Download Chapter 5 Nonverbal Communication

Chapter 5
Nonverbal Communication
Body Basics
• Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions or body
movements used to express attitudes or moods about a person,
situation, or idea.
• #1T/F- Talking is not the most important way we communicate.
• #2T/F- Knowing something about nonverbal communication can be
helpful when you send messages.
• #1IC- Body language is also called the “silent language” because we
send messages with our bodies, and people believe and remember
more what they see than what they hear.
• #3T/F- Humans can produce many physical messages.
• #4T/F- Body language is usually more convincing than verbal
messages.
Body Basics
• #5T/F- Humans tend to use a few gestures over and over.
• An open posture is one that is positive and shows you are open to a
discussion.
• A closed posture is one that is negative and shows you are not
interested in a discussion.
• Positive body language includes a relaxed posture, arms relaxed, good
eye contact, nodding, smiling, leaning closer, and using gesture.
• #46B- Research has shown that applicants who nod during job
interviews are hired more often than those who do not.
• Negative body language includes a tense body, folded arms, speaking
hand to mouth, fidgeting, no eye contact, and yawning.
Interpreting Nonverbal Messages
• Learning to read body language is complicated.
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Facial expressions
#16T/F- We sometimes use our bodies to disguise our true feelings.
#17T/F- Facial expressions are often more convincing than words.
#18T/F- Faces aren’t the best place to discover someone’s true
feelings.
• Faces can make hundreds of different movements and emotions.
• #45B- According to a study by Albert Mehrabian, facial expressions
carry the greatest impact in convincing someone of something,
followed by tone of voice and, lastly, by words.
Interpreting Nonverbal Messages
• Tone of voice
• #19T/F- Tone of voice often can reveal a speaker’s true feelings.
• Changing the pitch of your voice can give the same word different
meanings. (ex: “oh”)
• Rate, how fast a speaker talks, is also associated with tone of voice
because it too shows the speaker’s feelings.
• #20T/F- When people talk fast, they are often excited or anxious.
• #21T/F- People talk faster when trying to sell something or persuade
us.
• #22T/F- People tend to talk more slowly when they are sad or tired.
Interpreting Nonverbal Messages
• How to tell if someone is lying
• #4IC- The signs of deception are decreased hand activity, increased
facial touching, a stiff and rigid posture, and increased body shifting.
• #12T/F- Every movement expresses something.
• #13T/F- Body movements seldom lie.
• #23T/F- It is hard to control body postures because we are not fully
aware of them.
• #41B- Body movements are almost always honest.
Multicultural Messages
• While practiced everywhere, body language is not a universal
language.
• #2IC- Some signs of greetings are handshakes, bows, touching,
kissing, and other less known forms.
• Handshakes
• #39B- Psychologists regard the handshake as one of the most
powerful ways of indicating trust or acceptance.
• #6T/F- A firm handshake will usually make the best impression.
• Loose, fishy handshakes are not good, nor are “Texas” handshakes
that crush the fingers of the other person.
• #7T/F- The French are “hand-shakers.”
• Don’t pump your arm up and down- just apply even pressure with
your whole hand before release.
Multicultural Messages
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Bowing
#40B- The most polite greeting of all is the bow.
A bow indicates respect and often reflects social status.
A person of lower rank must bow first and lowest.
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Touching
#9T/F- Touch is a powerful communication channel.
#10T/F- In general, women like “touch” more than men.
#11T/F- It is harder to say “no” to a request when being touched.
Types of Space
• #43B- We all walk around inside a bubble of personal space.
• #15T/F- Americans generally like to stand 2 to 3 feet apart.
• #3IC- The four types of space are
– A. Intimate distance (under 18 inches/used for confidential
exchanges with close friends),
– B. personal distance (1.5 to 4 feet/used for regular conversations
between friends),
– C. social distance (4 to 12 feet/used for people in most social and
business situations,
– D. public distance (over 12 feet/used for talking to strangers)
Walking
• Kinesics is the study of body movements.
• #42B- Some have called the way we walk a “second signature.”
• #14T/F- People tend to like people who have a bounce to their walk,
swing their arms, and take long, strong strides.
• When people are sad, people tend to take slower steps and drag their
feet.
• When people are happy, they move more quickly and light on their
feet.
• A choppy walk conveys unfriendliness or frustration.
• A duck walk conveys an independent and impulsive nature.
• A swagger conveys self-confidence and arrogance.
Nonverbal Messages in Conversations
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Conversations are those small talks you have with other people.
#24T/F- Conversation does not come naturally to most people.
#25T/F- Conversations follow unspoken rules.
#26T/F- Good conversations can begin with something practical and
trite like “How’s the weather?”
• Timing refers to the ability to sense when it is appropriate to begin a
conversation.
• #27T/F- If a person who has been addressed wants a conversation, his
reply must not be too brief or unenthusiastic.
• #28T/F- Striking up a conversation is easiest when it becomes clear
that both of you have something in common.
Helping a Conversation Continue
• Being a good listener helps a conversation continue.
• Having an “open” posture, feedback, and good eye contact also keeps
a conversation going.
• #29T/F- Listeners usually look at people who touch their feelings.
• #30T/F- It is easy to disguise what your eyes reveal.
• #31T/F- People who give feedback to speakers are more popular.
• Nodding and gesturing are two ways to provide feedback.
• #32T/F- Long nods disturb a speaker; short nods encourage a speaker.
• #44B- The nervous laugh is a good example of inconsistent
communication.
Taking Turns in a Conversation
• #33T/F- The surest way to take your turn at the right time in a
conversation is to listen for pauses.
• #34T/F- We usually have a sixth sense about when a speaker is
pausing in midstream and when she wishes to turn the conversation
over to another person.
• Simple interruptions occur when someone begins to speak before the
other person has finished.
• Overlapping interruptions occur when one person tries to interrupt,
but the first person continues talking.
• Silent interruptions occur when someone takes advantage of a pause.
Taking Turns in a Conversation
• The best way to keep people from interrupting is to use authoritative
body language, don’t give any unintentional signals that you’re
finished, and don’t pause too long.
• The best way to keep a person listening is to be interesting.
• You can be interesting by being informed on current events, pay
attention to the other person’s interests, strive to know a little about
everything, and just don’t be boring.
• #35T/F- Perhaps the most important quality of a good
conversationalist is the ability to be interesting.