titles for essays about nonverbal communication

548 Communication Essay Topics & Ideas for Presentation, Research, & More

Communication is an essential aspect of human life that is often taken for granted. Expressing thoughts, ideas, and emotions is necessary for building and maintaining relationships. We need communication to accomplish goals, resolve conflicts, and create meaningful connections with others.

In this article, our expert team has collected a list of interesting communication topics to write about. Read till the end to find writing prompts and a step-by-step guide for a paper about communication.

⭐ Top 12 Communication Essay Topics

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• Communication breakdowns in the age of social media.
• The power of silence: nonverbal communication in relationships.
• The language of color: how it affects communication.
• Communicating with animals: body language and vocalizations.
• Communicating with the deceased: exploring mediums and spiritual practices.
• The role of humor in effective communication.
• The challenges of communication in space.
• How does active listening improve communication?
• The impact of mental illness on communication.
• The symbolism of dreams and nightmares.
• The importance of logic in effective communication.
• The role of scent in communication and attraction.

Do you need to write a communication essay but don’t know where to start? Below, you’ll find writing prompts for the most popular communication topics for research. Read on to get inspired!

Importance of Communication in Nursing: Essay Prompt

Communication is an essential component of nursing practice. It is critical to building strong relationships between nurses, patients, and healthcare teams.

You can write an essay exploring the importance of effective communication in nursing. Consider addressing the following points in your paper:

• Describe the roles of verbal and nonverbal communication. Analyze how these types of communication can be adapted for different patient populations and cultural backgrounds.
• Examine the role of technology in nursing communication, including electronic health records and telehealth.
• Reflect on the impact of effective communication on patient outcomes.
• Suggest how nurses can continue to improve their communication skills to provide high-quality patient care.

Prompt for Intercultural Communication Essays

In today’s globalized world, intercultural communication has become essential for people and organizations. In your essay on this topic, you can do the following:

• Discuss the importance of intercultural communication in business. Identify the key challenges and strategies for effective intercultural communication in the workplace.
• Provide examples of how cultural differences can impact communication. You can base your discussion on several communication theories, including critical, dialectical , interpretive, and social science approaches.
• Discuss the main barriers and challenges of international communication. Describe how effective communication strategies can help overcome these issues.
• Reflect on the significance of intercultural communication. Explain how individuals and organizations can continue to develop and improve their intercultural communication skills.

Prompt for Essays on Effective Communication

Effective communication is a critical skill in personal and professional settings. It is essential for building strong relationships, achieving goals, and resolving conflicts.

You can write an essay that studies the characteristics and strategies of effective communication:

• Analyze and discuss different types of communication. Examine the factors affecting communication effectiveness, such as culture, context, and individual differences.
• Explain the role of active listening, empathy, and feedback in effective communication. Describe how to develop and practice these skills.
• Highlight the importance of effective communication in different domains. You can choose education, healthcare, or business.
• Suggest how to improve communication skills to be successful.

Prompt for Essays on Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is an indispensable aspect of human interaction. It encompasses a wide range of cues and signals beyond spoken words.

In your essay, you can explore the significance of nonverbal communication in various contexts, such as personal relationships, professional settings, and cultural backgrounds. Consider including the following points:

• Analyze and discuss different types of nonverbal communication, including body language , facial expressions, and gestures.
• Consider how cultural differences impact nonverbal communication and how people can develop cross-cultural communication skills.
• Reflect on the role of nonverbal communication in social perception and identity formation.
• Describe how individuals can use nonverbal communication to enhance communication effectiveness and build stronger relationships.

Are you looking for catchy communication titles for your paper? In the sections below, you’ll find engaging communication topics for discussion.

Political Communication Topics

Political communication refers to the exchange of ideas between public officials, citizens, political institutions, and other relevant entities like the media. If you wish to write a paper on it, here are some research topics about communication for you to consider:

• The role of effective communication in the political process.
• The peculiarities of political communication in the American government .
• What are the cognitive effects of political communication?
• The impact of social movement communication on political and social progress.
• Regulation of Social Media Platforms as Public Utilities.
• Presidential communication: unpackaging the advertising campaign.
• Why does political communication continue to be dominated by the rhetoric of power?
• The resurgence of white supremacy rhetoric in mainstream political discourse.
• Effective political communication: steps and strategies.
• Business Communications in Public Relations.
• Why does debate play a significant role in politics?
• Strengthening of the political self by selective exposure to political messaging.
• The impact of political news coverage on perceptions of public sentiment.
• Kern County Board of Supervisors Meeting Overview.
• Political messaging as the most powerful method of manipulation .
• What implications does Twitter’s political ad ban have for platform governance?
• Political Parties’ Platforms.
• The burgeoning use of social media in political campaigns.
• Political advertisements: effectiveness and impact on voters.
• Candidate debates as a centerpiece of democracy.
• Internet and Politics Relations.
• How does media bias affect voter preferences?
• The use of propaganda in political campaigns: possible consequences.
• How has political communication changed during times of crisis?
• Non-verbal communication in political debates and its importance.
• Mass Media and Propagation of Political Rhetoric.
• George Washington: the peculiarities of the shortest speech in the world.
• The role of political satire in the criticism of the government.
• How can fact-checks aid in combating misinformation in political discourse?
• Rhetorical Analysis of President Barack Obama’s Speech.
• The efficiency of political cartoons in presidential campaigns.
• Political language: features, context , and structure.
• Winston Churchill as the greatest political orator of the 20th century.
• How effective is propaganda as a social reform tool?
• Communication in American Military Practice.
• The role of political communication in international diplomacy.
• Political communication: ways to communicate the message to the public.
• What propaganda techniques do politicians use?
• Fear as a key method of manipulation in political messaging.
• The Constitution in Famous American Speeches.
• How is advertising used in politics?
• How does fake news affect democratic processes?
• Why is freedom of speech needed for a nation to grow?
• The role of tweets in the relationship between political leaders and the public.
• Cold War – Importance of Communication Ethics During the Conflict.

Workplace Communication Topics

Workplace communication involves the exchange of information among employees within an organization. It can be formal and informal and plays a vital role in a company’s success. If you want to explore this subject in detail, consider the following business communication topics for college students:

• Why does effective communication matter in the workplace?
• The peculiarities of communication between employees and managers.
• How has COVID-19 affected communication at work?
• Effective communication in the workplace: key strategies.
• Team-building as an essential part of work communication.
• Resolving Conflict Through Effective Communication Techniques.
• Zoom: the role of the online platform in work communication during the pandemic.
• The importance of face-to-face meetings at work.
• Remote work and its negative impact on communication between team members.
• Networking as a key strategy to success in the 21st century.
• Interpersonal Communication Skills.
• Why is email a bad way of communicating with your employees?
• The heavy use of jargon as a number one problem in workplace communication.
• Taboo topics at work: politics, religion, money.
• Effective Communication and Training in Implementing a Performance Management System.
• Why is non-verbal communication less effective in big corporations?
• Email overload and its possible consequences for employees.
• How can people overcome communication barriers on their first day at work?
• Management feedback as a way of communication with the team.
• The impact of cultural differences on workplace communication.
• Interpersonal Conflict within the Workplace.
• Why does passive listening kill the connection between workers?
• Lowered productivity as the leading consequence of poor work communication.
• The impact of digital communication tools on workplace dynamics.
• Good storytelling skills and their contribution to success at work.
• Business Communications: The Diversity in the Workplace.
• Why choosing the right time is vital for communicating with staff?
• Instagram as a way to promote internal communications at work.
• What causes communication problems in the workplace?
• Open communication as a way to build trust and transparency at work.
• The role of effective workplace communication in conflict resolution.
• Resolution of Interpersonal Conflicts in a Workplace.
• Language barriers in diverse workplace environments: methods to overcome.
• What are the ways to fix communication issues at work?
• Stress and fear as key barriers to effective workplace communication.
• The value of communication in preventing burnout and managing stress at work.
• How do communication issues in the workplace affect managers?
• Messages and video calls as the most popular means of work communication.
• Organizational Effectiveness and Team Communication.
• One-way communication at work and its severe consequences.
• The impact of leadership communication on staff motivation and engagement.
• How can we avoid miscommunication in the workplace?

Essay Topics about Social Media

Social media is an indispensable part of modern communication. According to Statista , internet users worldwide spend an average of 151 minutes daily on social networking websites. Given the high popularity of social media, it can be interesting to explore its implications for today’s communication. Here are some topics you can write about:

• The contribution of social media to visual communication.
• Social Media Effects on How Society Communicates.
• Targeted communication via social media and its benefits for small businesses.
• How can social media promote relationship building ?
• The involvement of social media in government crisis communications.
• Internet as Social Media: Connectivity and Immediacy.
• Social media etiquette: norms of communication in online communities.
• Social media as a vital tool for daily social interaction.
• The role of emoji in communication in the 21st century.
• Social Media Dramatically Influences Social Identity.
• Cross-cultural communication on the Internet: exchange of ideas and traditions.
• Social media as a platform for instant feedback in big corporations.
• How does social media cause communication overload?
• Social Media Effect on Communication Development.
• The challenges and opportunities of social media communication.
• Why do social networks decrease the quality of meaningful conversations?
• The abbreviated language in social media as a new norm of verbal communication .
• Social Media and Dubai Public Sector Communication.
• Why should parents teach kids how to communicate properly online?
• The role of influencers in promoting social media communication.
• How does social media communication influence brand awareness?
• What are the positive impacts of social media on communication skills?
• What Effect Does Social Media Have on Real-Life Communication?
• Social media as a leading cause of superficial connections.
• The convenience of online communication for relatives in different countries.
• Cyberbullying : the possible consequences of online communication.
• Internet slang as a distinct communication style for teenagers.
• Why are face-to-face interactions more crucial than online communication?
• Virgin Atlantic Ltd.’s Social Media Communication.
• Social media communication addiction: methods to overcome.
• How has social media improved social communication?
• Social media as a powerful communication channel for worldwide brands.
• Social Media and Digital Communities.
• The role of social media in political communication.
• Social media communication in organizations: key challenges.
• The effects of social media communication on mental health .
• Social Media Effect on Communication.
• How to avoid toxic communication on social media platforms.
• The importance of social media in crisis communication and emergency response.
• Social media communication: modern trends of online interactions.
• Why Social Media Severely Impacts the Society?
• The efficiency of social media communication in increasing brand awareness .
• The influence of social media on the field of strategic communications.
• Media Communication Analysis Billboard.
• Possible dangers of expanding social network communication.
• What are the social media strategies for corporate communication today?

Intercultural communication is a discipline studying communication across different cultural groups and investigating how culture affects communication. If you’re interested in this subject, here is a list of intercultural communication topic ideas for you to consider:

Intercultural Communication Essay Topics

• What are the peculiarities of intercultural communication?
• Cultural barriers in communication with international students.
• The Benefits of Intercultural Relationships.
• Cultural identity and its value in cross-cultural interactions.
• The drawbacks of intercultural communication in cyberspace.
• Intercultural Team Communication in the Workplace.
• Why is studying intercultural communication crucial?
• Self-awareness as a key to effective intercultural communication.
• How does intercultural communication aid in cross-cultural adaptation?
• Effective intercultural workgroup communication: methods and strategies.
• Identity and Intercultural Communication.
• The impact of intercultural communication on public relations and media events.
• How can people improve intercultural communication skills ?
• Multicultural families: fundamental aspects of communication.
• Saudi Arabia: Intercultural Willingness to Communicate.
• Which values are crucial to communicating with people from other countries?
• The etiquette of communication with people around the world.
• Common traps and problems of intercultural communication .
• Intercultural Communication and Autonomous Learning.
• The peculiarities of communication with people from China.
• Why a handshake may not be an appropriate greeting in some cultures.
• Understanding the difference as a key aspect of effective intercultural communication.
• Challenges of intercultural communication: ethnocentrism and anxiety.
• Intercultural and Cross-Cultural Communication Research.
• How do stereotypes and biases influence intercultural interactions?
• The role of intercultural communication in the educational field.
• The impact of communication on a cross-border romantic relationship.
• Culturally Responsive Teaching and Communication.
• Why is developing sensitivity and competence crucial for intercultural communication?
• The role of communication in cultural adaptation.
• Effective communication as a way of solving intercultural conflicts.
• Communication challenges for immigrants and ways to overcome them.
• Culture, Globalization, and Intercultural Adaptation.
• What is the purpose of intercultural communication?
• Intercultural communication for business cooperation : methods and strategies.
• The importance of interpreters in international business negotiations.
• Gamification and Cross-Cultural Communication in Dubai.
• What are the primary forms of intercultural communication?
• The role of language barriers in intercultural dialogues.
• Cultural nuances in nonverbal communication with people from different countries.
• Linguistic differences as a key challenge for global companies.
• Human Relations and Communication in Organizations.
• The importance of punctuality in communication in some cultures.
• How can language aid in intercultural marketing?
• Intercultural communication: patterns, features, and types.

Below, we’ve prepared a list of communication topics for speech. Check them out:

• How to talk effectively about global warming ?
• Methods to improve communication skills.
• What are the key challenges in communication with peers?
• Face-to-Face Communication.
• The beauty and strength of mixed languages.
• Video calls as a way of reigniting creativity and communication.
• What do all languages have in common?
• Augmentative Communication in Education.
• The impact of daily interactions on your future.
• The art of apology : methods and strategies.
• Why are good listening skills crucial in communication?
• The importance of small talk with your boss.
• Public speaking: tips for success.
• Steve Jobs’s Leadership Style and Telecommunication.
• Open communication as a way of connecting parents and kids.
• What can you learn from those who criticize you?
• The role of body language in communication.
• The generational communication gap as a key problem of the 21st century .
• How can social networks help foster connection?
• Constructive conversations: ways to improve social interactions.
• The Public Speaking Anxiety Analysis.
• Persuasive speaking and its key benefits for the speaker.
• Why do introverts lack communication skills?
• Ineffective methods of communication with teenagers.
• The advantages of being a multilingual person.
• Communication and Decision-Making in Organisation.
• Fear of talking in front of an audience and possible solutions to it.
• How to kickstart honest conversations at work.
• The secrets of learning a new language.
• How can you win an argument in any conversation?
• Technological Influence on Student Communication and Learning.
• The role of empathy in the process of communication.
• Lack of communication: possible consequences.
• The efficiency of humor in improving communication skills.
• How does your body language influence who you are?
• Passive type of communication and its drawbacks.
• Customer Service in the Telecommunications Industry.
• The peculiarities of communication among teenagers.
• The importance of trust in communication.
• How can intercultural communication answer moral questions?
• The mental health advantages of storytelling for health care workers.
• Team Communication and Leadership.
• The norms and ethics of communication in the modern world.

Are you planning to write a research paper about communication? Check out our communication research questions and topics on interpersonal, business, digital, health, and mass communication .

Mass Communication Research Topics

Mass communication refers to disseminating information to large audiences. In the US, it is controlled by large companies like CBS, Comcast, Fox News, and other media conglomerates . If you’re interested in this subject, consider the following research topics on communication:

• The role of mass communication in improving awareness and education.
• Attention span as a key problem of mass communication.
• What role does mass communication play in ending global humanitarian crises?
• Media Psychology as a Discipline.
• The influence of social media on modern journalism practices in Europe.
• How does media ownership impact journalistic content?
• The negative impact of television on children’s behavior.
• Impacts of Social Media on Democracy.
• Communication with the public through advertising: strategies.
• The influence of new media on the digital education process.
• How did radio technology change communication?
• The efficiency of online ads in increasing e-commerce sales revenue.
• Impact of Social Media on Tourism Sector.
• Podcasts as a new way of mass communication.
• The impact of Instagram ads on audience preferences.
• The issue of politically driven or biased journalism.
• Social Media Building Blocks in Marketing.
• Relevant media disasters: ways to cope with them.
• How do Instagram brand strategies influence the youth?
• Social Media Tools in the Healthcare Industry.
• The peculiarities of mass communication laws in the US.
• The influence of AI technology on journalism.
• Propaganda as the strongest method of manipulation in mass communication.
• How does fear impact journalism decisions?
• The Representation of African Americans in Modern Media.
• The function of social media platforms in today’s digitalized world.
• The use of mass communication to raise people’s awareness of global warming.
• How Does Social Media Influence Sports Brands Marketing?
• How can digital marketing boost future and current fashion sales?
• The impact of the Telecommunication Act on radio and television.
• Public and Media Pressure on Serial Murders Investigation.
• How does global advertising influence brand value ?
• The peculiarities of new trends in digital journalism.
• Street art and its contribution to the expression of social and political messages.
• Nurses’ Professionalism and Social Media.
• The role of newspapers in preserving community identity and local culture.
• The significance of photography for documenting historical events.
• Internet as a new approach to freedom of speech.
• Social Networks and Digital Communication.
• What impact does mass communication have on public opinion ?
• The ethics of data privacy in mass communication.
• The Role of Social Media in Globalization.
• Music as a modern form of mass communication.
• The evolution of billboard advertising: from traditional to digital.
• What challenges do print magazines face in the digital age?
• Social Media Usage for Advertising.
• The role of mass media in creating gender roles and stereotypes.

Interpersonal Communication Research Topics

Interpersonal communication means exchanging ideas and feelings between two or more people. It can be verbal and non-verbal. If you want to explore this topic, consider the following interpersonal communication essay topics:

• The fundamental principles of the interpersonal communication process.
• What role does social exchange theory play in marriage?
• Interpersonal Communication in Family Relationships.
• The impact of emotions on communication.
• What factors impact interpersonal communication?
• Communication and Conflict: Personal Experience.
• Blindness as a major barrier to interpersonal communication.
• Interpersonal communication: conflicts and possible solutions.
• The importance of nonverbal skills in interpersonal communication.
• Interpersonal Communication Strategies.
• How does passive listening affect communication?
• The role of interpersonal communication in romantic relationships.
• Interpersonal Communication for Good Leadership.
• Body language and eye contact: essential elements of interpersonal communication.
• Communication accommodation theory: peculiarities and benefits.
• Emerging trends in interpersonal communication and their possible consequences.
• Interpersonal Communication.
• Why does interpersonal communication depend on cultural and linguistic backgrounds?
• The challenges of face-to-face communication among teenagers.
• How does the lack of interpersonal communication impact mental health ?
• Barriers to Effective Intercultural Communication.
• The importance of communication skills in self-development.
• Nonviolent communication as a method to increase empathy among interlocutors.
• The role of I-message in interpersonal communication.
• Interpersonal relationship: communication features and importance.
• Interpersonal Relationships: Dealing with Grief.
• Constructive criticism and its positive impact on communication.
• Interruption as a key barrier to effective communication.
• The efficiency of the right communication method in creating trustful relationships.
• Interpersonal Communication and Technology.
• The context of communication and its impact on social interactions.
• How does effective interpersonal communication influence self-esteem?
• The efficiency of interpersonal communication in persuasion.
• Interpersonal Communication in South Korean Business Culture.
• The role of language in socialization : positive and negative consequences.
• The limitations of using verbal communication for entrepreneurs.
• The value of handshaking for a good first impression.
• Interpersonal Conflict: Approaches to Understanding.
• How do facial expressions affect interpersonal communication?
• Impression and its importance in interpersonal communication.
• How to build a strong friendship through non-verbal communication.
• Interpersonal Communication, Self-Concept, and Perception.
• The consequences of toxic communication on mental health.
• Gestures as the first step in starting up a conversation.
• The limitations of communication with the opposite sex.
• The Role of Technology in Interpersonal Communication in Business.
• The influence of offensive language on a person’s well-being.

Business Communication Topics for Research Paper

Business communication encompasses the exchange of information between the members of a company and between the organization and outside parties. Here are some exciting business communication essay topics to research:

• The efficiency of a win-win strategy at business meetings.
• How can small talk aid a company in business development?
• Integrated Marketing Communication and Its Benefits.
• Internal business communication and its peculiarities.
• How do businesses overcome the language barriers of their employees?
• Transparent communication and its role in corporate governance.
• Integrated Marketing Communication in the UK.
• How to manage negative news at work: methods and strategies.
• The efficiency of good communication skills in business success.
• The role of nonverbal communication in business negotiations.
• How do communication issues impact business growth in the international market ?
• Crisis communication in business: methods and strategies.
• Marketing Communication Analysis: The Case of IKEA.
• The effectiveness of communication technology in business collaboration.
• How does social media influence business communication?
• Open communication as a way to improve the business environment.
• Personality qualities and their impact on negotiation techniques.
• The effect of corporate communication on employee productivity .
• Apple Communication Strategy: Apple IMC, Apple Direct Marketing, and Marketing Strategy Analysis.
• What role does corporate communication play in a business’s reputation?
• The importance of horizontal and downward communication development in a company.
• Ways to avoid communication issues in the business industry.
• The connection between organizational communication and workplace culture.
• Business Communication Problems and Objectives.
• Video calls as an effective business communication tool.
• The role of public relations in successful business development.
• Virtual communication business strategies and their effectiveness during COVID-19.
• Modes of Communication in Business.
• What role does nonverbal communication have in the formation of professional relationships ?
• The influence of the manager’s language on employee motivation.
• Networking as a key strategy in business development.
• Marketing Communications Models Comparison.
• Why are communication skills essential in marketing?
• The art of persuasion in marketing and its importance.
• The impact of language and tone on customer service communication.
• The use of AI technology in improving business communication.
• Effective Business Communication.
• Feedback: the role of empathy in communication.
• How do internal communications improve knowledge-sharing best practices?
• Practical communication skills as a way to increase company profits.
• Job Performance and Business Communication.
• The use of humor in business communication : advantages and disadvantages.
• How does effective business communication eliminate email overload?
• Compromise as an essential business negotiation strategy.

Digital Communication Research Topics

Digital communication means using online tools like social media messaging or email to reach a person or a specific audience. Check out some ideas to research this topic:

• The peculiarities of communication in virtual reality .
• How does digital addiction impact communication in real life?
• The ethics and norms of media and visual literacy.
• Twitter as the best platform for thought sharing.
• Global Virtual Team and Business Communication.
• What are the indirect impacts of the virtual macrosystem on the way we communicate?
• The importance of virtual dialogue about mental health problems.
• Virtual classrooms as a new method of studying in the 21st century.
• What is the connection between virtual reality and the future of communication?
• The use of digital communication tools in the workplace.
• Counselor Communications and Web Technology.
• File sharing: the possible consequences and dangers.
• The role of digital communication in driving visitors to the theater.
• How does AI technology improve communication in the modern world?
• The use of modern technology in researching linguistic issues.
• The language peculiarities of developer’s terminology.
• Analog vs. Digital Telecommunication Networks.
• The value of critical thinking in consuming digital news.
• The digital distance: features and importance.
• The key privacy principles in social media and their significance.
• Digital Media and Its Impact on Communities.
• The ignorance of social media as a way of avoiding unwanted acquaintances.
• Working messengers as a way of sharing ideas and creativity.
• How digital tools help journalists report from remote locations and conflict zones.
• Landmark Court Cases Impact on Digital Communication.
• Emojis as a way of expressing feelings in communication.
• The role of digital technology in studying foreign languages.
• Digital Marketing, Its Opportunities and Challenges.
• Translation transformations and their study with the help of AI.
• Digital design as a way of self-expression among teenagers.
• Digital Marketing Strategy of Amazon.
• The effectiveness of AI in new word formation.
• The impact of false information spread through digital platforms.
• The rise of podcasts as platforms for interviews and news.
• How can journalists make their digital work more appealing to a larger audience?
• The Digital Professionalism and Communication Policy.
• The use of interactive graphics to assist in the explanation of complicated historical events and facts.
• The ethical implications and consequences of employing AI for creating articles for news.
• The contribution of crowdfunding sites to the support of independent journalists.
• The Value of Digital Privacy in an Information Technology Age.
• The influence of automated tools and artificial intelligence on content creation.
• Speculating as a way of shaping news reporting and consumption .
• The ethical challenges of accuracy and privacy on online platforms.
• Digital Media and Addiction in Children.
• How do news organizations evaluate audience engagement with the help of data analytics?

Health Communication Research Topics

Health communication refers to verbal and written strategies for motivating people to make healthier choices. Here are some interesting health communication topics for you to consider:

• The efficiency of health communication in raising people’s awareness of global issues.
• How does face-to-face communication impact the mental health of the patients?
• Lack of Communication in Healthcare.
• The importance of diffusion of health information to the masses.
• The role of a person’s belief or perception of an illness in adopting a health-related behavior.
• The effectiveness of doctors’ persuasion in preventing abortions .
• Clinical Concierge Services: Communication Problems.
• Health communication: areas of study and key concepts.
• How does social circle impact the physical health of people?
• Positive communication as a way to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Therapeutic Communication Between Nurses and Dementia Patients.
• The peculiarities of medical slang and jargon in the 21st century.
• Why are social interactions more beneficial for health than physical exercises?
• Effective Training Methods for Doctors’ Communication.
• Placebo effect and its value in showing the power of the mind.
• The influence of subconscious biases on decision-making processes .
• How does being bilingual impact people’s brains?
• Social Media Addiction and Self-Esteem.
• The negative consequences of offensive language on well-being.
• The significance of reducing medical jargon to make it more understandable for patients.
• What is the role of language in treating depression?
• Social Media and Mental Health.
• The impact of thoughts on physical processes in our body.
• How to reduce the negative impact of social media comments on psychological well-being.
• The positive affirmation as a key to fast recovery after illness.
• Learning Disabilities and Communication Disorders.
• The efficacy of health programs and public service announcements in raising awareness on health issues.
• Ways to improve mental health by communicating with nature.
• Professionalism and Social Media in Nursing.
• The use of digital platforms and websites for health information dissemination.
• How do patient advocacy groups use communication to support individuals with specific health conditions?
• The methods of communicating about physical and mental sexual problems.
• Social Media: The Rise of Depression and Anxiety.
• The ethical challenges of transparency and sensitivity while providing health information.
• How do media depictions of health topics impact public views?
• The promotion of evidence-based information in the health industry and its value.
• The role of health education in schools: advantages and disadvantages.
• Nursing Career Enhancement Through Social Media.
• Trauma and crisis: effective communication strategies for providing support.
• The role of communication in motivating people to adopt healthier behaviors.
• Healthcare consultations as a way to help people learn more about their health.
• Ineffective Communication During Transitional Nursing.
• The importance of clear and non-judgmental communication about sexual health .
• How does open communication help people manage chronic diseases?
• Appropriate Social Media Use in Health Care.
• The importance of integrating health education and communication into the school curriculum.
• The role of communication in building strong patient-physician relationships.
• The use of social media in marketing strategies.
• Which propaganda models are the most spread on TV?
• The challenges women journalists face in the modern world.
• How to recognize internet trolls on social media.
• Effective Communications and Soft Skills.
• The psychological techniques and strategies used to influence consumer behavior.
• The role of mass media in establishing a country’s image.
• How to predict future trends on social media.
• The efficiency of media in reducing domestic violence cases.
• Visual elements in advertisements and their value.
• Chinese Culture and Cross-Cultural Communication.
• Mass media as an effective method of combating inequality in the world.
• How to use social media safely and effectively.
• The evolution of advertising: from traditional media to digital platforms.
• Communication, Ethics, and a Command Decision.
• The efficiency of storytelling techniques in creating emotional connections with customers.
• The overload of misinformation: possible solutions.
• The impact of advertisements on children’s preferences.
• Tesla’s Green Marketing & Environmental Communication.
• How do social networks influence mental health?
• The rise of biased journalism and its negative consequences.
• The types of bullying in social media and how to protect yourself.
• How do digital communities influence social interactions?
• Brands’ involvement in global advertising campaigns.
• Military Leadership: The Role of Communication.
• The importance of intercultural dialogue for maintaining peace in the world.
• Purchase patterns and how they affect consumer choices.
• How does social media affect news consumption in different communities?
• The impotence of intercultural communities in TV shows.
• Communication Network for a Library System.
• Instagram as the main reason for low self-esteem among teenagers.
• How does negative news influence people’s well-being?
• The drawbacks of cigarette and alcohol advertising.
• Parent-Child Communication and Family-Based Assessment.
• How does television contribute to stereotyping?
• The effective methods of avoiding suspicious people on the Internet.
• Why should violent comments be restricted on social networks?
• McLuhan’s Theory and Communication.
• Television as an outdated way of receiving information.
• How is binge-watching TV related to obesity?
• Radio as an important platform for news sharing in conflict zones.
• How to make wireless communication safer?
• Elements of Effective Communication.
• Freedom of the press: importance and ways to achieve.
• How does communication impact global economic relationships?
• What effects do the ads on billboards have on the human brain?
• The importance of personalization in ads and how it works.
• What prints and colors are the most attractive to the consumers in the ads?
• Technical Communication: Ethical Codes Report.
• The use of television in the educational system: pros and cons.
• The role of social media in social movements and activism.
• The value of media literacy education for teenagers.
• Using humor to make ads more attractive.
• Technological Impact on Communication and Society.
• The influence of mass media on body and beauty perception.
• Mass media bias and its role in coverage of international conflicts.
• How can media content lead to the erosion of unique cultural identities ?
• Graffiti as a new way of thought expression among teenagers.
• Why is binge-watching TV a new form of addiction?
• Satellites Communication: Military Application.
• Mass media and its contribution to the global flow of information.
• The consequence of misinformation on social media.
• The ethics and norms of journalism in the modern world.
• External Communication Strategy.
• The power of hashtags on Instagram and Twitter.
• The role of clickbait in newspapers in attracting more readers.
• Cyberbullying and online harassment: ways to protect yourself.
• Tesla Motors Brand and Marketing Communications.
• How can AI technology substitute journalists in the near future?
• The efficiency of TikTok in brand promotion .
• How to protect personal information on social media?
• Ways and strategies of building brand awareness on social media.
• Gender Differences in Non- and Verbal Communication.
• What are the trends in native advertising?
• The freedom of the press and methods to protect it.
• How does social media isolate people in the modern world?
• The opportunities and challenges of photojournalism.
• Non-Verbal Communication Skills in Law Enforcement.
• The influence of television on political discourse .
• Digital disruption in mass media: newspapers vs. online news.
• The power of visuals in mass media: pros and cons.
• Ways to control your viewing habits to avoid social media addiction.
• Ad blocking and its impact on online advertising.
• Social Media Influence on Communication.
• The rise of long-form journalism in the digital age.
• How can social media perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce biases?
• The impact of television on language evolution and slang.

Are you wondering how to write a communication essay? Check out our short guide to understand how to structure your paper.

Communication Essay Introduction

An introduction is the first paragraph of an essay. It should grab the reader’s attention, provide clarifying details, and present the main argument. The three main components of an introduction are a hook, background information, and thesis statement .

• A hook is usually the first sentence of an introduction. Its purpose is to capture the readers’ attention and engage them. It can be a question, a surprising fact, a quote, or a provocative statement.
• Background information provides context for the central argument. It should give enough knowledge to help the reader understand the topic and its significance.
• A thesis statement is the main point of the essay. It explains what the paper will argue or explore. Your thesis should be specific, debatable, and focused.

Look at the example:

Hook : Did you know that people spend more time communicating now than ever before in human history? Thesis statement : Effective communication is essential for building and maintaining relationships, achieving common goals, and resolving conflicts, and it can be achieved through clear and concise language, active listening, and nonverbal cues.

Body Paragraphs about Communication

The main body of an essay presents and develops the arguments or ideas in detail. It is vital to have a clear structure, including topic sentences, supporting evidence, and analysis .

• Topic sentences should state the main idea of each paragraph and relate to the thesis statement.
• Supporting evidence should back up the topic sentence and be relevant and credible.
• The analysis explains how the evidence supports the topic sentence and the thesis statement.

Topic sentence : Effective communication requires active listening skills. Supporting evidence : According to a study by communication experts, active listening involves giving full attention to the speaker, maintaining eye contact, and asking clarifying questions (Smith & Jones, 2018).

Essays on Communication: Conclusion

The conclusion of an essay should include the main points and arguments, restated thesis statement, and some final thoughts.

To write a conclusion, summarize the key arguments mentioned in the essay. Next, present the thesis statement in a new way. Don’t copy it word for word. Provide some reflections or a call to action related to the topic.

Restated thesis : Effective communication is crucial and can be achieved through active listening, clear and concise language, and nonverbal cues. It is necessary for building and maintaining relationships, accomplishing common goals, and finding resolutions to conflicts.

You don’t always have to be full of ideas to create something interesting. Use our free topic generator to make essay titles for any kind of paper. Now it’s time to write and receive a straight A for your homework!

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613 Communication Essay Topics

Welcome to our list of communication essay topics! To write a good communication essay, you must examine the dynamic realm of interpersonal interactions. As we explore creative titles about communication, we’ll reveal different interaction forms in the digital age. Join us for the best intercultural, interpersonal, and business communication topics!

🗣️ TOP 7 Communication Topics

🏆 best communication essay topics, ❓ communication topics for presentation, 👍 communication research topics, 🌶️ creative titles about communication, 🎓 interesting communication topics for essay, 💡 business communication topics, 📌 easy communication title ideas.

• The Impact of Modern Technologies on Communication
• Social Media Has Improved Human Interactions
• Five Elements of Communication Process
• Communication Models: Advantages and Disadvantages
• Information and Communication Technology in Education
• The Communication Inquiry: Semiotic, Cybernetic, and Critical Traditions
• Impact of Technology on the Communication
• Verbal and Non-Verbal Cross-Cultural Communication This essay explores the nature of verbal and non-verbal cross-cultural communication. It mainly concerns how verbal and non-verbal signs can be used to facilitate communication.
• Social Media Has Improved Human Communications The essay defines some of the critical social media terms. The use of social media has evolved and has resulted in a rapid increase in social and commercial factors.
• Innocent Smoothies Brand: Marketing Communication This paper documents the supporting evidence and rationale for the Innocent Industry in the United Kingdom. It provides an extensive analysis of the Innocent Smoothies brand.
• The Role of Non-Verbal Communication in Everyday Life Non-verbal contact has a significant role to play in everyone’s life. It is known to enhance an individual’s ability to interact, develop and contribute to intimate collaboration.
• Ancient Ways of Communication Before Technology This informational essay is devoted to the investigation of a wide range of communication means used by people in ancient times from the pre-writing period until the development of alphabets.
• Communication Technology and Globalization Growth in communication networks brought out by information technology witnessed a stream of expansion of products and ideas breaking geographic boundaries.
• Comparison of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Verbal and nonverbal communication differ in structure, miscommunication, continuousness, and distance and time.
• Ethics in Information and Communications Technology Design and application of ICTs in our society also come with serious ethical issues which cause dilemmas on whether to fully adopt such technologies.
• Essay on Cross-Cultural Communication & Differences What are cross-cultural differences? What are the examples of cross-cultural communication? ??➕?? Find the answers in this essay on multicultural communication!
• Importance of Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication in Intercultural Communication Intercultural communication is essential as people interact in businesses, workplaces activities, etc. Verbal and non-verbal communication has a important role in communication.
• Global Communication in Society and Business This paper considers the value of such a concept as global communication for both society and business. It has several advantages and barriers.
• The Impact of Communication on Human Development Human development is a complex and contradictory process initiated by many forces, one of which is communication.
• Non-Verbal Communication Through Clothing Non-verbal communication is the major player in the human behavior and it is always important to realize that major communication taking place is usually non-verbal communication.
• Nike Equality Campaign and Marketing Communication A marketing communication plan for Nike and its latest campaign “Equality” will be developed regarding the main aspects of integrated marketing communications.
• Computer-Based Communication Technologies in the Business Recently developed computer-based communication technologies, such as instant messaging (IM), wikis, and blogs, are beginning to influence the way individuals communicate ideas and information.
• Technology and Interpersonal Communication This article explores the impact of technology on interpersonal communication, discusses how technology has changed the way people interact and communicate with each other.
• Communication Strengths and Weaknesses and Tips Communication plays a vital role in people’s life as it is considered to be the main tool for interaction between people.
• McDonald’s Company’ Integration of Marketing Communication This paper explores how McDonald’s can deploy ntegration of marketing communication to ensure that it attains acceptance of its products and services in the fast-food industry across the globe.
• Effective Communication and Human Relations in the Workplace The paper explores the advantages of effective communication, possible communication barriers, and importance of human relations skills in the workplace.
• Language and Cross-Cultural Communication The essay will identify the various cultural differences denoted by intercultural communication and the key aspects of language in the various concepts.
• Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Issues in Business Both verbal and non-verbal communication play an essential role in determining the overall communication quality in an organization.
• Netflix Inc.’s Strategic Communication Plan Netflix, Inc., initially started as the world’s leading DVD rent-by-mail company with more than one million subscribers.
• Communication Style of Google CEO Sundar Pichai Sundar Pichai, as a leader, has to interact with his employees to ensure that the company’s objectives and visions are to be realized or on course.
• The Role of Online Communication The intensive development of information and communication technologies leads today to changes in the character of interpersonal contacts.
• Effective Interpersonal Communications Principles There are some hitches in communication that can be avoided if appropriate research is done and preparations are made before addressing a certain kind of audience.
• Social Media: Impact on Interpersonal Communication and Relationships Social media has surpassed email as the primary method of communication with individuals from all around the globe. It has proved beneficial to some and harmful to others.
• Bias of Communication: Space-Biased Media & Other Concepts The concept of bias of communication has attracted many scholars over the past years. The media used to communicate to a given audience determine the nature of bias.
• Instagram as a Digital Communication Platform Instagram is a social network that allows its users to share photos, pictures, gifs, and videos, rating and commenting them.
• Communications: Texting Your Friends and Talking to Them Texting is universal and suitable compared to calling as it goes without saying that one cannot call the person at any time.
• Achieving Successful Business Communication This essay is presented the basis of communication, the steps involved in achieving efficient business communication skills as well as some examples.
• Communication in “Sticks” Story by George Saunders “Sticks” is a short story by George Saunders that famously contains only 392 words but packs an emotional punch.
• Discussion: Communication and Mass Media This essay aims to analyze the importance of mass media in providing information and entertaining the general public.
• Academic Writing and Professional Communication The process of working out and realizing the plan for the development of writing skills is the means for the improvement of academic writing style and professional communication.
• Are Cell Phones Leading to the Demise of Communication?
• Are Electronic Communication Beneficial?
• What Are the Four Types of Communication?
• What Is the Process of Communication?
• Can Social Media Sway Everyday Communication?
• Why Communication Is Important in Our Life?
• What Are Barriers and Break-Downs in Communication?
• What Are the Principles of Communication?
• Does Technology Undermine Communication?
• What Are the Methods of Communication?
• What Is the Value of Communication?
• How Can You Improve Your English Communication More Effective Just as Native Speakers Speak?
• How Does Communication Affect Relationships?
• What’s the Best Form of Communication?
• What Is the Most Effective Way of Communication?
• What Are the Uses of Communication in One’s Life?
• How Does the Internet Aid Communication?
• What Is Positive Communication?
• What Are the Greatest Challenges to Good Communication?
• How Has Technology Changed Communication?
• What Kinds of Communication Problems Have You Experienced?
• Globalisation Impact on Mobile Communications The process of globalisation is likely to have a significant impact on the competitive environment of the mobile communications sector for the near future.
• Improving the Oral Communication Skills in Classroom Discussions are used in the classroom for many reasons: discussions increase student interest and participation and help get feedback from teachers.
• Types of Communication: Verbal and Non-Verbal This essay has illustrated different types of communication, and from the facts presented here, it can be concluded that all the types are equally important in the society.
• Nike’s Favorite Integrated Marketing Communication Tools This paper aims to analyze and evaluate what integrated marketing communication tools Nike uses to promote its products.
• Effects of Poor Communication in Healthcare Reviewing various categories of interactions within the healthcare system will enable an in-depth understanding of the effects of poor communication.
• Intercultural Communication in the Workplace A good understanding of the cultural difference in an area of operation and correct utilization of the available human capital aids the company to perform better
• Gestures and Signs in Communication This paper will set out to argue that while gestures can be developed and studied so as to advance their usage they can not serve as an adequate replacement for speech in our life.
• Importance of Therapeutic Communication in Nursing The paper states that therapeutic communication is a key element in nursing care, and all professionals must be able to utilize it in their practice.
• The Nestle Company: Communication Process Integrated marketing communications is a method of attaining the goals of a commerce campaign which consist in the promoting the awareness of the broad audience about the Nestle brand.
• Impact of Culture on Communication There are different factors that affect communication between groups or individuals. Cultural difference is one of the key factors that affect communication
• How Technology Has Changed Communication? Social networks have made communication simpler, faster and better by enhancing accessibility in both social and business fields.
• Intercultural Relationships and Communication An intercultural relationship is vital because it can help to learn new skills and gain diversified cultural knowledge.
• The Impact of Communication on Human Relations Relationships in modern society exist in various forms, but the most important of them is social communication, which allows human relationships to be formed.
• The Impact of Culture on Communication Culture serves as an enrichment of human values and unique experiences, subsequently applied in discussions or communication between several people.
• The Coca-Cola Company’s Marketing Communication The paper explores the Coca-Cola company’s political, legal, economic, and technological environment, presents a SWOT analysis and marketing communication strategies.
• Cross-Cultural Communication Style of Women and Men The differences in communication between the males and the females within a society stem from the fact that males and females are different physiologically and psychologically.
• Social Media for the Purpose of Knowledge, Entertainment, and Communication Almost all people, especially the representatives of young generations, consider their smartphones and laptops to be an integral and rather significant part of their life.
• Effective Communication at FedEx For FedEx, the management must adopt proper communication skills to ensure that employees realize their expectations.
• Social Media’s Influence and Their Role in Communication Social media tools help people to connect individuals awareness of an issue worldwide. This, in turn, helps to usurp authoritarian governments while uniting people in a crisis.
• Interpersonal Communication in the Military The majority of personal conflicts in the military stem from ineffective interpersonal communication. Poor communication may result in disastrous outcomes.
• Influence of Technology on Students’ Communication and Learning Technology has had a significant impact on communication among students, the methods of obtaining the information they need, and learning modes.
• Poor Communication Between Departments in an Organization Almost every company relies on communication in some form or another to function efficiently. Effective communication is a critical aspect of any business or organization.
• Communication in the Era of Technology Modernization has improved the work of many organizations and social institutions, but technology has affected the deterioration of individuals’ communication abilities.
• Coca-Cola Company’s Communication Strategies This paper analyzes The Coca-Cola Company’s communication strategies, evaluates their efficiency, and considers the ethical side of things.
• Parent-Child Conflict Resolution: Communication Problem The psychological view upon the problem of the parent-child conflict covers many aspects explaining the nature of generations’ contradictions.
• Communication Differences Between Men and Women The results showed that men seem to have more initiative in their language use, whereas women seem more relationship-oriented.
• Nursing Communication Process The five elements of the communication process include the sender, message, receiver, channels, and feedback.
• Computer-Based Communication Technologies in Business This paper discusses about the recently developed computer based communication technologies such as instant messages and Wikis in the field of business.
• Personal Communication in Business Organizations In this paper, attention will be paid to personal communication in business organizations, its characteristics, and common examples.
• Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Communication Comparison The purpose of this paper is to define the concept of communication and then compare and contrast interpersonal and intrapersonal communication.
• Intercultural Communication: Dimensions of Bengali Culture Culture represents a common framework through which people organize their emotions, thoughts, and behavior concerning the world around them.
• Communication Barriers at the Workplace Having good communication skills is rather crucial for all workers since it may significantly affect their performance and success.
• Barriers to Cross-Cultural Communication Cross-cultural communication tries to bridge the gap by creating meaningful conservations that respect people’s uniqueness.
• Toyota Motor: Communication & Organizational Design This paper deals with the aspect of organizational structure. The model company for this paper is one of the leading automakers in the world, Toyota Motor Corpn. Japan.
• Persuasive Communication in Different Contexts Persuasive communication is the personal context might mean avoidance of extra explanations or the background needed to justify a request or issue that should be discussed.
• Cultural Difference in Leadership and Communication One of the most important issues in understanding cultural differences is that culture has a significant effect on individuals’ personalities, attitudes, behavior, and performance.
• Importance of Crisis Communication The paper seeks to create a crisis communication plan if the government sets out legislation that directly affects the organization.
• International Marketing and Marketing Communications Marketing communications are messages and related media used to communicate with the target market. It involves advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, and public relations.
• Media as a Powerful Communication Tool Media has become one of the most powerful communication tools in the modern world. For this reason, it has been given much attention.
• Improving Intercultural Communication Skills Efficiently communicating thoughts and ideas to people of a different culture or ethnicity is crucial for establishing a thriving intercultural relationship.
• Personal Isolation and Technology in Communication Technology is an interruption to physical communication and promotes personal isolation, as well as anti-socialism.
• Communication Process in Business Environment This essay explores the issue of the communication process in the business environment and analyzes how its use affects the organization’s effectiveness.
• Exploring Intercultural Communication by Grothe The most interesting concepts from Exploring Intercultural Communication by Grothe are the interrelation between ascribed and avowed identities and ability as a cultural identity.
• Correlation Between Social Media and Communication Skills The effects that social media may have on a person’s development and ability to communicate with others have proven to be controversial.
• Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer and Communication Theory This paper defines the communicative theories and methods that Marissa Mayer uses to get Yahoo! moving in the right direction in the quest to rebuild faith and trust in the company.
• Electronic Devices, Communication and Education The paper aims to explore and explain how electronic devices have influenced people’s daily lives, particularly in communication and education.
• Technical Communication Problems: Benefits and Detrimental Effects of Technologies The paper discusses the problem of technical communication: the number of face-to-face interactions decreases; people have to struggle with the lack of confidence and alienation.
• Modern Communication Technologies and Personal Contact Modern communication technologies have introduced devices with high capabilities and speed, which have facilitated communications between people.
• Ghosting in Communication and Relationships Ghosting is the act of abruptly ending all communication with someone, especially with another person well-known to someone.
• Marketing Communication for Building Strong Brands Marketing communication is a very important tool in any organization which seeks to augment its market share so as to survive in the current unpredicted business environment.
• Intercultural Communication in Business Understanding the cultural perspectives of staff is critical to developing successful business interactions as the wide cultural differences affect how a company does business.
• Communication: Response Styles and Their Effects In addition to defining assertive, passive, and aggressive communication styles, this paper looks at how each affects people and relationships.
• The Communication Styles of Men and Women The root is back to human nature and physiology and can result in a dramatic difference in behavior and perception of the world.
• Business Communication Types and Levels It is imperative to apply the bulk of high-level to low-level communication in business communication and to be relevant in day-to-day business activities.
• HSBC Bank’s Staffing Change: Communication Plan This work shows the communication plan for the change in staffing at HSBC Bank, identifies its key trends, assumptions, and risks, and gives a SWOTT analysis of the organization.
• Intercultural Communication in TV Shows The paper discusses filmmaking that used various television series and movies to examine the question of intercultural communication.
• Performance Improvement Plan: Logistics, Communication, and Behaviour While the human factor contributes to the level of performance, the author proposes to ensure to keep a positive attitude in his job to ensure he gives the best performance.
• Communication Failures and the Cases of Their Solution in Business The paper aims to analyze the roots of the issues, how the intercultural failures can be eliminated, and the brand’s appropriate behavior in public after the reputational damage.
• Principles of Communication in Nursing Principles of communication are based on the positive outcome that is desired by both participants. The most essential propositions is the ability to listen to one’s conversation partner.
• Rogers Communication Company in the Indian Market This paper considers expanding operations Rogers Communication to the Indian market because of the size and increasing purchasing power of the population.
• Innovative Technologies for Communication Technology is making communication easier in today’s world, but at the expense of personal contact as many people choose to interact from home in front of a computer screen.
• Lack of Communication in the Change Processes The report “Lack of communication in the change processes” describes problems that arise if the changes in the organization are not communicated to the employees.
• Technology Impact on Communication The essay will cover the key factors that changed the way people communicate and advantages and disadvantages of modern innovations in people’s everyday lives.
• Business Communication: Message Analysis An organization has to communicate a lot of messages to a variety of people in its day-to-day business operations. The message may be either business related or non-business related.
• Interpersonal Communication Skills in Healthcare The problem of miscommunication in healthcare persists and tends to have negative impacts on patient outcomes, including those related to safety.
• School Nurse’s Communication with Pregnant Teenagers The paper aims to discuss the case of a 17-year-old student who has type I diabetes and whose pregnancy test is positive.
• Communication and Leadership in Nursing Communication is an essential part of life. No institution can operate without communication between its staff and leaders. In nursing, leaders have to utilize effective communication strategies.
• Occupational Health and Safety Communication Occupational Health and Safety allows for improved employee productivity, reduced workplace illnesses and injuries, retained workers, and numerous other advantages.
• Coca-Cola Company’s Communication Strategy Development The development of communication strategy, both internal and external, is essential for a company’s productive and efficient functioning.
• Gossip: The Issue of Interpersonal Communication The paper discusses the issue of interpersonal communication as gossip. It is about the reasons why people talk about each other, and the existence of biases.
• Aspects of the Contemporary American Communication Culture Intercultural communication as a particular type of communication involves communication between speakers of different languages and different cultures.
• The Impact of Information Technology on the Human Communication This paper discusses the potential impact of information communication technology on human communication in business in the next 10-15 years.
• Communication Effects on Leadership Communication is the key to effective leadership. It is only through good communication skills that a leader is able to manage people without making them feel subdued.
• The Coca-Cola Company’s Ethical Communication Plan This paper describes a possible ethical framework that would suit Coca-Cola and help it with building and developing more efficient communication channels.
• Dramatism Theory in Communication Dramatism theory is a communication theory for analyzing human relationships and exploring the nature of motivation.
• Communication in Family: Interview and Analysis Communication is crucial in shaping and reflecting relationships in a family. It is through conversations that one can identify the relationship that exists among family members.
• Theory of Self-Presentation and Digital Communication The paper analyzes Goffman’s theory of the presentation of self has become the framework for a broader understanding of behaviors and motivation.
• The Use of Information and Communication Technology in Education The main idea of the paper is ‘The use of information and communication technology in education’. The Paper is based on the advantages of information and communication technologies.
• The Role of Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign Integrated marketing communication refers to a general approach to marketing. This is aimed at ensuring that there is uniformity of message with the corresponding use of media.
• Persuasion and Manipulation in Business Communication The difference between persuasion and manipulation in business is in the character of the intent of this or that action.
• Communication and Teamwork Hypotheses The paper addresses two hypotheses: people work better together if they have the same educational background; inborn personality types cannot change under any circumstances.
• Modern Communication Infrastructure as a Means of Cultural Diffusion This research paper demonstrates that modern communication infrastructure has not changed the course of cultural exchange patterns but rather hastened the flow of integration.
• Interpersonal Communication Dynamics in “The Break-Up” by Reed The film The Break-Up illustrates how the inability to listen actively, nonverbal communication, and poor problem-solving result in constant misunderstandings and disagreements.
• Interpersonal Communication Between Kuzco the Emperor and Pacha The topic of this essay is the relationship between the “Emperor’s new groove’s” main characters who found themselves together on a dangerous and fascinating journey.
• Zoom Video Communications During Covid-19 Pandemics The case study shows that Zoom company has become one of the most preferred brands in this industry since the COVID-19 pandemic because of its unique products.
• Interpersonal Communication: Social Exchange Theory The general aim of social exchange theory is to describe how humans share ideas or secrets within the realm of established relations.
• Business Communication: Refusing Credit The paper discusses the difference between refusing credit to a good moral risk with bad finances or in a poor economic environment and refusing credit to a bad moral risk.
• Communication in Patient-Centered Care Effective communication can be achieved through core communication competencies, which require a lot of input, attention, and responsibility on behalf of the medical staff.
• Perception, Equality, and Curiosity in Cross-Cultural Communication Effective communication is significant when passing a message from one person to another and may be influenced by various factors.
• Nonverbal Intellectual Communication: Cultural Space and Privacy Cultural space and privacy are the key concepts of intellectual communication that use nonverbal communication to understand the environment.
• Communication Analysis of Lady Gaga’s Acceptance Speech Lady Gaga won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and gave her acceptance speech in 2019. She thanked the Grammy organizers and audience for the award.
• Selfridge & Co.’s Integrated Marketing Communications Integrated Marketing Communication tools comprise a number of marketing instruments designed to ensure efficient and consistent communication with the target audience.
• The Volvo Company’s Marketing Communications According to the article, Volvo’s marketing communications aspire to achieve the potential customers’ attention, interest, and desire.
• Communication Problems in a Workplace Many people had once faced situations at work when a misunderstanding interfered with work and entailed harmful consequences.
• Leadership, Team Building and Communication Communication and leadership are two essential parts of modern organizations, so my interests are to investigate the relations between these two concepts.
• Interpersonal Communication in the “One Day” Film The focus of this paper is on the analysis of interpersonal communication observed between the characters of One Day, a romantic movie directed by Lone Scherfig.
• The Media and Communication Some media forms have contributed to several ethical concerns. These ethical concerns threaten to destroy the trust and responsibility among humanity.
• Aspects of Cross Cultural Communication Cross-cultural communication depends on both verbal and nonverbal means. The fact is that the process of intercourse includes the exchange of thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
• Satellite Navigation and Controller Pilot Data Link Communications The paper will focus on satellite navigation systems and Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) systems. The main components systems will also be explicated.
• Technical Communication: Social Networking Social networking can be defined as a virtual environment in which individuals form groups for a common goal of socializing.
• The Role of Stereotyping in Communication Basing collective and individual decisions regarding the tone, style, or other aspects of communication on certain stereotypes is a complicated task.
• The U-Curve Model of Intercultural Communication The U-Curve Model provides a fast and effective way of channeling the intercultural communication process toward reconciliation and collaboration.
• Application of Different Technologies in DSL Communications A comparison between different DLS technologies aims to reveal that each has its strengths and weaknesses, which means that combining them can improve communication.
• Communicating at Work: Advice for Effective Communication Communication skills, particularly the ability to work effectively in a team setting, are the most important factors that enable individuals to excel in their job.
• Technology and Interpersonal Communication The use of technology in communication has improved the quality and quantity of communication and promoted human relations in the society.
• Elaborated vs. Restricted Codes in Communication Elaborated and restricted codes are specific forms of language and speech in particular social contexts, including in different orders of meanings.
• Linguistics and Modes of Communication There are several modes of communication in linguistics, including written and spoken words. Each of these modes has a potential list of advantages and disadvantages.
• Interpersonal Communication Theory in the Dental Field As a people-oriented profession, dentistry requires the development of solid communication skills. Such abilities are indispensable to patient care to serve specific aims.
• Pasta Amore Crisis Communication Plan This crisis communication plan considers the company’s actions in an outbreak of product contamination. It discusses the efforts of both company management and employees.
• Communication and Navigation Systems This part covers a section of avionics that deal with navigation and communication; it also covers the electronic devices that use avionics features.
• Classical Arabic as a Mode of Communication in the Contemporary Environment This paper explores the differences between Classical Arabic and its modern varieties, comprising Modern Standard, Moroccan, and Egyptian ones, proving that it is not yet a dead language.
• The Philosophy of Nursing Communication The Philosophy of Nursing Communication is a new theory that defines the central role of nurses in the healthcare system.
• The Phenomenon of Interpersonal Communication The phenomenon of interpersonal communication is a process of exchanging information, knowledge, experience, emotions, and beliefs between people.
• How Cultural Norms in Indian Culture Influence Communication? Indian cultural heritage is a fantastic source of spiritual and scientific knowledge. Indian cultural communication patterns derive from their deep spirituality.
• Psychology and Mass Communication Theories Several mass communication theories try to explain various influences as well as dynamics surrounding the diverse types of mass media and their effects on the public.
• Effective Organizational Communication in Municipal Government As a way of demonstrating good communication to the public, the municipal managers should be in a position to employ critical thinking in the management of the contracts.
• De Beers Company’s Digital Marketing Communication The essay analyzes De Beers, its strategies in digital marketing communication and proposes a new digital campaign using e-mail marketing, content advertising, etc.
• Diversity in Workplace Communication Comprehensive knowledge of the cultural, ethnic, and gender differences between staff members can enable managers to communicate freely with their employees.
• Communication: People-to-People vs. People-to-Devices This paper studies the correlation between face-to-face communication and communication via social media. It also concerns the ethical challenges of the topic.
• Internal Communication: Medium and Justification The face-to-face communication medium is a reliable interaction method that can facilitate the sharing of ideas.
• Communication: The Transmission of Information
• Effective Communication and Negotiation
• Art as a Form of Communication
• Analysis of Theories in Communication
• Communication Technologies in the Historical Context
• Improving Organizational Communication at Go Travel
• The Culture of Communication and Interaction
• The Impact of Interpersonal Internal Communication on Organizational Effectiveness
• Visual Communication: Approaches for Dyslexic People
• Marketing Communication Strategies: Domestic and International Markets
• Persuasive vs. Directive Communication
• What Effects Does Social Media Have on Real-Life Communications?
• Smart Phones: Promoting Communication
• Directness in Operational Communication
• Computer-Mediated Interpersonal Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication and Customer Satisfaction
• Positive Tone in Business Communication
• Aspects of Monologic Communication
• The Use of Conversational Devices in Communication
• Cuban Cultural Communication in Relation to Healthcare
• Media and Communication Technology: The Positive and Negative Impacts
• The Russian Communication Rules and Traditions
• Research of Mass Communication Process
• The Anthropology of Messages and Communication
• Social Media Effects on Communication Behaviors
• Qualitative Threshold: Globalization and Communication Technologies
• Intercultural Communication: the Product Names and Logos
• Intercultural Communication: Interfaith Marriages
• Communication Methods: Advantages and Disadvantages
• The Communication Problems with the Email
• Non-Verbal Communication in Mental Health Nursing
• Language Barrier and Poor Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication in Child Development
• The USA and Nigeria’s Communication
• Personal Development and Communication Skills
• The Pre-Writing Process in Business Communication
• Intercultural Communication in Business, Education, and Healthcare
• Importance of Nurse-Patient Communication
• Flat vs. Tall Organizational Communication
• Appropriate and Effective Christian Intercultural Communication
• Communication and Cultural Awareness: The Mexican Culture
• Communication Management: Analysis and Integration
• Communication Technologies in Education and Social Life
• Group Communication in Organizations
• Models of Mass Communication and Opinion Leadership
• Cuban Heritage and Communication Patterns
• Communication and Social Media Ethics in United Arab Emirates
• The Computer-Mediated and Face-to-Face Communications
• Technology and Communication: The Impact of Information Technologies and the Lack of Personal Contact
• Marketing Communications and Its Role in a Company
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12.1: Principles and Functions of Nonverbal Communication

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Learning Objectives

• Define nonverbal communication.
• Compare and contrast verbal communication and nonverbal communication.
• Discuss the principles of nonverbal communication.
• Provide examples of the functions of nonverbal communication.

As you’ll recall from our introductory chapter, a channel is the sensory route on which a message travels. Oral communication only relies on one channel, because spoken language is transmitted through sound and picked up by our ears. Nonverbal communication, on the other hand, can be taken in by all five of our senses. Since most of our communication relies on visual and auditory channels, those will be the focus of this chapter. But we can also receive messages and generate meaning through touch, taste, and smell. Touch is an especially powerful form of nonverbal communication that we will discuss in this chapter, but we will not get into taste and smell, which have not received as much scholarly attention in relation to nonverbal communication as the other senses.

To further define nonverbal communication, we need to distinguish between vocal and verbal aspects of communication. Verbal and nonverbal communication include both vocal and nonvocal elements, and Table \(\PageIndex{1}\) shows the relationship among vocal, nonvocal, verbal, and nonverbal aspects of communication. A vocal element of verbal communication is spoken words—for example, “Come back here.” A vocal element of nonverbal communication is paralanguage , which is the vocalized but not verbal part of a spoken message, such as speaking rate, volume, and pitch. Nonvocal elements of verbal communication include the use of unspoken symbols to convey meaning. Writing and American Sign Language (ASL) are nonvocal examples of verbal communication and are not considered nonverbal communication. Nonvocal elements of nonverbal communication include body language such as gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact. Gestures are nonvocal and nonverbal since most of them do not refer to a specific word like a written or signed symbol does.

Source: Adapted from Owen Hargie, Skilled Interpersonal Interaction: Research, Theory, and Practice (London: Routledge, 2011), 45.

Principles of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication has a distinct history and serves separate evolutionary functions from verbal communication. For example, nonverbal communication is primarily biologically based while verbal communication is primarily culturally based. This is evidenced by the fact that some nonverbal communication has the same meaning across cultures while no verbal communication systems share that same universal recognizability (Andersen, 1999). Nonverbal communication also evolved earlier than verbal communication and served an early and important survival function that helped humans later develop verbal communication. While some of our nonverbal communication abilities, like our sense of smell, lost strength as our verbal capacities increased, other abilities like paralanguage and movement have grown alongside verbal complexity. The fact that nonverbal communication is processed by an older part of our brain makes it more instinctual and involuntary than verbal communication.

Nonverbal Communication Conveys Important Interpersonal and Emotional Messages

You’ve probably heard that more meaning is generated from nonverbal communication than from verbal. Some studies have claimed that 90 percent of our meaning is derived from nonverbal signals, but more recent and reliable findings claim that it is closer to 65 percent (Guerrero & Floyd, 2006). We may rely more on nonverbal signals in situations where verbal and nonverbal messages conflict and in situations where emotional or relational communication is taking place (Hargie, 2011). For example, when someone asks a question and we’re not sure about the “angle” they are taking, we may hone in on nonverbal cues to fill in the meaning. For example, the question “What are you doing tonight?” could mean any number of things, but we could rely on posture, tone of voice, and eye contact to see if the person is just curious, suspicious, or hinting that they would like company for the evening. We also put more weight on nonverbal communication when determining a person’s credibility. For example, if a classmate delivers a speech in class and her verbal content seems well-researched and unbiased, but her nonverbal communication is poor (her voice is monotone, she avoids eye contact, she fidgets), she will likely not be viewed as credible. Conversely, in some situations, verbal communication might carry more meaning than nonverbal. In interactions where information exchange is the focus, at a briefing at work, for example, verbal communication likely accounts for much more of the meaning generated. Despite this exception, a key principle of nonverbal communication is that it often takes on more meaning in interpersonal and/or emotional exchanges.

Nonverbal Communication is More Involuntary than Verbal

There are some instances in which we verbally communicate involuntarily. These types of exclamations are often verbal responses to a surprising stimulus. For example, we say “owww!” when we stub our toe or scream “stop!” when we see someone heading toward danger. Involuntary nonverbal signals are much more common, and although most nonverbal communication isn’t completely involuntary, it is more below our consciousness than verbal communication and therefore more difficult to control.

The involuntary nature of much nonverbal communication makes it more difficult to control or “fake.” For example, although you can consciously smile a little and shake hands with someone when you first see them, it’s difficult to fake that you’re “happy” to meet someone. Nonverbal communication leaks out in ways that expose our underlying thoughts or feelings. Spokespeople, lawyers, or other public representatives who are the “face” of a politician, celebrity, corporation, or organization must learn to control their facial expressions and other nonverbal communication so they can effectively convey the message of their employer or client without having their personal thoughts and feelings leak through. Poker players, therapists, police officers, doctors, teachers, and actors are also in professions that often require them to have more awareness of and control over their nonverbal communication.

Have you ever tried to conceal your surprise, suppress your anger, or act joyful even when you weren’t? Most people whose careers don’t involve conscious manipulation of nonverbal signals find it difficult to control or suppress them. While we can consciously decide to stop sending verbal messages, our nonverbal communication always has the potential of generating meaning for another person. The teenager who decides to shut out his dad and not communicate with him still sends a message with his “blank” stare (still a facial expression) and lack of movement (still a gesture). In this sense, nonverbal communication is “irrepressible” (Andersen, 1999).

Nonverbal Communication is More Ambiguous

In the chapter titled “Verbal Communication”, we learn that the symbolic and abstract nature of language can lead to misunderstandings, but nonverbal communication is even more ambiguous. As with verbal communication, most of our nonverbal signals can be linked to multiple meanings, but unlike words, many nonverbal signals do not have any one specific meaning. If you’ve ever had someone wink at you and didn’t know why, you’ve probably experienced this uncertainty. Did they wink to express their affection for you, their pleasure with something you just did, or because you share some inside knowledge or joke?

Just as we look at context clues in a sentence or paragraph to derive meaning from a particular word, we can look for context clues in various sources of information like the physical environment, other nonverbal signals, or verbal communication to make sense of a particular nonverbal cue. Unlike verbal communication, however, nonverbal communication doesn’t have explicit rules of grammar that bring structure, order, and agreed-on patterns of usage. Instead, we implicitly learn norms of nonverbal communication, which leads to greater variance. In general, we exhibit more idiosyncrasies in our usage of nonverbal communication than we do with verbal communication, which also increases the ambiguity of nonverbal communication.

Nonverbal Communication is More Credible

Although we can rely on verbal communication to fill in the blanks sometimes left by nonverbal expressions, we often put more trust into what people do over what they say. This is especially true in times of stress or danger when our behaviors become more instinctual and we rely on older systems of thinking and acting that evolved before our ability to speak and write (Andersen, 1999). This innateness creates intuitive feelings about the genuineness of nonverbal communication, and this genuineness relates back to our earlier discussion about the sometimes involuntary and often subconscious nature of nonverbal communication. An example of the innateness of nonverbal signals can be found in children who have been blind since birth but still exhibit the same facial expressions as other children. In short, the involuntary or subconscious nature of nonverbal communication makes it less easy to fake, which makes it seem more honest and credible. We will learn more about the role that nonverbal communication plays in deception later in this chapter.

Functions of Nonverbal Communication

A primary function of nonverbal communication is to convey meaning by reinforcing, substituting for, or contradicting verbal communication. Nonverbal communication is also used to influence others and regulate conversational flow. Perhaps even more important are the ways in which nonverbal communication functions as a central part of relational communication and identity expression.

Nonverbal Communication Conveys Meaning

Nonverbal communication conveys meaning by reinforcing, substituting for, or contradicting verbal communication. As we’ve already learned, verbal and nonverbal communication are two parts of the same system that often work side by side, helping us generate meaning. In terms of reinforcing verbal communication, gestures can help describe a space or shape that another person is unfamiliar with in ways that words alone cannot. Gestures also reinforce basic meaning—for example, pointing to the door when you tell someone to leave. Facial expressions reinforce the emotional states we convey through verbal communication. For example, smiling while telling a funny story better conveys your emotions (Hargie, 2011). Vocal variation can help us emphasize a particular part of a message, which helps reinforce a word or sentence’s meaning. For example, saying “How was your weekend?” conveys a different meaning than “How was your weekend ?”

Nonverbal communication can substitute for verbal communication in a variety of ways. Nonverbal communication can convey much meaning when verbal communication isn’t effective because of language barriers. Language barriers are present when a person hasn’t yet learned to speak or loses the ability to speak. For example, babies who have not yet developed language skills make facial expressions, at a few months old, that are similar to those of adults and therefore can generate meaning (Oster, Hegley, & Nagel, 1992). People who have developed language skills but can’t use them because they have temporarily or permanently lost them or because they are using incompatible language codes, like in some cross-cultural encounters, can still communicate nonverbally. Although it’s always a good idea to learn some of the local language when you travel, gestures such as pointing or demonstrating the size or shape of something may suffice in basic interactions.

Nonverbal communication is also useful in a quiet situation where verbal communication would be disturbing; for example, you may use a gesture to signal to a friend that you’re ready to leave the library. Crowded or loud places can also impede verbal communication and lead people to rely more on nonverbal messages. Getting a server or bartender’s attention with a hand gesture is definitely more polite than yelling, “Hey you!” Finally, there are just times when we know it’s better not to say something aloud. If you want to point out a person’s unusual outfit or signal to a friend that you think his or her date is a loser, you’re probably more likely to do that nonverbally.

Last, nonverbal communication can convey meaning by contradicting verbal communication. As we learned earlier, we often perceive nonverbal communication to be more credible than verbal communication. This is especially true when we receive mixed messages, or messages in which verbal and nonverbal signals contradict each other. For example, a person may say, “You can’t do anything right!” in a mean tone but follow that up with a wink, which could indicate the person is teasing or joking. Mixed messages lead to uncertainty and confusion on the part of receivers, which leads us to look for more information to try to determine which message is more credible. If we are unable to resolve the discrepancy, we are likely to react negatively and potentially withdraw from the interaction (Hargie, 2011). Persistent mixed messages can lead to relational distress and hurt a person’s credibility in professional settings.

Nonverbal Communication Influences Others

Nonverbal communication can be used to influence people in a variety of ways, but the most common way is through deception. Deception is typically thought of as the intentional act of altering information to influence another person, which means that it extends beyond lying to include concealing, omitting, or exaggerating information. While verbal communication is to blame for the content of the deception, nonverbal communication partners with the language through deceptive acts to be more convincing. Since most of us intuitively believe that nonverbal communication is more credible than verbal communication, we often intentionally try to control our nonverbal communication when we are engaging in deception. Likewise, we try to evaluate other people’s nonverbal communication to determine the veracity of their messages. Students initially seem surprised when we discuss the prevalence of deception, but their surprise diminishes once they realize that deception isn’t always malevolent, mean, or hurtful. Deception obviously has negative connotations, but people engage in deception for many reasons, including to excuse our own mistakes, to be polite to others, or to influence others’ behaviors or perceptions.

The fact that deception served an important evolutionary purpose helps explain its prevalence among humans today. Species that are capable of deception have a higher survival rate. Other animals engage in nonverbal deception that helps them attract mates, hide from predators, and trap prey (Andersen, 1999). To put it bluntly, the better at deception a creature is, the more likely it is to survive. So, over time, the humans that were better liars were the ones that got their genes passed on. But the fact that lying played a part in our survival as a species doesn’t give us a license to lie.

Aside from deception, we can use nonverbal communication to “take the edge off” a critical or unpleasant message in an attempt to influence the reaction of the other person. We can also use eye contact and proximity to get someone to move or leave an area. For example, hungry diners waiting to snag a first-come-first-serve table in a crowded restaurant send messages to the people who have already eaten and paid that it’s time to go. People on competition reality television shows like Survivor and Big Brother play what they’ve come to term a “social game.” The social aspects of the game involve the manipulation of verbal and nonverbal cues to send strategic messages about oneself in an attempt to influence others. Nonverbal cues such as length of conversational turn, volume, posture, touch, eye contact, and choices of clothing and accessories can become part of a player’s social game strategy. Although reality television isn’t a reflection of real life, people still engage in competition and strategically change their communication to influence others, making it important to be aware of how we nonverbally influence others and how they may try to influence us.

Nonverbal Communication Regulates Conversational Flow

Conversational interaction has been likened to a dance, where each person has to make moves and take turns without stepping on the other’s toes. Nonverbal communication helps us regulate our conversations so we don’t end up constantly interrupting each other or waiting in awkward silences between speaker turns. Pitch, which is a part of vocalics, helps us cue others into our conversational intentions. A rising pitch typically indicates a question and a falling pitch indicates the end of a thought or the end of a conversational turn. We can also use a falling pitch to indicate closure, which can be very useful at the end of a speech to signal to the audience that you are finished, which cues the applause and prevents an awkward silence that the speaker ends up filling with “That’s it” or “Thank you.” We also signal our turn is coming to an end by stopping hand gestures and shifting our eye contact to the person who we think will speak next (Hargie, 2011). Conversely, we can “hold the floor” with nonverbal signals even when we’re not exactly sure what we’re going to say next. Repeating a hand gesture or using one or more verbal fillers can extend our turn even though we are not verbally communicating at the moment.

Nonverbal Communication Affects Relationships

To successfully relate to other people, we must possess some skill at encoding and decoding nonverbal communication. The nonverbal messages we send and receive influence our relationships in positive and negative ways and can work to bring people together or push them apart. Nonverbal communication in the form of tie signs, immediacy behaviors, and expressions of emotion are just three of many examples that illustrate how nonverbal communication affects our relationships.

Tie signs are nonverbal cues that communicate intimacy and signal the connection between two people. These relational indicators can be objects such as wedding rings or tattoos that are symbolic of another person or the relationship, actions such as sharing the same drinking glass, or touch behaviors such as hand-holding (Afifi & Johnson, 2005). Touch behaviors are the most frequently studied tie signs and can communicate much about a relationship based on the area being touched, the length of time, and the intensity of the touch. Kisses and hugs, for example, are considered tie signs, but a kiss on the cheek is different from a kiss on the mouth and a full embrace is different from a half embrace. If you consider yourself a “people watcher,” take note of the various tie signs you see people use and what they might say about the relationship.

Immediacy behaviors play a central role in bringing people together and have been identified by some scholars as the most important function of nonverbal communication (Andersen & Andersen, 2005). Immediacy behaviors are verbal and nonverbal behaviors that lessen real or perceived physical and psychological distance between communicators and include things like smiling, nodding, making eye contact, and occasionally engaging in social, polite, or professional touch (Comadena, Hunt, & Simonds, 2007). Immediacy behaviors are a good way of creating rapport, or a friendly and positive connection between people. Skilled nonverbal communicators are more likely to be able to create rapport with others due to attention-getting expressiveness, warm initial greetings, and an ability to get “in tune” with others, which conveys empathy (Riggio, 1992). These skills are important to help initiate and maintain relationships.

While verbal communication is our primary tool for solving problems and providing detailed instructions, nonverbal communication is our primary tool for communicating emotions. This makes sense when we remember that nonverbal communication emerged before verbal communication and was the channel through which we expressed anger, fear, and love for thousands of years of human history (Andersen, 1999). Touch and facial expressions are two primary ways we express emotions nonverbally. Love is a primary emotion that we express nonverbally and that forms the basis of our close relationships. Although no single facial expression for love has been identified, it is expressed through prolonged eye contact, close interpersonal distances, increased touch, and increased time spent together, among other things. Given many people’s limited emotional vocabulary, nonverbal expressions of emotion are central to our relationships.

“Getting Real”: Teachers and Immediacy Behaviors

A considerable amount of research has been done on teachers’ use of immediacy behaviors, which points to the importance of this communication concept in teaching professions (Richmond, Lane, & McCroskey, 2006). Immediacy behaviors are verbal and nonverbal behaviors that lessen real or perceived physical and psychological distance between communicators (Comadena, Hunt, & Simonds, 2007). Specific nonverbal behaviors have been found to increase or decrease perceived levels of immediacy, and such behaviors impact student learning, teacher’s evaluations, and the teacher-student relationship (Richmond, Lane, & McCroskey, 2006). Even those who do not plan on going into teaching as a career can benefit from learning about immediacy behaviors, as they can also be used productively in other interpersonal contexts such as between a manager and employee, a salesperson and a client, or a politician and constituent. Much of this research in teaching contexts has focused on the relationship between immediacy behaviors and student learning, and research consistently shows that effective use of immediacy behaviors increases learning in various contexts and at various levels. Aside from enhancing student learning, the effective use of immediacy behaviors also leads to better evaluations by students, which can have a direct impact on a teacher’s career. While student evaluations of teachers take various factors into consideration, judgments of personality may be formed, as we learned in Chapter 2 “Communication and Perception”, after only brief initial impressions. Research shows that students make character assumptions about teachers after only brief exposure to their nonverbal behaviors. Based on nonverbal cues such as frowning, head nodding, pointing, sitting, smiling, standing, strong gestures, weak gestures, and walking, students may or may not evaluate a teacher as open, attentive, confident, dominant, honest, likable, anxious, professional, supportive, or enthusiastic. The following are examples of immediacy behaviors that can be effectively used by teachers:

• Moving around the classroom during class activities, lectures, and discussions (reduces physical distance)
• Keeping the line of sight open between the teacher’s body and the students by avoiding or only briefly standing behind lecterns / computer tables or sitting behind a desk while directly interacting with students (reduces physical distance)
• Being expressive and animated with facial expressions, gestures, and voice (demonstrates enthusiasm)
• Smiling (creates a positive and open climate)
• Making frequent eye contact with students (communicates attentiveness and interest)
• Calling students by name (reduces perceived psychological distance)
• Making appropriate self-disclosures to students about personal thoughts, feelings, or experiences (reduces perceived psychological distance, creates open climate)

Teachers who are judged as less immediate are more likely to sit, touch their heads, shake instead of nod their heads, use sarcasm, avoid eye contact, and use less expressive nonverbal behaviors. Finally, immediacy behaviors affect the teacher-student relationship. Immediacy behaviors help establish rapport, which is a personal connection that increases students’ investment in the class and material, increases motivation, increases communication between teacher and student, increases liking, creates a sense of mutual respect, reduces challenging behavior by students, and reduces anxiety.

• Recall a teacher you have had that exhibited effective immediacy behaviors. Recall a teacher you have had that didn’t exhibit immediacy behaviors. Make a column for each teacher and note examples of specific behaviors of each. Discuss your list with a classmate and compare and contrast your lists.
• Think about the teachers that you listed in the previous question. Discuss how their behaviors affected your learning and your relationship.
• How much should immediacy behaviors, relative to other characteristics such as professionalism, experience, training, and content knowledge, factor into the evaluation of teachers by their students, peers, and supervisors? What, if anything, should schools do to enhance teachers’ knowledge of immediacy behaviors?

Nonverbal Communication Expresses Our Identities

Nonverbal communication expresses who we are. Our identities (the groups to which we belong, our cultures, our hobbies and interests, etc.) are conveyed nonverbally through the way we set up our living and working spaces, the clothes we wear, the way we carry ourselves, and the accents and tones of our voices. Our physical bodies give others impressions about who we are, and some of these features are more under our control than others. Height, for example, has been shown to influence how people are treated and perceived in various contexts. Our level of attractiveness also influences our identities and how people perceive us. Although we can temporarily alter our height or looks—for example, with different shoes or different color contact lenses—we can only permanently alter these features using more invasive and costly measures such as cosmetic surgery. We have more control over some other aspects of nonverbal communication in terms of how we communicate our identities. For example, the way we carry and present ourselves through posture, eye contact, and tone of voice can be altered to present ourselves as warm or distant depending on the context.

Aside from our physical body, artifacts, which are the objects and possessions that surround us, also communicate our identities. Examples of artifacts include our clothes, jewelry, and space decorations. In all the previous examples, implicit norms or explicit rules can affect how we nonverbally present ourselves. For example, in a particular workplace it may be a norm (implicit) for people in management positions to dress casually, or it may be a rule (explicit) that different levels of employees wear different uniforms or follow particular dress codes. We can also use nonverbal communication to express identity characteristics that do not match up with who we actually think we are. Through changes to nonverbal signals, a capable person can try to appear helpless, a guilty person can try to appear innocent, or an uninformed person can try to appear credible.

Key Takeaways

• Nonverbal communication is a process of generating meaning using behavior other than words. Nonverbal communication includes vocal elements, which is referred to as paralanguage and includes pitch, volume, and rate, and nonvocal elements, which are usually referred to as body language and includes gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact, among other things.
• Although verbal communication and nonverbal communication work side by side as part of a larger language system, there are some important differences between the two. They are processed by different hemispheres of the brain, nonverbal communication conveys more emotional and affective meaning than does verbal communication, nonverbal communication isn’t governed by an explicit system of rules in the same way that grammar guides verbal communication, and while verbal communication is a uniquely human ability, many creatures including plants, birds, and mammals communicate nonverbally.
• 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 often more credible than verbal communication.
• Nonverbal communication serves several functions.
• Nonverbal communication affects verbal communication in that it can complement, reinforce, substitute, or contradict verbal messages.
• Nonverbal communication influences others, as it is a key component of deception and can be used to assert dominance or to engage in compliance gaining.
• Nonverbal communication regulates conversational flow, as it provides important cues that signal the beginning and end of conversational turns and facilitates the beginning and end of an interaction.
• Nonverbal communication affects relationships, as it is a primary means through which we communicate emotions, establish social bonds, and engage in relational maintenance.
• Nonverbal communication expresses our identities, as who we are is conveyed through the way we set up our living and working spaces, the clothes we wear, our personal presentation, and the tones in our voices.
• Getting integrated: To better understand nonverbal communication, try to think of an example to illustrate each of the four principles discussed in the chapter. Be integrative in your approach by including at least one example from an academic, professional, civic, and personal context.
• When someone sends you a mixed message in which the verbal and nonverbal messages contradict each other, which one do you place more meaning on? Why?
• Our personal presentation, style of dress, and surroundings such as a dorm room, apartment, car, or office send nonverbal messages about our identities. Analyze some of the nonverbal signals that your personal presentation or environment send. What do they say about who you are? Do they create the impression that you desire?

Afifi, W. A. and Michelle L. Johnson, “The Nature and Function of Tie-Signs,” in The Sourcebook of Nonverbal Measures: Going beyond Words , ed. Valerie Manusov (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005): 190.

Andersen, P. A., Nonverbal Communication: Forms and Functions (Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1999), 17.

Andersen, P. A. and Janis F. Andersen, “Measures of Perceived Nonverbal Immediacy,” in The Sourcebook of Nonverbal Measures: Going beyond Words , ed. Valerie Manusov (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005): 113–26.

Comadena, M. E., Stephen K. Hunt, and Cheri J. Simonds, “The Effects of Teacher Clarity, Nonverbal Immediacy, and Caring on Student Motivation, Affective and Cognitive Learning,” Communication Research Reports 24, no. 3 (2007): 241.

Hargie, O., Skilled Interpersonal Interaction: Research, Theory, and Practice , 5th ed. (London: Routledge, 2011), 47.

Guerrero, L. K. and Kory Floyd, Nonverbal Communication in Close Relationships (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2006): 2.

Oster, H., Douglas Hegley, and Linda Nagel, “Adult Judgments and Fine-Grained Analysis of Infant Facial Expressions: Testing the Validity of A Priori Coding Formulas,” Developmental Psychology 28, no. 6 (1992): 1115–31.

Richmond, V. P., Derek R. Lane, and James C. McCroskey, “Teacher Immediacy and the Teacher-Student Relationship,” in Handbook of Instructional Communication: Rhetorical and Relational Perspectives , eds. Timothy P. Mottet, Virginia P. Richmond, and James C. McCroskey (Boston, MA: Pearson, 2006), 168.

Riggio, R. E., “Social Interaction Skills and Nonverbal Behavior,” in Applications of Nonverbal Behavior Theories and Research , ed. Robert S. Feldman (Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1992), 12.

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Types of Nonverbal Communication

Often you don't need words at all

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

 Tim Robberts / Getty Images

Why Nonverbal Communication Is Important

• How to Improve

Nonverbal communication means conveying information without using words. This might involve using certain facial expressions or hand gestures to make a specific point, or it could involve the use (or non-use) of eye contact, physical proximity, and other nonverbal cues to get a message across.

A substantial portion of our communication is nonverbal. In fact, some researchers suggest that the percentage of nonverbal communication is four times that of verbal communication, with 80% of what we communicate involving our actions and gestures versus only 20% being conveyed with the use of words.

Every day, we respond to thousands of nonverbal cues and behaviors, including postures, facial expressions, eye gaze, gestures, and tone of voice. From our handshakes to our hairstyles, our nonverbal communication reveals who we are and impacts how we relate to other people.

9 Types of Nonverbal Communication

Scientific research on nonverbal communication and behavior began with the 1872 publication of Charles Darwin's The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals . Since that time, a wealth of research has been devoted to the types, effects, and expressions of unspoken communication and behavior .

Nonverbal Communication Types

While these signals can be so subtle that we are not consciously aware of them, research has identified nine types of nonverbal communication. These nonverbal communication types are:

• Facial expressions
• Paralinguistics (such as loudness or tone of voice)
• Body language
• Proxemics or personal space
• Eye gaze, haptics (touch)
• Artifacts (objects and images)

Facial Expressions

Facial expressions are responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal communication. Consider how much information can be conveyed with a smile or a frown. The look on a person's face is often the first thing we see, even before we hear what they have to say.

While nonverbal communication and behavior can vary dramatically between cultures, the facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, and fear are similar throughout the world.

Deliberate movements and signals are an important way to communicate meaning without words. Common gestures include waving, pointing, and giving a "thumbs up" sign. Other gestures are arbitrary and related to culture.

For example, in the U.S., putting the index and middle finger in the shape of a "V" with your palm facing out is often considered to be a sign of peace or victory. Yet, in Britain, Australia, and other parts of the world, this gesture can be considered an insult.

Nonverbal communication via gestures is so powerful and influential that some judges place limits on which ones are allowed in the courtroom, where they can sway juror opinions. An attorney might glance at their watch to suggest that the opposing lawyer's argument is tedious, for instance. Or they may roll their eyes during a witness's testimony in an attempt to undermine that person's credibility.

Paralinguistics

Paralinguistics refers to vocal communication that is separate from actual language. This form of nonverbal communication includes factors such as tone of voice, loudness, inflection, and pitch.

For example, consider the powerful effect that tone of voice can have on the meaning of a sentence. When said in a strong tone of voice, listeners might interpret a statement as approval and enthusiasm. The same words said in a hesitant tone can convey disapproval and a lack of interest.

Body Language and Posture

Posture and movement can also provide a great deal of information. Research on body language has grown significantly since the 1970s, with popular media focusing on the over-interpretation of defensive postures such as arm-crossing and leg-crossing, especially after the publication of Julius Fast's book Body Language .

While these nonverbal communications can indicate feelings and attitudes , body language is often subtle and less definitive than previously believed.

People often refer to their need for "personal space." This is known as proxemics and is another important type of nonverbal communication.

The amount of distance we need and the amount of space we perceive as belonging to us are influenced by several factors. Among them are social norms , cultural expectations, situational factors, personality characteristics, and level of familiarity.

The amount of personal space needed when having a casual conversation with another person can vary between 18 inches and four feet. The personal distance needed when speaking to a crowd of people is usually around 10 to 12 feet.

The eyes play a role in nonverbal communication, with such things as looking, staring, and blinking being important cues. For example, when you encounter people or things that you like, your rate of blinking increases and your pupils dilate.

People's eyes can indicate a range of emotions , including hostility, interest, and attraction. People also often utilize eye gaze cues to gauge a person's honesty. Normal, steady eye contact is often taken as a sign that a person is telling the truth and is trustworthy. Shifty eyes and an inability to maintain eye contact, on the other hand, is frequently seen as an indicator that someone is lying or being deceptive.

However, some research suggests that eye gaze does not accurately predict lying behavior.

Communicating through touch is another important nonverbal communication behavior. Touch can be used to communicate affection, familiarity, sympathy, and other emotions .

In her book Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters , author Julia Wood writes that touch is also often used to communicate both status and power. High-status individuals tend to invade other people's personal space with greater frequency and intensity than lower-status individuals.

Sex differences also play a role in how people utilize touch to communicate meaning. Women tend to use touch to convey care, concern, and nurturance. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to use touch to assert power or control over others.

There has been a substantial amount of research on the importance of touch in infancy and early childhood. Harry Harlow's classic monkey study , for example, demonstrated how being deprived of touch impedes development. In the experiments, baby monkeys raised by wire mothers experienced permanent deficits in behavior and social interaction.

Our choice of clothing, hairstyle, and other appearance factors are also considered a means of nonverbal communication. Research on color psychology has demonstrated that different colors can evoke different moods. Appearance can also alter physiological reactions, judgments, and interpretations.

Just think of all the subtle judgments you quickly make about someone based on their appearance. These first impressions are important, which is why experts suggest that job seekers dress appropriately for interviews with potential employers.

Researchers have found that appearance can even play a role in how much people earn. Attractive people tend to earn more and receive other fringe benefits, including higher-quality jobs.

Culture is an important influence on how appearances are judged. While thinness tends to be valued in Western cultures, some African cultures relate full-figured bodies to better health, wealth, and social status.

Objects and images are also tools that can be used to communicate nonverbally. On an online forum, for example, you might select an avatar to represent your identity and to communicate information about who you are and the things you like.

People often spend a great deal of time developing a particular image and surrounding themselves with objects designed to convey information about the things that are important to them. Uniforms, for example, can be used to transmit a tremendous amount of information about a person.

A soldier will don fatigues, a police officer will wear a specific uniform, and a doctor will wear a white lab coat. At a mere glance, these outfits tell others what that person does for a living. That makes them a powerful form of nonverbal communication.

Nonverbal Communication Examples

Think of all the ways you communicate nonverbally in your own life. You can find examples of nonverbal communication at home, at work, and in other situations.

Nonverbal Communication at Home

Consider all the ways that tone of voice might change the meaning of a sentence when talking with a family member. One example is when you ask your partner how they are doing and they respond with, "I'm fine." How they say these words reveals a tremendous amount about how they are truly feeling.

A bright, happy tone of voice would suggest that they are doing quite well. A cold tone of voice might suggest that they are not fine but don't wish to discuss it. A somber, downcast tone might indicate that they are the opposite of fine but may want to talk about why.

Other examples of nonverbal communication at home include:

• Going to your partner swiftly when they call for you (as opposed to taking your time or not responding at all)
• Greeting your child with a smile when they walk into the room to show that you're happy to see them
• Leaning in when your loved one speaks to show that you are listening and that you are interested in what they're saying
• Shoving your fist into the air when you're upset that something isn't working

Nonverbal Communication in the Workplace

You can also find nonverbal communication in the workplace. Examples of this include:

• Looking co-workers in the eye when speaking with them to be fully engaged in the interaction
• Throwing your hands in the air when you are frustrated with a project
• Using excitement in your voice when leading work meetings to project your passion for a specific topic
• Walking down the hall with your head held high to convey confidence in your abilities

Nonverbal Communication in Other Situations

Here are a few additional examples of nonverbal communication that say a lot without you having to say anything at all:

• Greeting an old friend at a restaurant with a hug, handshake, or fist bump
• Placing your hand on someone's arm when they are talking to you at a party to convey friendliness or concern
• Rolling your eyes at someone who is chatting excessively with a store clerk as a line begins to form
• Scowling at someone who has cut you off in traffic, or "flipping them the bird"

Nonverbal communication serves an important role in conveying meaning. Some benefits it provides include:

• Strengthening relationships : Nonverbal communication fosters closeness and intimacy in interpersonal relationships.
• Substituting for spoken words : Signaling information that a person might not be able to say aloud. This can be helpful in situations where a person might not be heard (such as a noisy workplace) or in therapy situations where a mental health professional can look at nonverbal behaviors to learn more about how a client might be feeling.
• Reinforcing meaning : Matching nonverbal communication to spoken words can help add clarity and reinforce important points.
• Regulating conversation : Nonverbal signals can also help regulate the flow of conversation and indicate both the start and end of a message or topic.

Nonverbal communication is important because it can provide valuable information, reinforce the meaning of spoken words, help convey trust, and add clarity to your message.

How to Improve Your Nonverbal Communication Skills

If you want to develop more confident body language or improve your ability to read other people's nonverbal communication behaviors, these tips can help:

• Pay attention to your own behaviors : Notice the gestures you use when you're happy versus when you're upset. Think about how you change the tone of your voice depending on the emotions you are feeling. Being aware of your own nonverbal communication tendencies is the first step to changing the ones you want to change. It can also give you insight into how you're feeling if you're having trouble putting it into words.
• Become a student of others : It can also be helpful to consider how others around you communicate nonverbally. What do their facial expressions say? What type of gestures do they use? Becoming familiar with their nonverbal communication patterns helps you recognize when they might be feeling a certain way quicker because you're actively watching for these cues. It can also help you recognize nonverbal behaviors you may want to adopt yourself (such as standing tall when talking to others to display self-confidence ).
• Look for incongruent nonverbal cues : Do you say that you're fine, then slam cupboard doors to show that you're upset? This can give those around you mixed messages. Or maybe when someone is speaking with you, they are saying yes while shaking their head no. This is another example of incongruent behavior. Both can be signs of feeling a certain way but not yet being ready to admit or discuss it.
• Think before you act : If your middle finger seems to automatically fly up when a car cuts you off—even if your young child is in the back seat, causing you to regret it as soon as it happens—you can work to stop this reaction. Train yourself to stop and think before you act. This can help you eliminate or replace nonverbal behaviors that you've been wanting to change.
• Ask before you assume : Certain types of nonverbal communication can mean different things in different cultures. They can also vary based on someone's personality . Before assuming that a person's body language or tone means something definitively, ask. "I notice that you won't look me in the eye when we speak. Are you upset with me?" Give them the opportunity to explain how they are feeling so you know for sure.

A Word From Verywell

Nonverbal communication plays an important role in how we convey meaning and information to others, as well as how we interpret the actions of those around us.

The important thing to remember when looking at nonverbal behaviors is to consider the actions in groups. Consider what a person says verbally, combined with their expressions, appearance, and tone of voice and it can tell you a great deal about what that person is really trying to say.

American Psychological Association. Nonverbal communication (NVC) .

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Wiseman R, Watt C, ten Brinke L, Porter S, Couper SL, Rankin C. The eyes don't have it: lie detection and Neuro-Linguistic Programming .  PLoS One . 2012;7(7):e40259. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040259

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Bambaeeroo F, Shokrpour N. The impact of the teachers' non-verbal communication on success in teaching .  J Adv Med Educ Prof . 2017;5(2):51-59.

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Nonverbal Communication Skills: 19 Theories & Findings

In it, he introduces the concept of dramaturgy, which compares everyday social interactions to actors’ portrayals of characters, suggesting that one’s social interactions are analogous to a string of varying performances (Ritzer, 2021).

Goffman’s work also included the concept of impression management. The key to impression management includes appearance; your manner of interacting; and the attitudes conveyed through gestures, facial expressions, and nonverbal skills (Ritzer, 2021).

William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage.”

I’m not a trained actor, but teaching public speaking courses has made me aware that audiences seem to prefer speakers who use a variety of hand gestures. These gestures signify the speaker as “warm, agreeable, and energetic” (Goman, 2021).

Just that nugget of information has taught me to incorporate hand gestures to develop my public speaking skills.

What other nonverbal communication skills enhance daily interactions?

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free . These science-based tools will help you and those you work with build better social skills and better connect with others.

This Article Contains:

What is nonverbal communication, 9 types of nonverbal communication skills, is nonverbal communication important, 2 psychology theories and models, 8 fascinating research findings, importance in counseling and healthcare, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

Nonverbal communication is a way to convey information “achieved through facial expressions, gestures, touching (haptics), physical movements (kinesics), posture, body adornment (clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, tattoos, etc.), and even the tone, timbre, and volume of an individual’s voice (rather than spoken content)” (Navarro & Karlins, 2008, p. 2–4).

In this YouTube video, Joe Navarro explains several nonverbal communication cues, exposes some myths, and discusses his work with nonverbal communication in law enforcement.

Marco Iacoboni (2008, p. 81), author of Mirroring People , takes it a step further, stating that “gestures accompanying speech have a dual role of helping the speakers to express their thoughts and helping the listeners/viewers understand what is being said.”

To competently read body language, Navarro and Karlins (2008) provide suggestions such as rigorous observation and a familiarity with the person’s baseline behaviors. They also recommend watching for changes, or ‘tells.’

Navarro and Karlins (2008) advise becoming familiar with universal behaviors and contextualizing nonverbal cues. However, cultural norms could inhibit rigorous observation.

Characteristics of nonverbal communication

The United States is considered a low-context communication culture (MacLachlan, 2010). This means that much of the information in a message comes directly from words rather than through implication or body language.

This style of communication involves lots of verbal detail so as not to confuse listeners. Low-context cultures rely less on nonverbal communication, which can obscure or censor portions of the message.

Nonverbal communication is culturally determined, and it is largely unconscious. It indicates the speaker’s emotional state. When nonverbal cues conflict with the verbal message, it may convey confusion or deception (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Finally, nonverbal communication varies by gender and displays power differentials, information effective leaders can use to influence others (Hybels & Weaver, 2015; Henley, 1977).

Nonverbal communication of successful leaders

It’s essential for leaders to read body language, also known as decoding. Deciphering between engagement (e.g., nodding, tilting the head, open body postures) and disengagement (e.g., body tilting away, crossed arms and legs) can be the difference between success and failure (Goman, 2021).

Successful actors could be considered professional first-impression artists. Like actors, leaders often find themselves center stage; they must learn the art of creating first impressions.

Subjective awareness and the ability to express yourself nonverbally are known as encoding – crucial for positive first impressions. Advice from professional actors includes a maintaining a pleasant facial expression, good posture, pausing, breathing, relaxing, and avoiding hiding your hands (Shellenbarger, 2018).

This video , 8 Things Successful People Do to Look Confident , provides quick tips for confident body language even if you’re not feeling confident.

First impressions are said to be formed in less than seven seconds (Goman, 2021). In this short time, others formulate labels such as “powerful,” “submissive,” or “trustworthy.” Evolved leaders incorporate mindfulness to help.

Naz Beheshti (2018) states, “Evolved leaders… use nonverbal tools mindfully and deliberately to reinforce their message.” She goes on to say, “this lifts the value of your communication and your value as a leader” (Beheshti, 2018).

Awareness of self, others, and the situation (mindfulness) allows us to ensure that our gestures and body language align with our spoken words. This creates congruence and generates trustworthiness (Beheshti, 2018; Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

This means we are analyzing several, simultaneous nonverbal cues. A frustrated person may tap their foot, cross their arms, and tightly squeeze their biceps (Jones, 2013). These clusters may cross over and include a variety of nonverbal categories, summarized below.

1. Kinesics

Kinesics is the study of how we move our body, specifically the head, hands, body, and arms (Jones, 2013). This includes sending messages through facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and posture.

Haptics is the study of touch or coming into physical contact with another person (Hybels & Weaver, 2015). Throughout history, touch has been surrounded by mystery and taboo. We are perplexed by healing touch and riveted by stories of infants who perished due to lack of touch. Touch can denote relationship, status, power, and personality (Henley, 1977).

Cultural norms dictate guidelines regarding touch. Mindfulness regarding social and environmental settings is prudent. We greet a friend at an informal party differently than we would greet a boss or coworker in a professional setting.

3. Proxemics

The study of space and distance is called proxemics, and it analyzes how people use the space around them (Hybels & Weaver, 2015).

This YouTube video is a fun demonstration of students completing a school project on personal space and the discomfort felt by both humans and animals when social norms are violated.

4. Territory

Territory is often used to display power or reveal a lack thereof.

“'[P]osture expansiveness,’ positioning oneself in a way that opens up the body and takes up space, activated a sense of power that produced behavioral changes in a subject independent of their actual rank or role in an organization” (Goman, 2021).

Expansiveness conveys power.

5. Environment

Environment includes objects we use to adorn ourselves and the artifacts we surround ourselves with in order to create an impression. These objects provide nonverbal cues that help others form impressions (Jones, 2013).

6. Paralinguistics

Paralinguistics, also known as vocalics, is the study of how we speak and involves pitch, volume, rate of speech, tone, quality, tempo, resonance, rhythm, and articulation to help determine the context of the message (Jones, 2013).

7. Chronemics

Chronemics is the study of time, including how it is used. Nancy Henley (1977, p. 43), author of Body Politics: Power, Sex & Nonverbal Communication , asserts “Time is far from a neutral philosophical/physical concept in our society: it is a political weapon.”

Henley (1977, p. 47) describes the concept of “ritual waiting,” stating, “The more important the person, the longer we will ungrudgingly wait for the service or honor of attention.”

8. Attractiveness

The power of drawing attention to oneself doesn’t rely on physical appeal alone. Although facial symmetry and fashion of adornment are important (Jones, 2013), people who master good eye contact, have a lively face, offer encouragement, and use open gestures are also considered attractive (Kuhnke, 2012).

9. Olfactics

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Nonverbal communication is very important, as you could reveal unintentional information, as well as cause your communication to be misinterpreted.

Leakage: Unintentional messages

Teaching social–emotional skills to incarcerated people provided me with a powerful lesson about the nuances of nonverbal communication. On a particularly challenging day, I thought it wise to meditate and center myself prior to entering the jail. However, upon seeing me, the people inside began inquiring what was going on with me. What did they detect?

Nonverbal leakage can be shown through micro-expressions, which are “very fast facial movements lasting 1/25 to 1/5 of a second” and indicate a person’s real feelings (Ekman, 2003, p. 214).

This YouTube video is the opening scene of the series Lie to Me , based on the work of Paul Ekman regarding micro-expressions.

Varying statistics on the value of nonverbal communication may cause concern for those less practiced, but which statistics are accurate?

Crossed messages

The original research from Mehrabian and Ferris (1967) regarding nonverbal communication is widely interpreted. Elizabeth Kuhnke (2012, p. 10), author of Body Language for Dummies , interprets the study, saying, “55% of the emotional message in face-to-face communication results from body language.”

A nonverbal communication formula often cited is 7–38–55, which indicates 7% of the message comes from words, 38% vocal, and 55% facial. However, Lapakko (2007) believes this formula is reckless, faulty, and misleading. Sometimes the nonverbal elements of a message, such as gestures with directions, are incredibly important, and at other times incidental.

In addition, what something “means” in communication is connected to such variables as culture, history of the relationship, people’s intentions, personal experiences, time of day and specific words used. It would be naive to suggest all these nuances could be neatly quantified, and therefore attributing a precise formula to nonverbal communication is flawed in many ways.

So regardless of statistics and formulas, we know that nonverbal communication is essential and that people skilled at both reading and interpreting body language tend to enjoy greater success in life than those not skilled (Goleman, 1997).

Basic emotion theory

Basic emotion theory (BET) posits that emotions are a “grammar of social living” that situate us in the social and moral order of society (Keltner, Sauter, Tracy, & Cowen, 2019, p. 133). In addition, emotions structure interactions, particularly in relationships that matter. BET is integral to emotional expression.

Foundational to BET is the assumption that emotional expressions coordinate social interactions in three ways:

• Through rapid conveyance of important information to aid in decision making
• To evoke specific responses
• To serve as incentives for others’ actions

This is accomplished through reward systems such as parents smiling and caressing a child who exhibits specific behaviors (Keltner et al., 2019).

BET initially focused on six basic emotions. Literature reveals there are over 20 emotions with distinct, multimodal expressions, providing a deeper structure and highlighting the advancing nature of emotional expression (Keltner et al., 2019).

Neural resonance

Two people who like each other will mirror each other’s facial expressions, gestures, postures, vocalics, and movements. This is known as neural resonance, and it aids the accurate transfer of information from one person to another (Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

To fully understand what another is saying, “you have to listen to and observe the other person as deeply and fully as possible” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 81). Neural resonance uses mirror neurons to create cooperation, empathy, and trust.

Studying nonverbal communication is revealing and intriguing. Most experts will include aspects such as eyes, facial expressions, and hands, but digging deeper reveals less-acknowledged nonverbal nuggets.

1. The benefits of yawning

Yawning is one of the fastest and simplest ways to lower mental stress and anxiety (Waldman & Manning, 2017). Social norms dictate that we refrain from yawning in specific settings, but yawning has many benefits. Did you know that snipers are taught to yawn before pulling the trigger (Waldman & Manning, 2017)?

According to Waldman and Manning (2017), yawning stimulates alertness and concentration; optimizes brain activity and metabolism; improves cognitive functioning; increases recall, consciousness, and introspection; decreases stress and relaxes the upper body; recalibrates a sense of timing; enhances social awareness and empathy; and increases sensuality and pleasure.

2. Feet don’t lie

According to Navarro and Karlins (2008), the most honest part of our body is our feet, as demonstrated by small children who dance with happiness or stomp in frustration. Many people look to the face for truth; Navarro and Karlins take the opposite approach:

“When it comes to honesty, truthfulness decreases as we move from the feet to the head” (Navarro & Karlins, 2008, p. 56), reasoning that emotions are suppressed through fabricated facial expression.

3. Gestures that help

Gestures improve memory and comprehension skills. Gestures may convey information that can influence how listeners respond, depending on the hand being used. “We tend to express positive ideas with our dominant hand and negative ideas with the other hand” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 44).

4. The eyes have it

“Social network circuits are stimulated through face-to-face eye contact, decreasing cortisol, and increasing oxytocin. The result is increased empathy, social cooperation, and positive communication” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 135).

Eyes reveal a lot about us. When we are aroused, troubled, concerned, or nervous, our blink rate increases. Once we relax, our blink rate returns to normal (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

5. Power posing for success

Body language affects how others see us and how we view ourselves. In this YouTube video, Amy Cuddy discusses her research on power posing and how it affects success.

Amy Cuddy’s book is also discussed in our article listing books on imposter syndrome .

6. Fingers crossed

One explanation of the origin of crossing fingers for good luck comes from early beliefs in the power of the cross. The intersection of the digits, epitomizing the cross, was thought to denote a concentration of good spirits and served to anchor a wish until it came true (Keyser, 2014).

7. Fake positivity is harmful

Positivity that doesn’t register in your body or heart can be harmful. According to Barbara Fredrickson (2009, p. 180), “fake smiles, just like sneers of anger, predict heart wall collapse.” To truly benefit from a smile, touch, or embrace, you need to slow down and make it heartfelt.

8. Stand up straight

Poor posture can reduce oxygen intake by 30%, resulting in less energy (Gordon, 2003). Stooping over can make us look and feel old and out of touch. By straightening up, we can make significant differences in how we think and feel. The effect is bi-directional; attitude influences posture, just as posture influences attitude.

Good rapport between clients and practitioners stems from mirroring and synchronicity associated with neural resonance (Finset & Piccolo, 2011; Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

Carl Rogers’s Client-Centered Therapy is based on an empathetic understanding of clients. Nonverbal communication provides valuable information for both the client and the therapist. Showing you like and accept a client may be the most important information a therapist can convey (Finset & Piccolo, 2011).

Nonverbal patterns in therapy evolve over time. Specific behaviors that further the therapeutic process include “a moderate amount of head nodding and smiling; frequent, but not staring, eye contact; active, but not extreme, facial responsiveness; and a warm, relaxed, interested vocal tone” (Finset & Piccolo, 2011, p. 122).

Conscious awareness of nonverbal cues can aid in rapport building. Leaning toward the other signals comfort, whereas leaning away or crossing your arms signals discomfort (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Torsos and shoulder blades seem innocuous; however, blading away (turning slightly) from another person shows discomfort, while blading toward or facing another squarely shows a level of comfort (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Open palms are an ancient sign of trustworthiness that help establish rapport and are considered nonthreatening (Kuhnke, 2012). Hidden hands (placed in pockets or behind backs) signal disconnection and reluctance to engage. To display respect, keep an open posture with your muscles relaxed and weight evenly distributed.

Mirroring and matching go a long way to show synchronicity. Be careful to avoid mimicry, which signals disrespect (Kuhnke, 2012). Too much of a good thing can jeopardize credibility. An extended, fixed gaze into another’s eyes or effortful smiling can seem awkward, or worse.

This short YouTube video explains the dynamics of fluctuating facial expressions, based on the work of Charles Darwin and Paul Ekman.

This Silent Connections worksheet is an exercise for groups that combines mindfulness and nonverbal communication to build connections.

Someone who lacks the ability to make eye contact during conversation can be easily misinterpreted. To overcome this nonverbal communication issue, our Strategies for Maintaining Eye Contact can be very useful.

Our blog post 49 Communication Activities, Exercises, and Games includes six nonverbal communication activities for adults and three nonverbal exercises that work for families and children.

The blog post What Is Assertive Communication? 10 Real-Life Examples includes nonverbal qualities that complement and enhance assertive statements. Hints for eye contact, facial expressions, and posture can be found throughout.

In the blog post Cultivating Social Intelligence : 3 Ways to Understand Others , we discuss characteristics of social intelligence, including body language.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others communicate better, this collection contains 17 validated positive communication tools for practitioners. Use them to help others improve their communication skills and form deeper and more positive relationships.

17 Exercises To Develop Positive Communication

17 Positive Communication Exercises [PDF] to develop help others develop communication skills for successful social interactions and positive, fulfilling relationships.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

Nonverbal communication is an essential communication skill. Nonverbal expertise aids in delivering clear messages and forming positive impressions. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture to make a difference. Gently stroking the hand of a grieving friend speaks volumes.

Viewing life as a series of dramatic performances, as implied by both Shakespeare and Goffman, can add a sense of intrigue and adventure to enhancing nonverbal communication. These essential skills will help us achieve goals.

Just as the highly motivated thespian will study and polish their craft, anyone wanting to succeed in their career or interpersonal relationships can study and practice the nuances of nonverbal communication.

Actors and public speakers often practice their craft in front of a mirror or videotape themselves to reflect on strengths and weaknesses.

This article includes a myriad of resources to help improve nonverbal communication skills with many additional resources available.

By starting with something as simple as posture, we exit stage right, headed toward the competency of center stage. Break a leg!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free .

• Beheshti, N. (2018, September 20). The power of mindful nonverbal communication. Forbes . Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2018/09/20/beyond-language-the-power-of-mindful-nonverbal-communication/?sh=6f40b3d71501
• Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve communication and emotional life . Holt Paperbacks.
• Finset, A., & Piccolo, L. D. (2011). Nonverbal communication in clinical contexts. In M. Rimondini (Ed.), Communication in cognitive-behavioral therapy (pp. 107–128).  Springer Science + Business Media.
• Fredrickson, B. L. (2009). Positivity . Crown Publishing Group.
• Goffman, E. (1956). The presentation of self in everyday life . University of Edinburgh.
• Goleman, D. (1997). Emotional intelligence . Bantam Trade Paperback.
• Goman, C. K. (2018, August 26). 5 Ways body language impacts leadership results. Forbes. Retrieved May 1, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2018/08/26/5-ways-body-language-impacts-leadership-results/?sh=5c1b235c536a
• Gordon, J. (2003). Energy addict: 101 Physical, mental, & spiritual ways to energize your life . Berkley Publishing Group.
• Henley, N. M. (1977). Body politics: Power, sex and nonverbal communication . Simon & Schuster.
• Hybels, S., & Weaver, R. L. (2015). Communicating effectively . McGraw-Hill Education.
• Iacoboni, M. (2008). Mirroring people: The new science of how we connect with others . Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Jones, R. (2013). Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies . University of Minnesota Libraries.
• Keltner, D., Sauter, D., Tracy, J., & Cowen, A. (2019). Emotional expression: Advances in basic emotion theory. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior , 43 (3), 133–160.
• Keyser, H. (2014, March 21). Why do we cross our fingers for good luck? Mental Floss . Retrieved May 27, 2021, from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55702/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-good-luck
• Kuhnke, E. (2012). Body language for dummies . John Wiley & Sons.
• Lapakko, D. (2007). Communication is 93% nonverbal: An urban legend proliferates. Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal , 34 (2), 7–19.
• MacLachlan, M. (2010, February 12). Cross-cultural communication styles: High and low context. Communicaid. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/high-and-low-context/
• Mehrabian, A., & Ferris, S. R. (1967). Inference of attitudes from nonverbal communication in two channels.  Journal of Consulting Psychology, 31 (3), 248–252.
• Navarro, J., & Karlins, M. P. (2008). What every body is saying . Harper-Collins.
• Newberg, A. M., & Waldman, M. R. (2013). Words can change your brain . Avery.
• Ritzer, G. (2021). Essentials of sociology (4th ed.). SAGE.
• Shellenbarger, S. (2018, January 30). The mistakes you make in a meeting’s first milliseconds. Wall Street Journal . Retrieved May 22, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-mistakes-you-make-in-a-meetings-first-milliseconds-1517322312
• Waldman, M. R., & Manning, C. P. (2017). NeuroWisdom: The new brain science of money, happiness, and success . Diversion Books.

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Nonverbal Communication in Daily Life Essay

Introduction.

Communication is an essential part of human interaction, and it happens in two modalities that are verbal and nonverbal. Nonverbal communication plays a vital role in how others understand information and meaning. Through it, people can express their feelings and create impressions. The actions can be intentional or unintentional and offer clues about conversations. They include facial expressions, gestures, eye gaze, and haptics through touch.

In a restaurant at about 12 noon, two ladies are seated on a table sipping fruit juice. One lady, who appears to be 28 years of age, is dressed in a blue dress, while the other, around 35 years, is in a white blouse and a pair of jeans. They first talk about other staff before starting to talk about another topic. The two might be talking about a cloth; the lady in the blue dress is the customer, while the other is like a designer. They refer to a book with many pictures in an artifact of gowns and discuss each one by one looking at how they are perusing the pages.

Facial expressions in communication can convey emotions without uttering a word. Their facial expressions, eye contact and kinetics as they move from page to page reveal satisfaction with different gowns. Affect displays their frowning which imply that they are not satisfied with some of them. When they see a photo in which they are not satisfied, they exchange a sad face and move on to the next. I imagined one to be the designer because she is making most of the explanations and gestures, congruent communication about the gowns, attention to detail, and understanding of fit for the dresses.

The client stands up to explain what seems like her likes through body actions by showing the length of her desired gown and using illustrators to show the shape. The designer sketches something down while nodding in agreement, communicating through regulators. The designer also stands up to do a figure shape assessment of the client using a tape measure portraying haptics displaying areas that need emphasis such as hips. The client does not show proxemics because the other people in the restaurant do not make her shy from standing up to show her desired style of cloth.

From my observation, the client is the dominant of the pair because she got a say in what she wants, and her interests must be considered in the design. The two are happy because their conversation is filled with smiles and showing of contentment and satisfaction as they go across the pages. Towards the end of the booklet with pictures, the client shows the feeling of being surprised by a photo, and one can read from her lips the term wow, communication using vocalics.

She is impressed because she found what she was precisely looking for. The designer seems happy, too, and compares her sketch to the picture, and they both nod in agreement and clap their hands in the air after exchanging a few words showing the use of emblems. The designer gets a piece of clothing from a purse that contains different small patches of different materials and they both start feeling the textures of the pieces. Through their smiles, they agree on a texture, and the designer notes it. They both stand and wave goodbye before leaving the restaurant.

Nonverbal communication is a significant part of peoples daily conversations.When humans are conversing they cannot avoid it since it shows emotions and emphasizes what people say. This paper has portrayed the different ways in which non-verbal communication comes up in communication, like an artifact, kinetics, affect displays, congruent communication, regulators, proxemics, and vocalics, to mention a few. Nonverbal communication is evident in communication between people of the same level or even different groups.

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What is nonverbal communication? 10 different types (with examples)

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What is nonverbal communication?

10 types of nonverbal communication, examples of nonverbal communication, why is nonverbal communication so important, 5 tips for understanding nonverbal communication, how to improve nonverbal communication, enjoy better interactions.

We all rely on nonverbal communication. This is true whether playing a game of charades with your family or trying to show confidence during an important interview .

There’s a reason many of us prefer face-to-face communication over phone calls. Without seeing someone’s facial expressions, posture, and body language , it can be hard to read their feelings. 

Nonverbal cues are just as important as verbalization. Nonverbal actions are key for communicating with and understanding everyone in your life. 

Understanding every type of nonverbal communication can also help your career. You can show your confidence, passion, and expertise through small nonverbal communication cues. This is true whether leading a team meeting or delivering a presentation .  

There are two primary forms of communication: verbal and nonverbal.

Verbal communication uses words to convey a message, whether that’s orally or in writing. 

Posture, facial expressions, and eye contact are examples of nonverbal messages . We all use these cues in daily conversation, even involuntarily. Nonverbal communication also involves the way we present ourselves to others. If you walk into a meeting with your back straight and your head held high, you exude power and confidence. You project nervousness and uncertainty if you’re slumped over with your eyes on the floor.

Experts believe that approximately 70% of all human communication is nonverbal , meaning we only deliver about 30% of our messages with words.  

Austrian-American author and educator Peter Drucker had it right when he said, “ The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. ” 

We all perform and respond to nonverbal communication — and what we understand that no one says — daily. 

Here are 10 of the most common forms of nonverbal communication:

1. Facial expressions

The look on an individual’s face is often the first thing we see. A smile, frown, or grimace tells a lot about their mood and how the subsequent conversation will go. Expressions of happiness, sadness, anger and fear are universal emotions and key forms of nonverbal communication.

2. Kinesics

Kinesics, or gestures, are conscious body movements like waving, pointing, and giving a thumbs up or down. One's culture typically determines what gestures are socially acceptable and which are rude. 

For example, in Westernized countries, glancing at your watch suggests, “I need to be somewhere.” In contrast, many Middle Eastern populations consider this rude. They are more likely to believe a conversation should continue until it ends naturally.

3. Paralinguistics

Paralinguistic s (or vocalics)  refers to the aspects of verbal communication that aren’t the words themselves . Your tone of voice, loudness, and pitch are common aspects of paralanguage. 

This type of communication is powerful since altering your voice changes the meaning of a sentence. Think about all the ways you can use the phrase “I’m fine.” If you say it quietly, you might be feeling dejected, but if you say it forcefully, someone might detect your defensiveness.

4. Body language and posture

Crossing your legs or arms, a head nod, slouching, or sitting up straight are all examples of true body language. For example, you may have seen crime films focus on body language to further the narrative. It can also hint at what isn’t included in the dialogue.  

However, this type of nonverbal communication is complex and quite subtle. Just because you observe a movement doesn’t guarantee you understand the meaning.

5. Proxemics

Proximity references how near something is. Human beings take personal space seriously. They also interpret physical distances in interactions differently.

Social and cultural expectations, personal preferences, and relationships all determine the suitable proximity. For example, if you’re in a relationship with someone, you’d expect to sit close together on the couch. On the other hand, you likely wouldn’t sit that close to a coworker. 

Proxemics is an important part of interpersonal communication. Noticing when to adjust your closeness for each situation ensures you’re not making people uncomfortable. 

Scientists focused on proximity biases in North America have grouped expected space as follows :

• Intimate space: Close physical contact up to 18 inches of space, typically shared between people in an intimate relationship. 
• Personal space: Between 18 inches to 4 feet depending on whether you’re speaking to a stranger, casual acquaintance, or close friend. 
• Social space: 4 –12 feet of space provided in social settings, like a shared office space or the distance between a presenter and their audience.
• Public space: 12 feet or more, typically observed in shopping malls and airports.

It may sound cliche, but it’s true that “The eyes are the windows to the soul.”  Our eye contact is a massive factor in nonverbal communication because it can give clues to how we feel. 

When we’re scared, our pupils dilate due to a surge in adrenaline. When something excites us, we blink rapidly. Maintaining eye contact generally means that someone is comfortable and telling the truth. In contrast, avoiding eye contact might suggest that they’re nervous or hiding something.

Communication by touch is called haptics. Touch is powerful because our emotions drive it. Our social class, gender, and, of course, our upbringing all determine how we respond to touch. Women generally use touch to convey care and concern, while men are more likely to convey control. 

Psychologist Harry Harlow made a career in studying the impacts of touch on rhesus monkeys. Monkeys who were raised without physical contact from their mothers struggled with social interactions . We share this affect with our ancestors — physical contact at a young age improves our social skills when we're older.

8. Appearance

Your appearance is another thing people notice immediately. Your hairstyle, clothing, tattoos, piercings, and even body shape give off cues. This can encourage snap judgments from other people. There’s a reason your mother always told you to “dress to impress” for a presentation at school or a job interview.

9. Chronemics

Chronemics is the role time plays during communication. How people interpret time can be personal, cultural, or have to do with their power or status. 

Have you ever waited around for a friend to show up for an event? Maybe you felt annoyed or disrespected by their laziness or lack of time management . Now imagine if your boss showed up 15 minutes late to a meeting. You might be more understanding of their busy schedule. 

10. Physiological responses

Your body naturally sends out nonverbal signals that are nearly impossible to control. This includes nervous sweating, blushing, or tearing up.

Here are a few ways to practice your nonverbal communication skills personally and professionally: 

In the workplace

Tone: Use your voice to show excitement, positivity, and contentment with your work. Managers want demonstrably engaged workers. Plus, your positivity will likely rub off on coworkers. 

Distance: Maintain an appropriate distance from coworkers to respect their boundaries . Remember, an office is a professional space. Even if you enjoy comfortable work relationships , you should always respect someone’s physical boundaries . 

Posture: You got the job. You belong here . Your ideas matter. Stand up straight and speak with your head held high. 

In your personal life

Distance: Leaning in when your loved one speaks shows you’re actively listening .

Concentration: Put away distractions like video games or phones when spending time with loved ones. This shows you’re paying attention and offering them quality time. 

Touch: Hugs, hand-holding, and other forms of physical touch foster intimacy between consensual parties.

Here are four reasons why understanding nonverbal messaging matters:

1. Builds trust and clarity

Nonverbal signals are far more subtle than words, but they’re no less important.

Facial expressions, body posture, and eye contact reveal the meaning behind what someone is saying, their true feelings, and if they’re listening to your half of the conversation. Someone may be able to feign interest with their words, but their body language will often reveal if they’re paying attention. 

2. Bridges language gaps

Ever tried to interact with someone that didn’t speak your language? There was probably a lot of gesturing, facial expressions, and posturing — your nonverbal communication skills at work.

Outside of conversational cues, nonverbal behaviors are crucial to bridge language gaps. When two people don’t speak the same language, body language can help foster knowledge and understanding. 

3. Encourages inclusivity

Everybody has different communication abilities. Learning nonverbal communication skills can help create a more diverse and inclusive workplace. 

For example, people with hearing impairments might struggle to pick up on voice tone or speed. Understanding how to interpret and express nonverbal messages makes these individuals feel included and understood. 

4. Leads to success

Non-verbal communication skills can help your career. For example, teachers with these skills see more success with their students. When talking with your boss, coworkers, and clients, you can use non-verbal communication to gain a competitive edge.

Effective communication requires nonverbal messaging. Understanding the types of nonverbal communication will help you connect with people in every area of your life.

The more you practice reading cues, the better you’ll become. Some things you can do include:

1. Pay attention to inconsistencies

Nonverbal communication can either reinforce or discourage what someone is saying. Do a person’s facial expressions match their words? Their tone of voice? If they do, then great.

They’re most likely being honest about whatever they’re saying. If it’s the opposite, they may be trying to hide how they truly feel. 

2. Look at nonverbal signals as a whole

If you’re only paying attention to someone’s posture, you might miss a whole bunch of other clues. Nonverbal signals work in tandem to generate a complete picture of another human being.

3. Trust your instincts

Go with your gut . Your instincts are there to help guide and protect you about what someone is saying and what they truly mean.

4. Practice emotional awareness

Emotional intelligence is a significant part of navigating relationships. Being emotionally aware h elps you interpret people more accurately.

When you can read other people’s emotions and unspoken messages, you can reciprocate communication by responding in a way that shows you understand and care.

5. Don’t make assumptions

Nonverbal communication is nuanced and involves personal and cultural meaning. Don’t assume a person’s tone or body language is definitively what you think it is.

Someone might avoid eye contact because they’re shy, not deceptive. They may slouch because they’re stressed out , not doubtful of their work. If you can’t read the person’s body language, ask them how they feel.

Nonverbal communication is a necessary factor at home, work, and beyond. Often, these signals occur rapidly. Interpreting or noticing all of them can be challenging during a single conversation.

Fortunately, there's always room to improve upon these skills. To do so, try focusing on the below.

Manage stress

When we’re stressed , we can’t communicate as effectively. How you’re feeling rubs off on others, too. Take some deep breaths to relax and refocus. You’ll feel better, and you’ll be able to read people more accurately.  

Pay attention to your behaviors

To learn to communicate more effectively and develop stronger emotional awareness , you must understand your nonverbal communication habits. Learning your cues will also increase self-awareness . You’ll be more in tune with your feelings and be better able to express yourself.

Think before you act

Do you raise your voice when stressed or avoid eye contact when nervous? A great way to adjust nonverbal behaviors you don’t want is to think before you act. Notice situations that cause problematic behaviors and practice taking a deep breath before reacting. 

Nonverbal communication plays a prominent role in our personal and professional lives. Person-to-person contact will almost always involve some type of nonverbal communication.

Now, you know how to interpret nonverbal cues and express yourself more authentically through them. Congratulations on beginning the journey toward healthier, happier interactions.

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Allaya Cooks-Campbell

With over 15 years of content experience, Allaya Cooks Campbell has written for outlets such as ScaryMommy, HRzone, and HuffPost. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and is a certified yoga instructor as well as a certified Integrative Wellness & Life Coach. Allaya is passionate about whole-person wellness, yoga, and mental health.

Nonverbal communication in the workplace: The secret to team trust

7-38-55 rule of communication: how to use for negotiation, learn types of gestures and their meanings to improve your communication, how to read body language and gain deeper emotional awareness, why face-to-face communication matters (even with remote work), communication is key in the workplace. here's how to improve, foster strong communication skills to enjoy professional success, 12 great jobs for communications graduates across different industries, what is asynchronous communication, similar articles, eye contact is important (crucial really) in communication, what’s personal space learn what it means, active listening: what is it & techniques to become an active listener, how to overcome phone anxiety, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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Home / Essay Samples / Sociology / Communication / Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal Communication Essay Examples

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