Verbal & Nonverbal Communication - PowerPoint Presentation

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Verbal & Nonverbal Communication Slide2

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is Culture bound

However, certain universals exist (e.g. smile)

Effective communication is the combined harmony of verbal and nonverbal actions.Slide3

Florello LaGuardia, legendary mayor of NYC 1933-1945, was fluent in English, Italian, and Yiddish. Researchers who watched videos of his campaigns with sound off were able to understand which language he was speaking by the changes in nonverbal behavior.Slide4

Types of Communication

Vocal Com.

Nonvocal

Com.

Verbal Com.

Spoken words

Written Words

Nonverbal Com.

Tone of voice, sighs, screams, vocal qualities, (loudness) etc

Gestures, movement, appearance, facial expression etc Slide5

Verbal vs NonverbalSlide6

Challenges to Communicating Across Cultures

Communication is a combination of what is said, the way in which it is said and our body language.

Challenges can be categorized as:

speaking accent

topics of conversation

slang/jargonSlide7

Challenges (cont’d)

Formal/informal language

Tone

Gestures/ Posture

Physical space and contact

Communication Style

Dress and appearance

GenderSlide8

The high-context communication style

is associated with a nonverbal, implicit, high-context style of communication, which predominates in non-Western, collectivist countries. It does not focus on just the immediate issues, but puts a particular focus on long-term and emotional aspects of the relationship between the parties and is preoccupied with considerations of symbolism, status, and face; It also draws on highly developed communication strategies for evading confrontation." Raymond Cohen (paraphrased

)

The meaning is not in the words, but in the greater context.

“That’s just great.” (when its not) – “That would be difficult.”Slide9

The low-context communication style

is infused with the can-do, problem-solving spirit, assumes a process of give-and-take, and is strongly influenced by Anglo-Saxon legal habits. When negotiation experts suggest a model of negotiation (usually involving such features as the "joint search for a solution," "isolating the people from the problem," and the "maximization of joint gains"), they are proposing a version of the low-context, problem-solving model. Rational thought is at the base of this model; people are part of the problem, not the solution; each problem can be solved discretely; goals are defined in terms of material, not psychic, satisfactions.

Raymond Cohen

(paraphrased)

The words convey the meaningSlide10

Conflicts

A High Context Perspective

Non-Western negotiators tend to be surprised by their negotiation partner’s ignorance of history, preoccupation with individual rights, obsession with the immediate problem while neglecting the overall relationship, excessive bluntness, impatience, disinterest in establishing a philosophical basis for agreement, extraordinary willingness to make soft concessions, constant generation of new proposals, and inability to leave a problem pending. They are frustrated by their American partner's occasional obtuseness and insensitivity; tendency to see things and present alternatives in black-or-white, either-or-terms; appetite for crisis; habit of springing unpleasant surprises; intimidating readiness for confrontation; tendency to bypass established channels of authority; inability to take no for an answer; and obsession with tidying up loose ends and putting everything down on paper.

Raymond CohenSlide11

Conflicts

A Low Context Perspective

American negotiators tend to be surprised by their negotiation partner’s preoccupation with history and hierarchy, preference for principle over nitty-gritty detail, personalized and repetitive style of argument, lack of enthusiasm for explicit and formal agreement, and willingness to sacrifice substance to form. They are frustrated by their partners' reluctance to put their cards on the table, intransigent bargaining, evasiveness, dilatoriness, and readiness to walk away from the table without agreement. Raymond Cohen

Negotiating Across CulturesSlide12

Low Context Communication Styles

Lang primarily used to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas as clearly/logically as possible

Majority of info carried in explicit verbal messages (less focus on the situational context)

Self-expression valued

Opinions/desires expressed direcetlySlide13

High Context Communication Styles

Value lang as a way to maintain social harmony

Important information carried in contextual cues (time, place, relationship, situation)

Less reliance on explicit verbal messages

Relational harmony valued and maintained by indirect expression of options

Communicators talk “around” the point

Ambiguity and use of silence admired Slide14

Differences btw Verbal & Nonverbal Communication

Single vs Multiple Channels

Discrete vs Continuous

Conscious vs Unconscious

Clear vs AmbiguousSlide15

Single Vs Multiple Channels

In Verbal Com.

 emphasis on

orderly and sequential (one word after the other)

In Nonverbal Com.



messages bombard us simultaneously from a multitude of channels (facial expressions, posture, gesture, clothing, proxemics etc)Slide16

Discrete vs Continuous

Verbal messages usually have clear beginnings and endings

Nonverbal com. provides a constant flow of messages (continuous and never ending)

Remember that “Nothing never happens” (even an unanswered call or email is a message)Slide17

Conscious vs Unconscious

In Verbal Com. Usually think about what we want to say before speaking

Most nonverbal messages aren’t deliberate (that’s why it offers so many cues as how one is feeling)Slide18

Clear vs Ambiguous

Verbal com can be confusing

Nonverbal even more vagueSlide19

Illustrators & Regulators

Body Movement indicates attitude, conveys feelings and serves as illustrators and regulators

Illustrators are nonverbal movements that accompany and illustrate verbal communication

Regulators are nonverbal cues that monitor or control the speaking of another individualSlide20

Indicators

You say to the store attendant "I want that one," and point to the dress in the display window. You nod your head up and down to indicate yes and shake it back and forth to indicate no. In other words you imitate the movement you are verbally describing.Slide21

Regulators

While listening to a person you nod your head to indicate that you understand and are in agreement with the speaker. You look away or yawn to indicate that you are bored or would like for the speaker to stop talking. You frown or raise your eyebrows to indicate to the speaker that you either don't believe them or that you don't understand.Slide22

16 ways

Japanese avoid saying “No”

1. Vague “no”

2. Vague and ambiguous “yes” or “no”

3. Silence

4. Counter question

5. Lateral responses

6. Exiting (leaving)

7. Lying (equivocation or making an excuse—

sickness, previous obligation, etc.)

8. Criticizing the question itself

9. Refusing the question

10. Conditional “no”

11. “Yes, but . . .”

12. Delaying answer (e.g., “We will write you a letter.”)

13. Internally “yes,” externally “no”

14. Internally “no,” externally “yes”

15. Apology

16. The equivalent of the English “no”—

primarily used in filling out forms, not in conversationSlide23

No – Maybe Game

Sample questions (make up your own):

What is your name?

Where do you live?

Where do you work or go to school?

Where did you get that shirt you are wearing?

Where did you go on your last vacation?

How much money do you have saved?

Do you like to eat Chinese food?

- make up other questions

To evade a direct answer to any question that you are asked. Slide24

No – Maybe Game

Possible answers / ways of saying "no" without saying "no.“

- vague and ambiguous answer

- ask a question back rather than answering their question

- say something that is not on point

- criticize the question

- active listen, paraphrase, or summarize the question

- make the "no" conditional

- saying "yes, but ..."

- delaying the answer

- making an apology

- silence

- tell a lie or make an excuse

- walking away

Examples. Slide25

Opinion Slide26
Slide27

Types of Nonverbal Communication

Posture & Gestures

Face & Eyes

Voice

Touch

Clothing

Distance

Time

Territoriality

Environment Slide28

Posture & Gestures

Kinesics (study of body movement)

Posture is a rich channel for conveying nonverbal com.

Note: Posture echoes (mirroring of sb else’s posture can have positive effects)Slide29
Slide30

Face & Eyes (occulistics)

Probably the most noticed parts of the body

Meeting sb’s glance is not appreciated in all cultures (in ours it means involvement)

Ekman & Friesen have identified six basic emotions that facial expressions reflect:

Surprise

Fear

Anger

Disgust

Happiness

Sadness

(possible combinations of these –affect blends)Slide31
Slide32
Slide33

Voice

Paralanguage (nonverbal, vocal messages)

E.g. Sarcasm (emphasis and tone of voice can change a statement’s meaning)

Research shows that listeners pay more attention to the vocal messages than to the words that are spoken) and vocal message carries more weight

Voice communicates through:

Speed

Volume

Pitch

Number/length of pauses

Disfluencies/exclamations (er, um, ah..)Slide34

Touch (haptics)

Touch plays an important role

Consider males and femalesSlide35

Clothing

Besides protecting us from the elements, clothing is a means of nonverbal com.

We make assumptions about people based on clothing

Messages it can convey:

Economic status

Educational level

Social status

Moral standards

Athletic ability and other interests

Belief system (political, philosophical, religious)

Level of sophisticationSlide36
Slide37

Distance (proxemics)

Distance zones (Edward hall)

Intimate distance (begins with skin contact -18 inches) people are emotionally close. Allowing people in this zone is a sign of trust

Personal distance (18 inch-4 feet). Most couples stand in public

Social distance (4-12 feet). Business situations. More formal and impersonal situations

Public distance (+ 12 feet)Slide38

Time (chronemics)

How people use and structure time

E.g. waiting can indicate status in a culture that values timeSlide39

Punctuality

Western AsianSlide40

Territoriality

Personal space is the invisible bubble we carry around us, but territory is a fixed space (desk, room, neighborhood, country) in which we assume some kind of rights in our country.

(e.g. boss has larger desk and office; univ profs have offices ss don’t…shows status)Slide41

Environment

The physical environment people create can both reflect and shape interaction

E.g. our home’s style can communicate things about us

E.g. furniture in fast food restaurants designed to be uncomfortable Slide42

Exercise: Look at these physical actions. Are they acceptable in your national culture?

Smoking

Scratching your head

Touching sb on the arm as you speak to them

Crossing your arms

Looking sb straight in the eyes for 5’’ or more

Putting your feet on the table

Sitting with your legs wide apart

Not looking at sb when you speak to them

Adjusting your clothing: tie, bra, trouser belt

Yawning

Moving close to sb

Whispering to a colleague

Standing with hands on hips

Nodding your head emphatically

Laughing loudly

Blowing your nose