There are times that we ask ourselves: What counts more in communication? Is it what we verbally say or does our body language do most of the job? Do we just need words? Do our gestures or our posture play a role? What about smell? Is smell important in communication amongst people? What about our voices or our silence? Can our silence shape and impact our interaction with our audience?

Effective communication is crucial for both personal and professional relationships, and while words are important, it is often the nonverbal cues —the way you listen, look, move, and react— or, what we call, «nonverbal communication» that have the most impact and convey the strongest messages.

What do we mean by Nonverbal Communication (NVC)?

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, nonverbal communication is defined as the “transfer of information from one person to another without the use of words or spoken language. Nonverbal communication can occur in a variety of ways, including facial expressions, gestures and body posture or position[i]”. In fact, this type of communication more frequently takes place instinctively rather than consciously; in other words, in our interaction with other people, we are constantly sending and receiving wordless messages and signals, even if we are not aware of it sometimes.

Types of NVC

Non-verbal communication can be either conscious or unconscious and can vary across cultures, individuals, and situations. Different cultures may have distinct norms and interpretations of non-verbal cues, and understanding these cultural variations is crucial for effective cross-cultural communication.

Some common forms of non-verbal communication include:

  • Facial expressions, such as smiles, frowns, raised eyebrows, or eye rolls.
  • Eye contact, which can establish connections, can indicate interest, trust, attentiveness, or, even, dominance or submission.
  • Body language, such as hand gestures, nodding or shaking the head, crossing arms, leaning forward, maintaining an open posture, etc.
  • Proxemics, which is the study of our personal space (or our ‘bubble’).
  • Chronemics, which is the study of the way we are perceiving time, such as punctuality, waiting time, and the organisation of activities.
  • Paralanguage, such as our tone of voice, pitch, volume, rate of speech, laughter, or sighs.
  • Silence, which can be multifunctional, communicating, for instance, agreement, awe, confusion, disagreement, embarrassment, sadness, respect, etc, and, depending on the culture, it can be either perceived as something positive or something negative. Silence is a very powerful nonverbal communication tool. As Mark Twain said, «the right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause».
  • Haptics, which studies our use of touch.
  • Olfactics, which studies our use of “smell”.

The main roles of NVC

Non-verbal communication serves several important functions that can greatly benefit people in several contexts. Here are some:

  • Complementing, mitigating or reinforcing verbal communication, for example, by making gestures with our hands to indicate size.
  • Substituting verbal communication. Do not forget the proverb «Your body language speaks louder than your words.»; sometimes, our facial expressions or our body language convey a far more vivid message than words ever can, maybe due to noise, or due to lacking a shared language.
  • Contradicting, which means that sometimes our nonverbal cues contradict the message we are trying to verbally convey, indicating to our interlocutor that we may be lying.
  • Sending awkward messages. For instance, students “fidget”, when being bored or trying to focus.
  • Indicating social relationships, through proxemics or postures. An example of that is teachers or priests who are most of the times standing above the students or the congregation accordingly.
  • Expressing emotions, opinions, and desires, through facial expressions, body language, and paralinguistic cues.
  • Building rapport or connection. With a warm smile or friendly eye contact or a hug —if they are culturally acceptable, of course— people can establish positive connections with others.

So, verbal, or nonverbal?

Is verbal communication more effective than nonverbal communication, or is it vice versa?

Probably there is no right or wrong answer here.

It is not a matter of one being better than the other; rather, verbal, and non-verbal communication are both essential and complementary components of effective communication. For this reason, it is important to recognize the value of both forms of communication and develop skills in both areas. Both forms of communication shape our interactions, relationships, and reflect our physical and psychological well-being. Both forms have their own strengths and limitations, and their relative importance can vary depending on the context, cultural norms, and individual preferences.

To conclude, verbal and nonverbal communication are interconnected and it is essential that we pay attention to both forms in order to communicate effectively and understand others.

Let us finish with a quote:

“Verbal and nonverbal communication go hand in hand. Your words may articulate one thing, but your body language reveals the truth.”

Tonya Reiman

 

by Maria G.


[i] https://www.britannica.com/topic/nonverbal-communication