Body-to-body communication

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Body-to-body communication is a way of communicating with others through the use of nonverbal communication, without using speech or verbalization. It can include body language , facial expressions, and other bodily gestures in order to communicate with others without the need of verbal communication. [1] Body-to-body communication accounts for postures, body language, physical touch, nonverbal language, and other bodily gestures.

Contents

This form of communication accounts for roughly up to sixty percent of human conversation [2] and can be expressed in many different forms. Body-to-body communication is used in collaboration with, as well as in replacement of verbal communication to emphasize the point being made. [3] Body-to-body communication is also used by people subconsciously more than consciously at times.

Human communication consists of both verbal and nonverbal interaction between two or more individuals. Nonverbal communication enhances human communication as a whole in a variety of ways and is an important aspect of social interactions between humans. Nonverbal responses are known to be immediate and honest. Based on studies, body movement and bodily gestures are considered the exact dominant behavior that defines nonverbal communication. [4]

Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal cues are just as important as the verbal cues. Even though one is not talking, one can still continue to communicate through bodily expressions. From the tone of voice, to the way people cross arms these all convey a message. Verbal communication expresses thoughts but, nonverbal communication expresses inner feelings and thoughts more realistically. Body Language gives very important hints of people's feelings and thoughts at a moment of making a decision. [5] Gesture is not only communicative but it is an integral part of humans beings. This is endorsed by observations of those blind from birth, who gesture in a similar manner as people with sight, even if the other person is also blind. [6]

Clues of nonverbal language are controlled and activated by the limbic system in the brain. This is the part of the brain that reacts instantaneously, automatically and in real time. Because this is the part of the brain in charge of survival, it never rests and always remains on. This is the control center of emotions in which signals are shot to other parts of the brain, which assembles groups of behaviors that can be observed and decoded as they manifest into nonverbal language. These reactions occur without thinking and due to this, it is believed that these reactions are truly genuine. Because limbic responses of survival are intertwined in the autonomous nervous system, it is very difficult to hide them. [7]

People With Disabilities

Nonverbal communication gives people who lack the ability to communicate verbally the ability to express things that otherwise could not be expressed verbally, which makes it easier to identify and understand their disorder. People with autism often have difficulty with both verbal and nonverbal communication. Autistic people have trouble reading social cues and are often unresponsive to bodily messages and to their environment. [8] Major depression give messages of distress such as loss of energy, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and lack of motivation to signify their mental situation. [8]

Sports

Body-to-body communication is utilized in sports to convey different types of messages from one player to another or from a coach to a player. These messages can be emotional and or informational. In sports a lot of emotion is expressed during a game whether they are good or bad. When players are upset with another they may use physical aggression to express their anger or issue with the other player. For instance, committing an intentional hard foul on someone in order to send that message nonverbally. In addition when good emotion is expressed from player top player or from player to they will give them a smack or tap on the butt which is a substitute for saying "good job." Also, in sports body-to-body communication is used to send informational messages. When coaches are trying to coach their players, they may perform the action or skill on someone to get a coaching point across. Body-to-body communication is used throughout sports more than most people know.

Professional Settings

Most work places have either written or understood rules about what body-to-body communication is appropriate and what is not. Nonverbal communication is utilized in a professional setting by adding assertion what is said verbally or by replacing verbal communication when it is not possible to verbalize something. [9] Visual communication in the workplace, such as bodily cues and facial expressions, paired with verbal communication and knowledge vocalization can create an attitude of assertion and improve professional behavior. [2] Humans have many ways to express non-verbally. For example, with posture, clothes, make-up, and colors. Image Counsellors take this into account when transforming a client's appearance, with the purpose of transmitting a message. For this reason, in a professional setting, one is advised to dress a certain way. Dressing properly can communicate: professionalism, and experience. [10] Sometimes humans will give off signs that will highlight confirmatory facts that otherwise can remain unapparent through the use of body communication. If an individual wishes for his message to be conveyed, he must mobilize his activity so that his message can be expressed during the interaction. For example, if an individual wishes to give the impression of being sure of their judgement, they will forgo the moment of thought. Instead, this individual will give an immediate decision which will demonstrate the audience that he is sure of his judgement. This is a practice that is used by many professionals such as lawyers, policemen, and doctors use in their work settings. [11]

Disadvantages

Nonverbal communication is not as precise and explanatory as verbal communication and thus can be vague or misleading to those who are receiving the communication. Because this way of communicating is so varied and has so many ways of being expressed, some meanings can become lost or misunderstood. [2] It can become difficult to focus on the message being conveyed if more than one gesture is being expressed at the same time and some signals can be missed if one is focusing on another at the same time, causing confusion in the message. This type of communication also makes it difficult to change subjects or to go into detail about a subject without the use of verbal indication. [12]

NLD (Nonverbal Learning Disorder)

Body-to-body communication is only helpful to those with the ability to read and understand another person's body language and communication. Nonverbal communication is not possible to use for those who lack the ability understand bodily communication, specifically people with a nonverbal learning disorder. [13]

Culture

Culture has a very significant impact on how people communicate, and this influences both verbal and nonverbal communication across cultures. The same way that people of different cultures speak in different languages, the use body language and nonverbal communication is very different across cultures and ethnic groups and only few nonverbal gestures have the same or a similar meaning universally. For example, bowing to a person indicates rank and status in Japan, but has little to no meaning in the United States. As for facial expressions, Asian cultures tend to suppress any facial expression whereas Mediterranean cultures exaggerate facial expressions when expressing sadness or anger. [14] Although nonverbal communication is expressed differently across cultures, some is thought to be universal across cultures. This universal nonverbal language is thought to encompass human emotions, such as sadness, grief, anger, happiness, etc. [9]

A culture is a shared system of socially transmitted behavior passed on from previous generations that describes, defines, and guides people's ways of life. Culture can influence nonverbal communication in many ways. The same gestures in different countries can have distinct meaning. For example, the American A-OK sign can have an obscene meaning in many nations in Europe, having sexual implications. Facial expression is another mean of nonverbal communication that culture affects. Humans have the ability to express emotions through facial expressions. Cultural display rules are learned during childhood and plays a big part on how people from different cultures manage and modify their emotional expressions depending on the social situation that they are in. In an experiment done by Ekman and Friesen; results showed that Japanese people are more likely to disguise their negative emotions in the presence of other people, where Americans will not. [15]

Related Research Articles

A facial expression is one or more motions or positions of the muscles beneath the skin of the face. According to one set of controversial theories, these movements convey the emotional state of an individual to observers. Facial expressions are a form of nonverbal communication. They are a primary means of conveying social information between humans, but they also occur in most other mammals and some other animal species.

Symbolic communication is the exchange of messages that change a priori expectation of events. Examples of this are modern communication technology and the exchange of information amongst animals. By referring to objects and ideas not present at the time of communication, a world of possibility is opened. In humans, this process has been compounded to result in the current state of modernity. A symbol is anything one says or does to describe something, and that something can have an array of many meanings. Once the symbols are learned by a particular group, that symbol stays intact with the object. Symbolic communication includes gestures, body language and facial expressions, as well as vocal moans that can indicate what an individual wants without having to speak. Research argues that about 55% of all communication stems from nonverbal language. Symbolic communication ranges from sign language to braille to tactile communication skills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Body language</span> Type of nonverbal communication

Body language is a type of communication in which physical behaviors, as opposed to words, are used to express or convey information. Such behavior includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of space. The term body language is usually applied in regard to people but may also be applied to animals. The study of body language is also known as kinesics. Although body language is an important part of communication, most of it happens without conscious awareness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gesture</span> Form of non-verbal/non-vocal communication

A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication or non-vocal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate particular messages, either in place of, or in conjunction with, speech. Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or other parts of the body. Gestures differ from physical non-verbal communication that does not communicate specific messages, such as purely expressive displays, proxemics, or displays of joint attention. Gestures allow individuals to communicate a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection, often together with body language in addition to words when they speak. Gesticulation and speech work independently of each other, but join to provide emphasis and meaning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nonverbal communication</span> Interpersonal communication through wordless (mostly visual) cues

Nonverbal communication (NVC) is the transmission of messages or signals through a nonverbal platform such as eye contact (oculesics), body language (kinesics), social distance (proxemics), touch (haptics), voice (paralanguage), physical environments/appearance, and use of objects. When communicating, we utilize nonverbal channels as means to convey different messages or signals, whereas others can interpret these message. The study of nonverbal communication started in 1872 with the publication of The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin. Darwin began to study nonverbal communication as he noticed the interactions between animals such as lions, tigers, dogs etc. and realized they also communicated by gestures and expressions. For the first time, nonverbal communication was studied and its relevance questioned. Today, scholars argue that nonverbal communication can convey more meaning than verbal communication.

Unconsciouscommunication is the subtle, unintentional, unconscious cues that provide information to another individual. It can be verbal l or it can be non-verbal. Some psychologists instead use the term honest signals because such cues are involuntary behaviors that often convey emotion whereas body language can be controlled. Many decisions are based on unconscious communication, which is interpreted and created in the right hemisphere of the brain. The right hemisphere is dominant in perceiving and expressing body language, facial expressions, verbal cues, and other indications that have to do with emotion but it does not exclusively deal with the unconscious.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haptic communication</span> Communication via touch

Haptic communication is a branch of nonverbal communication that refers to the ways in which people and animals communicate and interact via the sense of touch. Touch is the most sophisticated and intimate of the five senses. Touch or haptics, from the ancient Greek word haptikos is extremely important for communication; it is vital for survival.

Kinesics is the interpretation of body communication such as facial expressions and gestures, nonverbal behavior related to movement of any part of the body or the body as a whole. The equivalent popular culture term is body language, a term Ray Birdwhistell, considered the founder of this area of study, neither used nor liked.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social behavior</span> Behavior among two or more organisms within the same species

Social behavior is behavior among two or more organisms within the same species, and encompasses any behavior in which one member affects the other. This is due to an interaction among those members. Social behavior can be seen as similar to an exchange of goods, with the expectation that when you give, you will receive the same. This behavior can be affected by both the qualities of the individual and the environmental (situational) factors. Therefore, social behavior arises as a result of an interaction between the two—the organism and its environment. This means that, in regards to humans, social behavior can be determined by both the individual characteristics of the person, and the situation they are in.

Albert Mehrabian is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is best known for his publications on the relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages.

Dyssemia is a difficulty with receptive and/or expressive nonverbal communication. The word comes from the Greek roots dys (difficulty) and semia (signal). The term was coined by psychologists Marshall Duke and Stephen Nowicki in their 1992 book, Helping The Child Who Doesn't Fit In, to decipher the hidden dimensions of social rejection. These difficulties go beyond problems with body language and motor skills. Dyssemic persons exhibit difficulties with the acquisition and use of nonverbal cues in interpersonal relationships. "A classic set of studies by Albert Mehrabian showed that in face-to-face interactions, 55 percent of the emotional meaning of a message is expressed through facial, postural, and gestural means, and 38 percent of the emotional meaning is transmitted through the tone of voice. Only seven percent of the emotional meaning is actually expressed with words." Dyssemia represents the social dysfunction aspect of nonverbal learning disorder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oculesics</span> Study of nonverbal communication via the eyes

Oculesics, a subcategory of kinesics, is the study of eye movement, behavior, gaze, and eye-related nonverbal communication. The term's specific designation slightly varies apropos of the field of study. Communication scholars use the term "oculesics" to refer to the investigation of culturally-fluctuating propensities and appreciations of visual attention, gaze and other implicitly effusive elements of the eyes. Comparatively, medical professionals may ascribe the same appellation to the measurement of a patient's ocular faculty, especially subsequent a cerebral or other injury.

Interpersonal deception theory (IDT) is one of a number of theories that attempts to explain how individuals handle actual deception at the conscious or subconscious level while engaged in face-to-face communication. The theory was put forth by David Buller and Judee Burgoon in 1996 to explore this idea that deception is an engaging process between receiver and deceiver. IDT assumes that communication is not static; it is influenced by personal goals and the meaning of the interaction as it unfolds. IDT is no different from other forms of communication since all forms of communication are adaptive in nature. The sender's overt communications are affected by the overt and covert communications of the receiver, and vice versa. IDT explores the interrelation between the sender's communicative meaning and the receiver's thoughts and behavior in deceptive exchanges.

Display rules are a social group or culture's informal norms that distinguish how one should express oneself. They function as a way to maintain the social order of a given culture, creating an expected standard of behaviour to guide people in their interactions. Display rules can help to decrease situational ambiguity, help individuals to be accepted by their social groups, and can help groups to increase their group efficacy. They can be described as culturally prescribed rules that people learn early on in their lives by interactions and socializations with other people. Members of a social group learn these cultural standards at a young age which determine when one would express certain emotions, where and to what extent.

Communicative behaviors are psychological constructs that influence individual differences in expressing feelings, needs, and thoughts as a substitute for more direct and open communication. More specifically, communicative behaviors refer to people's tendency to express themselves using indirect messages. Much of our communication is, in fact, non-verbal.

Non-verbal leakage is a form of non-verbal behavior that occurs when a person verbalizes one thing, but their body language indicates another, common forms of which include facial movements and hand-to-face gestures. The term "non-verbal leakage" got its origin in literature in 1968, leading to many subsequent studies on the topic throughout the 1970s, with related studies continuing today.

Cultural communication is the practice and study of how different cultures communicate within their community by verbal and nonverbal means. Cultural communication can also be referred to as intercultural communication and cross-cultural communication. Cultures are grouped together by a set of similar beliefs, values, traditions, and expectations which call all contribute to differences in communication between individuals of different cultures. Cultural communication is a practice and a field of study for many psychologists, anthropologists, and scholars. The study of cultural communication is used to study the interactions of individuals between different cultures. Studies done on cultural communication are utilized in ways to improve communication between international exchanges, businesses, employees, and corporations. Two major scholars who have influenced cultural communication studies are Edward T. Hall and Geert Hofstede. Edward T. Hall, who was an American anthropologist, is considered to be the founder of cultural communication and the theory of proxemics. The theory of proxemics focuses on how individuals use space while communicating depending on cultural backgrounds or social settings. The space in between individuals can be identified in four different ranges. For example, 0 inches signifies intimate space while 12 feet signifies public space. Geert Hofstede was a social psychologist who founded the theory of cultural dimension. In his theory, there are five dimensions that aim to measure differences between different cultures. The five dimensions are power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus femininity, and Chronemics.

Social cues are verbal or non-verbal signals expressed through the face, body, voice, motion and guide conversations as well as other social interactions by influencing our impressions of and responses to others. These percepts are important communicative tools as they convey important social and contextual information and therefore facilitate social understanding.

Emotions in virtual communication are expressed and understood in a variety of different ways from those in face-to-face interactions. Virtual communication continues to evolve as technological advances emerge that give way to new possibilities in computer-mediated communication (CMC). The lack of typical auditory and visual cues associated with human emotion gives rise to alternative forms of emotional expression that are cohesive with many different virtual environments. Some environments provide only space for text based communication, where emotions can only be expressed using words. More newly developed forms of expression provide users the opportunity to portray their emotions using images.

Nonverbal influence is the act of affecting or inspiring change in others' behaviors and attitudes by way of tone of voice or body language and other cues like facial expression. This act of getting others to embrace or resist new attitudes can be achieved with or without the use of spoken language. It is a subtopic of nonverbal communication. Many individuals instinctively associate persuasion with verbal messages. Nonverbal influence emphasizes the persuasive power and influence of nonverbal communication. Nonverbal influence includes appeals to attraction, similarity and intimacy.

References

  1. ↑ Poyatos, Fernando (2002). Nonverbal Communication across Disciplines. Volume 1 : Culture, sensory interaction, speech, conversation. John Benjamins Publishing Company. ISBN   9789027297129.
  2. 1 2 3 Zimmerman, Constance, and Luecke, Richard A.. Asserting Yourself At Work. Saranac Lake, NY, USA: Amacom, 2010. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 30 November 2015.
  3. ↑ Guye-Vuilleme, A., T. K. Capin, S. Pandzic, N. Magnenat Thalmann, and D. Thalmann. "Nonverbal Communication Interface For Collaborative Virtual Environments." Virtual Reality: Print.
  4. ↑ Kamisnki, Juliane. "Detection of Nonverbal Synchronization through Phase Difference in Human Communication".[ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ Benzer, Ahmet. "Teacher's Opinion About the Use of Body Language". March 8, 2016. Marmara Universitesi.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. ↑ Thurman, Angela J. [file:///Users/francescafrech/Downloads/sdarticle_003_176164.pdf "The effects of single and dual representations on children's gesture production"] (PDF).{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)[ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ C. Angel, Alfredo. "Comprender el Lenguaje de Cuerpo".[ permanent dead link ]
  8. 1 2 Coats, Erik J., Feldman, Robert S., and Philoppot, Pierre, eds. Nonverbal Behavior in Clinical Settings. Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, 2003. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 30 November 2015.
  9. 1 2 Mcintosh, Perry, and Luecke, Richard A.. Interpersonal Communication Skills in the Workplace (2nd Edition). Saranac Lake, NY, USA: Amacom, 2008. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 30 November 2015.
  10. ↑ Simona, Elena. "ARTISTIC LANGUAGE IN NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION". Transilvania University of Braşov.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ Goffman, Erving (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (PDF). Penguin Books. p. 40. Retrieved April 4, 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ "Advantages and disadvantages of non-verbal communication". The Business Communication. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  13. ↑ Mamen, Maggie. Understanding Nonverbal Learning Disabilities : A Common-Sense Guide for Parents and Professionals. London, GBR: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2007. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 1 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "Non Verbal Communication". www.andrews.edu. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  15. ↑ Matsumoto, David. "Culture and Nonverbal Behavior" (PDF). Retrieved April 5, 2016.
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