Non-Verbal Communication and its Components

Non-Verbal Communication in Business
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Contents 1.    Introduction to Non-Verbal Communication. 1 2.    Non-Verbal Communication in Contemporary Times. 1 2.1.     Non-Verbal Communication in Business. 2 2.1.1.      Facial Expression. 2 2.1.2.      Haptics. 4 2.1.3.      Proxemics. 4 2.1.4.      Chronemics. 5 2.1.5.      Dress and Appearance. 5 2.1.6.      Paralinguistic Cues. 6 2.1.7.      Kinesics. 6 3.    Conclusion. 7 4.    SELF REFLECTION.. 8 Bibliography. 11
Introduction to Non-Verbal Communication
The history of non-verbal communication dates back to 1872 following the publication of The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin. Therefore, Darwin pioneered the study of nonverbal communication after taking keen interest on how lions, tigers, dogs, and animals generally interacted with each other using gestures and expressions. He was amazed by how the animals could read signs not only from each other, but also from humans. His interest in non-verbal communication sparked a conversation that has since become important in business. Many other scholars have showed increasing interest in this form of communication and some have proceeded to state that most people trust form of nonverbal communication more than the verbal communication (Mccornack, 2019). Ray L. Birdwishtell, one of the famous anthropologists, posited that nonverbal communication accounts for up to 70 % of the human communication (Fontenote, 2018). While some researchers have argued that communication type cannot be quantified and others argued that it does not reflect the modern form of human communication, it still contributes to the passage of information from one person or group to another.
Non-Verbal Communication in Contemporary Times
Non-verbal communication has often been termed as “body language” in popular culture. While some researchers have tried to define the phrase, Mark Knapp and Judith Hall (1997, p. 5) proposed a more appropriate definition of non-verbal communication as referring to a communication effected by means other than words (Cengage 2018). This definition does not exclude many communication forms but implies that non-verbal communication is more important than the verbal communication. This form of communication handles different disciplines including sociology, psychology, anthropology, communication, and even arts as well as criminal justice. Each of these subjects utilizes a different aspect of this type of communication. For example, whereas psychology may focus on the nonverbal expression of emotions, anthropology may focus on the utilization of interpersonal space among people of different cultures, while communication may be more focused on the content of the message than any other thing. Despite the different areas of focus.
Non-Verbal Communication in Business
Success in business demands much more than having excellent verbal skills. Verbal communication represents only a small percentage of winning sales and handling clients in business. One needs to have sufficient non-verbal skills and know to and when to utilize them appropriately. Non-verbal communication is important because it is difficult to hide what goes on in one’s mind. While a person may be able to control their voice and words, the body language, including the slightest form of facial expression and gestures can give one the actual thoughts and feelings regarding the person they are dealing with. In the same way that the language uses symbols to communicate meaning, the body also consciously or unconsciously carries messages and attitudes. There are several components of non-verbal communication, which are discussed below.
Facial Expression
Facial expression is the most influential nonverbal communication that people use to express their emotions to those that they interact with (Harley 2016). According to Rane (2010), “The thoughts of the mind and feelings of the heart often find expression on the face” (pg. 19). There are six common facial expressions that include anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise (Sariyanidi, Gunes & Cavallaro 2017). These six are shown in the figure below.
It is important to understand the facial expression of what other people represent about their attitudes and emotions in a work environment. For example, a smile can mean that an individual is happy with their work environment. Salesmen tend to use this expression as it seems friendlier to the customers and can help increase the number of sales. The face serves as the mirror of the mind as it expresses many emotions. Another key characteristic of facial expression is eye contact. In most cases, the amount of time that an individual takes to look into another determines their authenticity. For example, a dishonest person will either avoid eye contact or continuously stare into the other person’s eyes. Besides, a prolonged period of eye contact may create some discomfort to another person. Therefore it is more appropriate to have period eye contact.
Haptics
Haptics refers to the use of touch during communication. In business, the most common use of haptics is the handshake. People in the business world understand that a firm handshake provides a good first impression to the client or to the business partner (Mujezinovic 2011). However, different versions of the handshake exist and thus it is important to know the most suitable one for each occasion. The first is a firm handshake, which communicates power, confidence and sincerity. The second type is a limp handshake, which shows weakness or low confidence and in some cases, it may also show deceit. Thirdly, there is a clasp, which entails the use of both hands, which helps display a high level of respect. Then there is the grip, which helps intimidate or show dominance (Kar & Kar 2017). Most of the business situations involve the use of a firm handshake. However, it is also important to understand when and how to use the other types of handshakes as well.
Proxemics
Proxemics entails an understanding of the interpersonal distance and space between two people that varies depending on their cultural backgrounds (Yang 2015). According to Hofstede (2011), understanding one’s cultural background is important during an interpersonal communication. Each of the cultures have different spatial zones (Haddad, 2019). For example in individualistic nations such as the United States, there are normally four spatial zones: the intimate zone, the personal zone, the social zone, and the public zone (Purtilo, Haddad & Doherty 2012). The intimate zone is common among those who are married or dating. In such zones, the individuals maintain a distance of zero to two feet apart. The normal distance for communication in a personal zone is two to four feet while in the social zone, people maintain a distance of nine feet apart. Finally, communicating at a distance of over nine feet is perceived as a public zone. Following the increased globalization, it is important to understand where one’s subject or audience comes from for effective communication (Hofstede, 2011). While some individualistic countries may perceive the space distance between them to imply a more personal relationship, in the collectivist countries, maintaining a closer distance may be normal.
Chronemics
Chronemics refers to the concept of mastering time during communication. Arrival times during meetings are important as they communicate specific information to the subjects. For example, in the United States, people are strict on time and lateness may negatively affect one’s success. However, the same case does not apply to some countries, such as in Latin America, where lateness is normal. As Gupta (2013) notes, it is important to know how different cultures use their time. In addition to cultural time, the people’s psychological time orientation is also important in business. As Hofstede (2011) notes through his principle of long-term vs. short-term cultural differences, some people may be past-oriented, others may be present-oriented, and some tend to be future-oriented. Those who are past oriented tend to focus on past events or patterns to gauge the future. The future oriented ones focus more on the future. Such individuals always look at the future and do not dwell on the past. When interacting with past-oriented people, it is important to have an excellent history as it will determine the...