Non-verbal Communication Test

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Good morning everyone. I’m here today to talk about non-verbal communication.
We’re gonna go through its definition, types, roles and merits.

NVC is transferring information without using words, for example with a smile or a blink. Although in our life verbal communication is much more noticeable, NVC accounts for a much larger percentage. According to a survey conducted by Albert Mehrabian, a conversation is 55% body language, 38% voice and only 7% words. Of course this is not totally true but undeniably, a sad face is more reliable than a saying “I’m fine” when the two happen simultaneously.

So what is considered to be non-verbal? Firstly, facial expressions. For example, eyebrowns down indicate anger while eyebrowns up show fear. Secondly, gestures which can express liking or approval for instance. Third of all, paralinguistics including tone of voice, loudness and pitch also play a big part in communication. Fourthly, your posture such as arm or leg-crossing can indirectly show your attitude, whether you care or don’t care, whether you’re comfortable or nervous. Fifth of all, haptics meaning touch like a hug or a hi-five is usually signs of encouragement and affection. Sixthly, eye contact is considered to be one of the most sincere features as it is the most difficult to fake. A blink can suggest a joke or eyes full of hatred cannot show hospitality. Other less noticeable types of NVC consist of proxemics or personal space, appearance and artifacts.

So what roles do NVC play in communication? It actually interacts with verbal communication in four main ways, repetition, supplementing, substitution and contradiction. For example liars often have body language that gives their words away. Understanding those roles and types of NVC and practicing them in the right way can help you create trust and transparency by saying words matching with your nonverbal signals, have the ability to read other people’s mind including their feelings and thoughts and respond to show your attitude correctly. As a result, there will be more chance for you to succeed in your career like the nonverbal Barack Obama who’s famous for his power of eye contact, tone of voice and hand gestures as well as strengthen your personal relationships with friends or family.

So if you still belittle nonverbal communication, you’re making one of your biggest mistakes in life. Change your thought and you’ll change your world. Thank you for listening!