Steven McCornack defines nonverbal communication in his book Reflect & Relate as “the intentional or unintentional transmission of meaning through an individual’s non-spoken physical and behavioral cues (2013, p. 211).” Nonverbal communication incorporates our facial expressions, motions, eye contact, pose and tone of voice. In this essay I will drop advantages, disadvantages, importance and different types of nonverbal communication. From this writing you will be able to get more knowledge about nonverbal communication and will be able to identify some types of nonverbal communication. (Hawwa Sakha)
However, there are advantages of non-verbal communication. Some of them are complimentary. Non-verbal gives a signal or a sign of a verbal message by adding to its meaning. You can pat someone you offended at the back as you say sorry to him or her. Other than this giving focus or attention to a person and help to illiterate people is a benefit to the person. This type of communication use gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, closeness, touching etc. And without using any spoken or written word. So, it is very much helpful for illiterate people. More importantly it reduces the wastage of time. As the message of non-verbal communication reached the receiver very fast. Therefore, it reduces the wastage of valuable time of the communication. (Aminath Rifa)
Moreover, there are disadvantages in Non-verbal communication. In this, there won’t be any words or language used that expresses meaning clearly to receiver. It is not possible to stop talking in Non-verbal cues. In childhood, it is passed on to you by your parents. Also, while focusing on someone’s eye expressions you may miss a hand gesture which leads to difficulties for you to keep up with everything. Long explanations and conversations include many kinds of expressions like eye contact or touch, which will be not understand by most of the people. (Fathimath Sadha)
Different non-verbal signals play imperative part in communicating the inward meaning of the messages in face-to-face discussion and meet. For illustration, the facial expression of the speaker demonstrates his demeanor, assurance profundity of information, etc. Non- verbal signals of communication significantly offer assistance in communicating with handicapped individuals. For example, the dialect of communication with deaf depends on the action off the hands, fingers, and eyeball. There may too be a few circumstances that don’t permit the utilize of verbal media to communicate with them. In such circumstances, non-verbal strategies like pictures, colors, charts, signs, and images are utilized as the media of communication. For example, to demonstrate danger we use red sign and to mean unsafe we utilize a skull place between two pieces of bone put in a crosswise fashion. (Maldha)
When we think of nonverbal communication, regularly a few of the primary things that come to our minds are physical movements, hand motions, and posture. However, one of the foremost critical and easy-to-read shapes of body dialect are our facial expressions. Through facial expressions will convey assortment of feelings. The human confront is greatly expressive, able to communicate incalculable feelings without saying a word. And not at all like a few shapes of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are all inclusive. The facial expressions for bliss, pity, outrage, astonish, fear, and appall are the same over societies. (Maldha)
Posture and body language as a nonverbal communication will also communicate a great deal of information and feelings. Two forms of posture have been distinguished, ‘open’ and ‘closed’, which may reflect an individual’s degree of certainty, status or receptivity to another individual. Somebody situated in a closed position might have his/her arms collapsed, legs crossed or be situated at a slight point from the individual with whom they are collaboration. In an open pose, you might anticipate to see somebody straightforwardly confronting you with hands separated on the arms of the chair. An open pose can be utilized to communicate openness or intrigued in somebody and a preparation to tune in, though the closed pose might infer inconvenience or disinterest. (Hawwa Sakha)
Gesture is one of the mostly used aspect of nonverbal communication. A gesture could be a frame of nonverbal communication in which obvious physical behavior communicate especially messages, either in place of, or in a conjunction with, discourse. Gestures include movement of the hands, face or other parts of the body. Gestures contrast from physical non-verbal communication that does not communicate particular messages such as entirely expressive acts. Signals permit people to communicate an assortment of sentiments and considerations from antagonistic vibe to endorsement and tenderness. (Aminath Rifa)
Eye contact is the first thing we use for nonverbal communication when we meet someone. Eye contact express honesty and sincerity. By utilizing great eye contact you’re able to associate with audience, and interfacing is a major objective of public speaking. A bit like a great discussion, eye contact makes them look at you and keeps their consideration. Individuals, maybe without deliberately doing so, look other’s eyes and faces for positive or negative temperament signs. (Fathimath Malsa)
Another aspect of nonverbal communication is personal space or proxemics. As distinguished by researcher Edward T. Corridor, there are four communication distances, these are intimate, personal, social and public spaces. Intimate space ranges from to 18 inches and is the space for lovemaking, wrestling, comforting and ensuring space. Individual space ranges from 18 inches to 4 feet, this space is saved for more than fair a casual companion or brief experience. Social space ranges from 4 feet to 12 feet, generic trade or casual discussions can be carried on in this space. Open space incorporates 12 feet and past usually the distance saved for open speakers and/or open authorities or for anybody on open events. (Hawwa Sakha)
Touch or haptic communication is an aspect of nonverbal communication that alludes to the ways in which individuals and creatures communicate and connect by means of the sense of touch. Touch or haptics, from the ancient Greek word haptikos is extremely important for communication, it is crucial for survival. One of the most notable aspects of touch is the ability to convey and further improve quality of physical intimacy. Touch can be categorized in many terms such as positive, playful, control, task related or unintentional. Both recurrence and sort of touch communicates how we feel about another individual. Whether it be positive or negative, it is absolutely necessary in communicating a message.
(Fathimath Malsa)
Foremost the last aspect of nonverbal communication is paralinguistic. Paralinguistic alludes to vocal communication that’s partitioned from genuine language. This incorporates variables such as tone of voice, uproar, intonation, and pitch. These variables are utilized to send a specific message. Vocal communication plays a critical part in nonverbal communication, since they either confirm the message or dishonor it. Vocal messages are sent and gotten on a day by day premise, most of the time triggering a reaction. (Hawwa Sakha)
Finally, to conclude nonverbal communication is used by people as a form of communication in their everyday life either used intentionally or unintentionally. There are many advantages from nonverbal communication such as it adds a meaning to what is being said by a person verbally. Nonverbal communication also has its drawbacks such as nonverbal communication does not use any words, due to this the receiver might not fully understand what the sender is trying to say. Moreover, there are seven types of nonverbal communication. In my opinion nonverbal communication is very important to every person to build a good professional and personal relationship as this type of communication conveys people’s true feelings and their thoughts. (Hawwa Sakha)