Page 115 - Essentials of Human Communication

94 Chapter 5 Nonverbal Messages

Communication ● Control. Nonverbal movements may be used to control, or to indicate your desire
Choice point to control, the flow of verbal messages, as when you purse your lips, lean forward,
smiling or make hand movements to indicate that you want to speak. You might also put
Sally smiles almost all the up your hand or vocalize your pauses (for example, with “um”) to indicate that you
time. Even when she reprimands a subordi- have not finished and aren’t ready to relinquish the floor to the next speaker.
nate, she ends with a smile and this dilutes ● Repeat. You can repeat or restate the verbal message nonverbally. You can, for exam-
the strength of her message. As Sally’s su- ple, follow your verbal “Is that all right?” with raised eyebrows and a questioning
pervisor, you need her to realize what she’s look, or you can motion with your head or hand to repeat your verbal “Let’s go.”
doing and to change her nonverbals. What
can you say to Sally that would not encourage ● Substitute. You may also use nonverbal communication to substitute for verbal
defensiveness or resistance? What would be the messages. You can, for example, signal “OK” with a hand gesture. You can nod
best place to say what you want to say? What your head to indicate yes or shake your head to indicate no.
would you say?
When you communicate electronically, of course, your message is transmitted
by means of typed letters without facial expressions or gestures that normally accom-
pany face-to-face communication and without the changes in rate and volume that are a part
of normal telephone communication. To compensate for this lack of nonverbal behavior, the
emoticon was created (see Table 5.1). Sometimes called a “smiley,” the emoticon is a typed
symbol that communicates through a keyboard the nuances of the message normally con-
veyed by nonverbal expression. The absence of the nonverbal channel through which you can
clarify your message—for example, smiling or winking to communicate sarcasm or humor—
make such typed symbols extremely helpful. And of course you can post photos, book and
music album covers, for example, to further communicate your emotional meaning.

NoNverbal Messages Help MaNage IMpressIoNs
It is largely through the nonverbal communications of others that you form impressions of
them. Based on a person’s body size, skin color, and dress, as well as on the way the person
smiles, maintains eye contact, and expresses himself or herself facially, you form impressions—
you judge who the person is and what the person is like.
And, at the same time that you form impressions of others, you are also managing the
impressions they form of you. As explained in the discussion of impression management in
Watch the Video
“Louder Than Words” Chapter 2 (pp. 42–47), you use different strategies to achieve different impressions. And of
at MyCommunicationLab course many of these strategies involve nonverbal messages. Here are some examples:
● To be liked, you might smile, pat another on the back, and shake hands warmly. See
Table 5.2 for some additional ways in which nonverbal communication may make you
seem more attractive and more likeable.

Table 5.1 some popular emoticons
These are some of the emoticons used in computer communication. The first six are widely used in the United States; the
last three are popular in Japan and illustrate how culture influences such symbols. Because Japanese culture considers it
impolite for women to show their teeth when smiling, the emoticon for a woman’s smile shows a dot signifying a closed
mouth. Depending on your computer, these typed symbols are often on auto correct (as in the first two examples) and
change into the graphic smileys. Additional emoticons, acronyms, and abbreviations—in varied cultures—are plentiful on
the Internet.
emoticon Meaning emoticon Meaning
:-) ☺ Smile: I’m kidding {*****} Hugs and kisses

:-( � Frown: I’m feeling down ^ . ^ Woman’s smile
;-) Wink ^ _^ Man’s smile

* Kiss ^ 0 ^ Happy
{ } Hug