Nonverbal Messages: Physical Appearance, Tone of Voice, Body Language, Physical Environemnt Unit 4: BBS First Year Business English

 

Unit 4: Nonverbal Messages

 Link for Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqV2vtI-o00

Nonverbal messages express inner feelings. They are effective for short and brief communication. They cannot be used as tools for public communication, but they help in conveying subtle messages, reinforcing what was said before, and demonstrating. They offer several advantages that are unique to them, as they can be used to communicate with people who cannot understand your language. We can communicate nonverbally if we think other people don’t hear us. With signs, we can communicate with people far away from us or even with hearing-impaired people. They are useful to convey feelings, form relationships, and express experiences and realities of everyday life. Some of the examples of nonverbal messages are given below:

Physical Appearance

The first thing people notice when you meet them is your appearance. Your look, height, weight, and facial features tell much about you nonverbally. Physically attractive people look more professional and more desirable than others. Our clothes, choice of colours and hairstyle tell a lot about our interests, age, personality, taste and sex. Professional dress is often associated with status, experience, authority and influence. The ornaments we use in our body also communicate about us, but we must be aware of them based on the culture, as nose piercing in the West is not considered good.

The Tone of Voice

Sometimes, how something is said tells more about a person than what is said by the person. The pitch of the voice (high, or low), the volume of voice, and the rate of voice are parts of a person’s vocalic. A high pitch may be desirable in some cultures and contexts, such as in American society, showing socially attractive, power and knowledge, but it is generally considered impolite in Japanese society.

Body Language

Body language, also called kinesics, is the study of gestures and movements of the body. Gestures, the movements of the hand, eye, head, and face, help to communicate particular messages. For example, placing an index finger on the lips (keep quiet sign), holding up two fingers during a presentation by the facilitator (signalling you have two minutes remaining), and raising a palm ( do not disturb). Body language also includes postures, the position in which a person holds their body when standing.

Facial Expression and Eye Contact

Our faces and eyes reveal much about us and our emotions and feelings. They reveal our happiness, sadness, anger, irritation, frustrations, and embarrassment. People who smile more, based on research, are considered more intelligent than others. Direct eye contact is associated with persuasiveness, calmness, and confidence.

Use of Space

The space and distance (called proximity) maintained between the speaker and the listener can tell something about them. Keeping enough close to the speaker or listener reveals something about you, while keeping too far from the speaker or listener shows something else. In Western cultures, four types of space are maintained while communicating:

•      Intimate space ( from 0 – 1.5 feet from a person): It is only for someone with whom the person is well acquainted. The person feels violated if someone invades that space.

•      Personal space ( from 1.5 – 4 feet from a person): This kind of space is maintained while communicating with friends or family members.

•      Social space ( from 4-12 feet from a person): This kind of space is maintained while talking in the group for professional relationships or any interactive communications.

•      Public space ( starts from 12 feet from a person): This kind of space is made for public speech or presentation. 

Touch

The study of how we touch someone (haptics) is closely related to our use of space. Some people use a lot of touches to communicate with others, such as hugging, patting on the shoulders, and making vigorous handshakes. Some people avoid them while communicating. It is a common culture in Nepal to touch the forehead of their younger. In the Middle East or Europe, men kiss each other on their cheeks as a way of greeting.

Use of Time

There is a lack of punctuality regarding time management for organising any programs in Nepali culture. However, time is money in many other cultures of the world. The study of how people use time (called chronemics) reveals a lot about how our use of time communicates many things about us. In modern workplaces, people who arrive on time, meet deadlines, finish their work on time, or leave work on time are perceived positively. It also leads to better pay and job promotions.

Physical Environment

Physical environments such as the layout of the room, seating positions, and arrangements also determine communication. A well-organised, decorated, clean room communicates differently than a disorganised, undecorated and dirty room. Proper lighting, colours, decoration, and furnishing of a place could affect the way we communicate in a physical environment. The large and well-furnished office rooms of powerful executives or managers differ from the small offices or cubicles of low-status staff.

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