personal space

• Touch

• Appearance

Methods of non-verbal communication – gestures

Sifferent forms of gestures exist – from waving to pointing and even cursing. Gestures are non-verbal signals that communicate messages or positive or negative feelings. They are also occasionally used to emphasise a point someone is making.

Gestures are an important method of non-verbal communication because they can add meaning and emphasise something that is being said. Gestures can be used to get someone to pay attention to the seriousness of a topic. If someone exaggerates their gestures, others may be more likely to pay attention to the seriousness of the topic.

Methods of non-verbal communication – posture and touch

Another important type of non-verbal communication is body posture. The way we sit, stand and pose are messages themselves. Different types of postures have different meanings. These include:

• Open posture may be when someone is sitting back in a laid-back way, suggesting to others the person is open and approachable.

• Closed posture, i.e., standing with arms crossed, may suggest the person is feeling attacked or defensive.

• Postural echo; you may have noticed you sometimes mirror others' postures, which is essentially postural echo.

Touch is another method of non-verbal communication. It can be interpreted in many ways depending on the context of the situation.

Types of non-verbal communication – facial expressions

Facial expressions make up a large part of nonverbal communication. Think about it: a simple smile or facial expression that conveys a message of anger can mean a lot and provide a lot of information. Although nonverbal communication and behaviour can vary by culture, facial expressions of joy, anger, sadness, and fear usually remain the same.

Varying facial expressions, pixabay

Types of non-verbal communication – eye contact

As we mentioned before, eye gaze or eye contact is another significant way of communicating. Staring, blinking, and rolling eyes are important nonverbal cues. Staring at someone could mean a range of emotions, such as hostility, attraction or interest. Usually, maintaining eye contact is interpreted as being honest. When eye contact is not maintained, a person is often thought to be hiding something or lying.

Eye contact has many vital functions.

Types of non-verbal communication – proxemics/personal space

Personal space is also a form of nonverbal communication. The amount of space and distance a person needs from another or others reveals a message. Social norms usually influence personal space, how familiar or comfortable you are with someone and cultural factors.

The importance of nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication methods and cues give a message to the person to whom we are trying to communicate, i.e. whether we are happy, angry, or honest with that person. When nonverbal types of communication match what we say, these increase trust between the people involved.

Non-verbal communication is also important as it plays five important roles, which are: repetition (strengthens the verbal message), contradiction, substitution (used to replace a verbal message), complementing (to add to or complete a verbal message) and accenting.

This type of communication can also help someone express themselves and help others understand what is trying to be said. It is difficult to use nonverbal communication alone to express emotions.