Communication is the art of passing messages across. It is the art of having information and news spreading from the source to the recipient. Communication can be by the use of language, signs, and symbols. There is verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication involves using sounds and languages that are agreed upon by the involved parties to pass information. Nonverbal communication, on the other hand, does not involve talking or using sounds, but rather signs, facial expressions, symbols and gestures (Park, 2013). Despite the little attention given to non-verbal communication, it should be noted that nearly 90 percent of the communication that people engage in is non-verbal. This type of communication is determined by the facial expressions worn, the tone of voice used, gestures with the hand and other body parts, the dressing, the accessories and the environment around us. This paper is going to highlight some of the forms and examples of non-verbal communication, try to place meaning or interpret the non-verbal communication and also explain the importance of non-verbal communication.
Non-verbal communication lies in many aspects such as the posture in which one is sitting, the tone of voice that they use, what they are wearing, what accessories they are using, facial expressions, gestures and body language (Hans & Hans, 2015). The tone of voice that somebody uses sends different messages and conveys a lot about the person and what they are trying to put across. It is safe to say that there is a tone of voice allocated for every emotion. For instance, when someone is angry or annoyed, they tend to raise their voice, speak sharply and harshly. One may use very soft words, but the way in which these words are said tells the listener that the person is experiencing a different emotion than the one that is heard in their words. Also, the tone of voice gives the listener a certain picture about the speaker. Deep voices are associated with masculinity and maturity. Soft voices are associated with femininity and sometimes children. Children are known to have very soft voices so when the speaker and the listener are not in the same vicinity; the listener can build an image of the speaker from where they are.
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The clothes that individual chooses to wear speak volumes without the person having to speak verbally (Mokhtari, 2013). When one wears a suit, the first thought that comes to mind is that the person has an official agenda. When someone wears a gown, they can be assumed to have a religious agenda. How an individual presents themselves communicates a certain image about them. For instance, at a job interview for the position of Assistant Manager at a company, the individual in a suit will be considered to be more serious than the individual dressed in casual wear. Even in public places, people often to place status and importance of that person who is officially dressed compared to one who is casually dressed. How all these people presented themselves sent a message to the observer without the concerned individuals having to say a word.
Body language is the biggest area in non-verbal communication. It involves the use of gestures, the facial expressions used, the sitting posture and even body movement. The most common form of non-verbal communication is the smile. People smile all the time, but the smile sends a message to the people who are smiled at. Smiling at an interview shows confidence. Smiling to members of the opposite sex may indicate interest or the fact that you like them. When someone smiles at the opposite sex, it may be an indirect signal of welcoming them to talk. A smile can be a sign of appreciation. It can also be used to conceal sad emotions or to hide the laughter. Some smiles are sarcastic. It depends on the occasion and how it is done. Sitting posture is also important. When standing, someone may cross their legs to show they are uncomfortable or o protect themselves. Also, they may have their legs together as a sign of being at attention. When sitting, crossed legs may indicate interest when accompanied by a hand placed on the chin. When the hands are crossed, and the legs are crossed, this is usually a sign that the person is out of the conversation. When an individual furrows their face, they are showing annoyance. Raised eyebrows mean interest or disagreement. Other body signals may include biting fingernails to show nervousness, dropping of shoulders to show tiredness or being worn out, exhaling to show relief or relaxation, shifting sitting positions to show unrest or nervousness and looking behind when walking to show fear or nervousness.
There lies great significance in non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication as aforementioned is used to give a picture of the speaker when the listener is at a different venue. For instance, soft voice may give the impression that one is a child or rather one is feminine whereas a deep voice shows masculinity. This also applies in the aspect of presentation and body language. When someone smiles often, they are assumed to be happy and pleasant. When someone dresses in a suit, they are assumed to have official significance or are taken seriously, hence non-verbal communication helps in profiling individuals.
Non-verbal communication also confirms or contradicts with verbal communication. This is especially important for teachers, therapists and those in similar or related professions. When an individual is giving happy news, and they are smiling, or their faces are bright, this means that the information they are giving is accurate. This is in contrary to when someone is sharing happy news in a low tone and has a frown on his or her face. At this point, one may be inclined to doubt the information being given. An individual can claim to be saddened by an event, but is smiling, and as such, despite the verbal claim, the person may not be easily believed.
Non-verbal communication can be used to replace words. This is especially important for those who are speech or hearing impaired. They depend on gestures and sign language to pass messages across, both of which are non-verbal communication. Also, non-verbal communication can explain a certain circumstance or situation without the use of words. If somebody walked out of an interview with their head hang, a tired stride and a sad face, it is evidently known that all did not go well in the interview room. In most cases, people need not speak, but rather display emotions which are easy to read, especially from their facial expressions and body language hence the importance of non-verbal communication over verbal.
In conclusion, non-verbal communication dominates nearly most of the interactions and conversations held by people. There are various forms that non-verbal communication takes, such as the tone of the voice used, the facial expression, the sitting or standing posture, gestures, body language, the presentation of an individual in the form of the clothes worn and the accessories used and also the body movement. Each sign or symbol in non-verbal communication bears meaning. Non-verbal communication is significant in that it helps to confirm or contradict verbal communication, can be used instead of words and also can give a picture of the impression of an individual.
References
Hans, A. & Hans, E. (2015). Kinesics, Haptics, and Proxemics: Aspects of Non –Verbal Communication. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science , 20 (2), 47-52. Retrieved from: http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol20-issue2/Version-4/H020244752.pdf
Mokhtari, M. (2013). The Puzzle of Non-Verbal Communication: Toward a new Aspect of Leadership. Retrieved from: http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:626971/FULLTEXT01
Park, M.H. (2013). Non-Verbal Communication: A Quiet Path to Children’s Engagement. Texas Child Care Quarterly , 37 (3). Retrieved from: http://www.childcarequarterly.com/pdf/winter13_nonverbal.pdf
