Non Verbal Communication

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
„…any form of communications which is not directly dependent on the use of language …it is very difficult to separate verbal and non-verbal forms of communication…” (Scollon & Scollon 1997:142).

65 % of the meaning of the message comes from non-verbal signals

35 % of the meaning of the message comes from verbal signals (Morreale et. al. 2007: 177).

Key elements:

    • Haptics – touch behaviour

    • Kinesis – body movement and position, gestures

    • Oculesics – eye contact, gaze behavior

    • Proxemics – spatial behavior, interpersonal distance (Gasteland 1996: 71)



HAPTICS

Touch and physical contact are considered to be the essential elements of   human social development and a factor that facilitates communication in different cultures. The role and degree of physical contact varies across cultures and between sexes (Morreale et. al. 2007: 185-186).

The Handshake (adapted from Gasteland 1996:74)

|Germans                     Firms, Brisk and Frequent             |Arabs Gentle                   Repeated and Lingering                   |
|French                         Light, Quick and Frequent           |South Asians                   Gentle, Often Lingering                   |
|British                           Moderate                         |Koreans                           Moderately Firm                       |
|Latin                             Firm and Frequent                 |Most Asians                   Very Gentle and Infrequent               |
|Americans                                                         |                                                                       |
|North                           Firm and Infrequent               |                                                                       |
|Americans                                                         |                                                                       |


KINESIS

Smiling and...