NONVERBAL

COMMUNICATION

YOUSEE,BUTYOUDONOT
OBSERVE

SHERLOCKHOLMES

Definition, body language,

gestures, signs of greeting,
touching customs, walking,
distance, face expressions, voice

WHATISNONVERBAL
COMMUNICATION?

WHATISNONVERBAL
COMMUNICATION?
Gesturesandtouch
Bodylanguageorposture
Facialexpression
Eyecontact
Artifacts(clothing,hairstyle,architecture)
Symbols,icons
Paralanguage:voicequality,rate,pitch,volume,and
speakingstyle,rhytm,intonationandstress
Dance
Writtentexts:handwritingstyle,spatialarrangement
ofwords,orthephysicallayoutofapage

BODYLANGUAGE
Over700.000differentphysicalsigns
Faceiscapableto250.000differentexpresions
5.000handgestures
1.000kindsofpostures

GESTURESINDIFFERENT
CULTURES

HookemHornssign
Supportfortheteam,butbeware(Texas)
Aninsult(Italy)
Goodluck(Brazil)
Acow(India)

Crossedarmsorlegs
disagreement
openhandsagreement,
sympathy
Noddingyourheadupanddown
yes(exceptioninBulgaria,
Turkey,Iranwhereitmeansthe
opposite)
Tappingyourheadwithyour
forefingerthatpersonisvery
intelligent/thatpersonis
crazy

SIGNSOFGREETING
Handshake(allovertheworld)
Hug
Salaam(MidleEast)
Slappinghandsoneachothersheadand
shoulders(Eskimos)
Embracingandthenrubbingtheback(Polynesia)
Rubnoses(Maoritribes,NewZealand)
Spitateachothersfeet(EastAfrica)
Stickingouttheirtongues(Tibet)
Bow(Asia)

TOUCHINGCUSTOMS
Touchinglanguageofphysicalintimacy
Womenreactmuchmorefavorablytotouchthanmen
ManyAsiancountriesavoideyecontactandtouch
withoutfeeling
Desiretotouchindifferentregionsbyhowcouples
behaveinacoffeeshop:

Country

Touches per hour

Puerto Rico

180

Paris

110

Florida

London

HOWCOUNTRIESAROUNDTHEGLOBE
FEELABOUTTOUCHING:
Enjoy touching

Middle ground

Dont touch

Middle Eastern
countries

France

Japan

Latin Countries

China

United States &

Canada

Italy & Greece

Ireland

England

Russia

India

Australia

WALKINGSECONDSIGNATURE
Happymovemorequicklyandseemlighteron
yourfeet
Unhappyshouldersdroop,youwalkasthough
yourshoesweremadeoflead
Confidencetrytolookbigger,stretchyourself
uptoyourfullestheightheadback,chestout,
noseup(walkingtall)
Sadordiscouragedtrytolooksmallerby
bendingover,tuckingyourheadinandlooking
down

STYLESOFWALKING
Thechoppywalk.Imaginethewayyouwalk
whenyoureloadeddownwithheavybags.This
isashortpacedwalkthatconveys
submissiveness,unfriendliness,orfrustration.
Theduckwalk.CharlieChaplinwalkedwithhis
toespointedoutandhisbodyswayingabitfrom
sidetoside.Thewalkbecamehistrademarkand
signifiesanimpulsiveandindependentnature.
Theswagger.Swayinghipsleadthewayforthis
walk,astheupperbodyleansbackfromthe
pelvis.Tosomepeople,thiswalkshowsalackof
selfconfidence;toothers,itshowstoomuchego.

WATCHTHESPACE
Type of

Measurement of

Purpose of space

space

space

Intimate

Under 18 inches

This distance is primarily for

confidential exchanges and is
almost always reserved for close
friends

Personal

1,5 to 4 feet

This distance is comfortable for

conversation between friends

Social

4 to 12 feet

This is the ordinary distance

people maintain from one another
for most social and business
exchanges

Public

Over 12 feet

At this distance, perhaps in a

shopping mall or on the street,

FACIALEXPRESSIONS
Facialexpressionsare
oftenmoreconvincing
thanwords.Theycarry
thegreatestimpactin
convincingsomeoneof
something.
6emotions
foundationofall
expressions:surprise,
fear,anger,disgust,
happines,sadness

AREASOFFACE
Foranygivenemotioncertainfeaturesaremost
important:
Nosecheekmouthdisgust
Eyesandeyelidsfear
Browsandforeheadsadness
Cheeksandmouthhappiness

VOICE

Thetimbreofapersonsvoice,hispauses,rhytmand
odditiesinpronunciationhaveagreatimportance.So
theinterjectionohcanhavemoremeanings:you
surprisedme,Imadeamistake,youmakemeso
happy,Imbored,Imfascinated,Iunderstand,
Idontunderstand
Talkfastwhenpeopleareexcitedoranxiousorthey
arespeakingaboutapersonalproblem
Talkslowlywhentheyaredepressed,disgusted,
griefstrickenorsimplytired

HOWTOTELLWHENSOMEBODYIS
LYING?
Decreasedhandactivity(unconsciouslyyou
suppressthem:hidethem,sitonthem,stuff
themdeepintoyourpockets,clasponefirmly
withtheother)
Increasedfacetouching(thechinstroke,the
lipspress,themouthcover,thenosetouch,the
cheekrub,theeyebrowscratch,theearlobepull,
thehairgroom)
Increasedbodyshifting(squirms,restless)

HOWWELLYOUCANINTERPRET
NONVERBALMESSAGES?
Matchtheactionwiththemessage.
actionmessage
1.Slappingyourforeheada.Imangry
withtheheelofyouhandb.Iforgotsomething
2.Wrinklingyourforeheadc.Imgettingimpatient
andfrowningd.Idontunderstand
3.Tappingyourfingersone.Idontlikethat
adesktable
4.Slammingabookdown
onadeskortable
5.Wrinklingyournose