Non Verbal Communication
Non-Verbal Communication:
What we can learn from Non-Verbal Communication
Ever since the dawn of time mankind has always been in engaged in various forms of communication. There are two different kinds of communication, verbal and non verbal. In the era of caveman just using nonverbal communication could get you by, but in the complex society of today both are needed to fully understand one another. This essay will focus mostly on how to read and understand non verbal communication and what we can learn from it. We are taught from a very young age to learn how to communicate, both nonverbally and verbally, but non verbal communication is not as easy to understand. Often it can become misinterpreted and the wrong message could be sent or understood. One of the best ways to tell how a person really feels is to watch their body language. Body language is characterized is several different ways, such ways are Haptic, Kinesic, Proxemic, and physical characteristics. Haptic communication is more commonly known as physically touching someone with your hands. It is a very powerful type of communication. But can be misunderstood. For it to be used in the most comfortable manner one must use certain caution while using this method as not to make a person uncomfortable. A study conducted by Sidney Jourard in 1966, a Psychologist and professor who taught at various colleges such as Emory and The University of Florida, asked a group of his students where they were mostly touched while someone was using a haptic type of communication, all of them agree on the hands and forearms. An example of someone using this type of communication would be if while someone was trying to comfort a person they just recently met they place their hand on the others shoulder and that person was not completely comfortable with them yet. The next type of non-verbal communication is called kinesic.
Kinesic communications deals with communication through using gestures.
What we can learn from Non-Verbal Communication
Ever since the dawn of time mankind has always been in engaged in various forms of communication. There are two different kinds of communication, verbal and non verbal. In the era of caveman just using nonverbal communication could get you by, but in the complex society of today both are needed to fully understand one another. This essay will focus mostly on how to read and understand non verbal communication and what we can learn from it. We are taught from a very young age to learn how to communicate, both nonverbally and verbally, but non verbal communication is not as easy to understand. Often it can become misinterpreted and the wrong message could be sent or understood. One of the best ways to tell how a person really feels is to watch their body language. Body language is characterized is several different ways, such ways are Haptic, Kinesic, Proxemic, and physical characteristics. Haptic communication is more commonly known as physically touching someone with your hands. It is a very powerful type of communication. But can be misunderstood. For it to be used in the most comfortable manner one must use certain caution while using this method as not to make a person uncomfortable. A study conducted by Sidney Jourard in 1966, a Psychologist and professor who taught at various colleges such as Emory and The University of Florida, asked a group of his students where they were mostly touched while someone was using a haptic type of communication, all of them agree on the hands and forearms. An example of someone using this type of communication would be if while someone was trying to comfort a person they just recently met they place their hand on the others shoulder and that person was not completely comfortable with them yet. The next type of non-verbal communication is called kinesic.
Kinesic communications deals with communication through using gestures.
References: 1.Hargie, O; Dickson, D. 2004. Skilled Interpersonal Communication: Research, Theory, and Practice.New York: Routledge 2. Nonverbal Communication: Do You Really Say What You Mean? Paul Preston. Journal of Healthcare Management. Chicago:Mar/Apr 2005. Vol. 50, Iss. 2, p. 83-6 (4 pp.) 3. Hall, E.T. Silent Language. Doubleday & Co, New York, 1959.