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Verbal and Nonverbal Communication DeShawn R. Swanson SOC/110 March 16, 2010 Professor Yvonne Moore Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Communication is very important, especially in small groups. In small groups, people use verbal and nonverbal communication techniques as a way to help the group run smoother. This paper will explain how people communicate, what challenges may arise in communicating between both genders, what challenges may come when communicating with people from other cultures, and how might we be able to communicate more effectively in diverse environments.
People communicate in different ways. Verbal communication is one way for us to communicate with one another face to face. Sound, words, speaking, and language are just some of the key components of verbal communication. When we are born, many of us have vocal cords that produce sound. As we get older and grow, we begin to learn how to make these sounds into words. Some words may sound like natural sounds, but other words come from expressions of emotion, such as laughter or crying.
Nonverbal communication is another way for us to communicate with one another. A large portion of our communication is nonverbal. Every day, we respond to thousands of nonverbal cues and behaviors that may include postures, facial expression, eye gaze, gestures, and tone of voice. One way we communicate nonverbally is through facial expression. Facial expressions are responsible for a big proportion of nonverbal communication.
Even though nonverbal communication and behavior can be different between cultures, facial expressions for being happy, sad, angry, and fearful are similar throughout the world. Another way to communicate is by using gestures. An important way to communicate without words is the use of diverse movements and signals. Hand-waving, pointing, and using fingers to show number amounts are some of the gestures used in nonverbal communication. Other gestures are uninformed and related to culture.
Posture and movement can also convey a great deal on information. Since the 1970’s, there have been a huge amount of research done on body language. Over-interpretation of defensive postures, arm crossing, and leg-crossing are the focus of the popular media. While these nonverbal behaviors can indicate feelings and attitudes, research suggests that body language is far more subtle and less definitive that previously believed. There are many differences between verbal and nonverbal communication.
For instance, verbal communication includes rate, volume, pitch as well as articulation and pronunciation, while nonverbal communication deals with important but unspoken signals that individuals exhibit. Some of these signals and gestures can be how we carry ourselves, appearance, how we listen to one another, eye contact, hand gestures and expressions on our face when someone makes a comment. References This is a hanging indent. To keep the hanging indent format, simply delete this line of text using the backspace key, and replace the information with your reference entry.