What happens when nonverbal communication contradicts verbal communication?
Chapter 3 Nonverbal Communication Show
Department of Communication, Indiana State University Page Source[1] We use verbal communication to express ideas, emotions, experiences, thoughts, objects, and people. But what functions does nonverbal communication serve as we communicate (Blumer, 1969)? Even though it’s not through words, nonverbal communication serves many functions to help us communicate meanings with one another more effectively.
Nonverbal Communication and You: Nonverbal Communication and RomanceIf you don’t think areas that Communication scholars study (like nonverbal communication) apply to you, think again! A quick search of nonverbal communication on Google will yield a great many sites devoted to translating nonverbal research into practical guides for your personal life. One example on Buzzfeed.com is the article “10 Things You Can Tell About Your Date Through Body Language” written by Reveal Calvin Klein (2014). The article outlines 10 nonverbal cues to read to see if someone is interested in you romantically. While we won’t vouch for the reliability of these types of pieces, they do show the relevance of studying areas like nonverbal communication in our personal lives.
Case In Point: Eat Like a LadyIn Japan, it is considered improper for women to be shown with their mouths open in public. Not surprisingly, this makes it difficult to eat particular foods, such as hamburgers. So, in 2013, the Japenese Burger chain, Freshness Burger, developed a solution: the liberation wrapper. The wrapper, or mask, hides women’s mouths as they eat thus allowing them to maintain the expected gendered nonverbal behavior for the culture. This article from the Daily Mail has more information.
Effective Nonverbal CommunicationNow that we can see how important nonverbal communication is in the creation of shared meaning, lets discuss some ways to use and interpret nonverbal communication effectively:
What happens when verbal and nonverbal contradict each other?A communication “double-bind” is created when our verbal and nonverbal communication contradict each other. It's the old saying, “Your lips say no, but your eyes say yes.” This can often lead to communication misunderstanding or failure.
How does nonverbal communication contradict verbal communication?Nonverbal communication operates on the following principles: nonverbal communication typically conveys more meaning than verbal communication, nonverbal communication is more involuntary than verbal communication, nonverbal communication is often more ambiguous than verbal communication, and nonverbal communication is ...
What happens when verbal and nonverbal communication do not match?When they're not aligned, we will believe the body language as opposed to the words spoken. In other words, when we are in a business setting, the audience can see what you are not saying. So if your body language doesn't match your words, you are wasting your time.
How does verbal and nonverbal communication affect each other?Ekman (1965) also found that nonverbal communication can complement or accent a specific part of the verbal message. This can include placing emphasis on certain words by slowing down your speech or changing your tone. Nonverbal behavior can also be a substitute for a word or phrase within a verbal message.
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