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Communicating Nonverbally Communicating Nonverbally

CommunicateCommunicate

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Upward of 60% of meaning in any social situation is communicated nonverbally (Burgoon & Bacue, 2003)

Others believe 93% of meaning is communicated nonverbally (Mehabian, 1972) (page 68)

A Closer look at these percentages: The importance of the verbal to the nonverbal was

determined by the use of only 37 subjects, who were female University of California undergraduates participating in the study as partial fulfillment of introductory psychology course requirements.

“The specific percentages are not important; rather, what is important is that you recognize how essential nonverbal cues are to us as we interpret what we think people mean" (Brilhart and Galanes (1989) p. 138).

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Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is inevitable (page 68)

Nonverbal communication is the primary

conveyor of our emotions (page 68)

Identity management

Define relationships

Convey emotions that we may be unwilling to express

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Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is multichanneled

(page 68)

Nonverbal communication is ambiguous (page 68)

“Superior Customer Service”

Decoding ability increases with age and training

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Influences on Nonverbal Communication

Culture

Gender

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Cultural Variations In Japan, people gaze at Adam’s apple and avoid direct eye contact

(Samovar, Porter, McDaniel (2009) - page 70) Native American, Latin American, Caribbean, and African cultures

see direct gazes as disrespectful (page 68) Arabs look intently into the person’s eyes OK sign is a vulgar gesture in Germany and Brazil, means “your

worth zero” in France and Belgium, sexual invitation is Greece and Turkey, “I’ll kill you” in Tunisia (page 69)

South and Central America and Southern Europe encourage contact in touching (Neuliep, 2006 – page 71)

Asian cultures are low-contact (page 71) People from the Middle East stand much closer

(Hall, 1969), (Warnecke, Masters, Kempter, 1992)

Cultural Variations cont. Arabs speak with great deal of volume to convey strength and sincerity

(Samovar, Porter, McDaniel, 2009 – page 72) Britain and Asian cultures prefer soft voices (Samovar, Porter, McDaniel,

2009 – page 72) Western Cultures / Individualistic (US) require more space than

collectivist cultures (Asia) (Samovar, Porter, McDaniel, 2009 – page 75) Western Cultures are more time conscious (Hall, 1959 – page 75) Mexican culture doesn’t specify an exact time (page 75)

(Hall, 1969), (Warnecke, Masters, Kempter, 1992)

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Gender Link between smiling and levels of the male

testosterone (Cashdan, 1995)

Women are more accurate at interpreting nonverbal signals

Women tend to play more often with their hair and/or clothing and tap their fingers (Pearson, Turner, West, 1995 – page 69)

Women have more frequent eye contact (Cegala, Sillars, 1989 – page 1989)

Women are more accurate at interpreting nonverbal(Argyle, 1988), (JA Hall, 1979), (JA Hall, 2006), (JA Hall & Horgan, 2001) 10

Gender cont. Touch? Who touches more? Why? (page 71) Women are more vocally expressive, high pitched,

softer in volume (page 72)

Women stand at closer distances Women face conversational partners Men have more expansive gestures Men require more space Women are better at detecting lies (Buller & Burgoon, 1994),

(McCornack & Parks, 1990)

(Argyle, 1988), (JA Hall, 1979), (JA Hall, 2006), (JA Hall & Horgan, 2001)11

Deceiving Actors, Lawyers, diplomats and salespeople

are more successful at deception (Riggio & Freeman, 1983)

Coin toss has a better outcome? (Feeley & Young, 1998)

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Types of Nonverbal Communication Posture and Gesture (Kinesics) Face and Eyes Touch (Haptics) Voice (Paralanguage) Space (Proxemics) Territoriality Environment Time (Chronemics) Physical Attractiveness Clothing

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Kinesics (page 69)

Career Counselors use “posture echoes” (Maurer & Tindall, 1983)

Rapists use postural clues to select victims Detecting status based on posture Manipulators

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Face and Eyes (page 70)

Talkers hold eye contact about 40% of the

time

Listeners hold eye contact about 70% of the

time

(Knapp & Hall, 2006 and page 69)

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Face and Eyes (page 70)

Smiling cocktail waitresses earn larger tips

Pupils grow larger in proportion to degree of interest

- Arab merchant noticed pupil of customer (Hess & Plott,

1960)

Emotional Contagion (Hinsz & Tomhave, 1991)

Facial expressions are hard to read because of speed

which they change and the many different emotions

displayed

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Paralanguage (page 71)

Pitch, Volume, Rate, Quality, Intonation, Vocalized pauses

Listeners pay more attention to vocal messages than words being spoken

Communicators are most likely to comply with requests delivered by speakers whose rate is similar to their own (Buller & Kane, 1992)

Those who speak loudly & without hesitation are viewed as more confident

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Haptics (page 71)

Children “wasted away” in orphanages in nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

Increases child’s mental functioning and physical health (Montagu, 1972 and Yarrow, 1963 and others…)

70% who were touch complied, 40% of untouched complied (dime study) (Kleinke, 1977 and Willis & Hamm, 1980)

Larger tips & alcohol consumption for waiters and waitresses (Crusco & Wetzel, 1984)

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Physical Appearance (page 76)

Endomorph (round and heavy) Mesomorph (muscular and strong) Ectomorph (lean with little muscle)

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Physical Appearance (page 76)

Posture, gestures, facial expressions and other behaviors increase attractiveness

Women who are perceived as attractive have more dates, higher grades in college, persuade males with greater ease, receive lighter court sentences (Knapp & Hall, 1992)

Shorter men have more difficulty finding jobs (Adler & Rodman)

Men over 6’2” receive salaries at 12.4% higher Children as young as 3 agree on attraction Attractive students are seen as more intelligent, friendly, and

popular (Abdala, Knapp, Theune, 2002)

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Clothing and Personal Grooming

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Clothing and Personal Grooming (page 76)

Uniforms influence pedestrians to pick up litter Solicitors wearing sheriff’s and nurse’s uniforms increase level of

contributions to law enforcement and health care campaigns (Lawerence &

Watson, 1991)

83% of pedestrians followed jay-walker dressed in higher-status clothing - 48% of pedestrians followed jay-walker dressed in lower-status clothing

Women wearing a suit and jacket are rated more powerful Feminine clothing is decorative, masculine clothing is functional (Wood, 2007

and page 79)

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Chronemics (page 75)

American teacher discovered cultural differences in time when teaching at college in Brazil

How do we view time?

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Physical Space / Territory (page 74)

Grant people with higher status more personal territory

We assume ownership to the parts of physical space we occupy (page 74)

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Environment Researchers showed 99 students slides of the

interior of 12 upper-middle-class homes Professors with well-decorated offices were

more credible Removing a doctor’s desk makes patients feel

almost 5 times more at ease Arrangement of desks in a classroom