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Non verbal communication
Non verbal communication is a form of communication that involved the use of body parts and not words. These include facial expressions, gestures, body language, and eye contact. There are different categories of non verbal communication physical non verbal cues, aesthetic non verbal cues, signs, symbolic non verbal cues. The knowledge of non verbal communication is important because it is used in our day to day communication especially verbal. In order to interact positively and successfully it is important to understand clearly the meaning of nonverbal cues (Mehrabian, 2007). Nonverbal cues are also important since they act as guides to understanding and interpreting the feeling of individuals who are interacting through the help of gestures, facial expressions, among other faculties of nonverbal communication (Molnár, 1997).
There are situations where non verbal cues may be misunderstood like a listener who is seated with their arms crossed might convey the message of them being superior or that they are closed minded. It may also be interpreted to be a form of disapproval of the speaker or even a case of defensiveness. Additionally, a listener who is also very rigid in body posture may convey the message that they lack interest of what the speaker is saying. It may also mean that the listener is quite attentive or that they have dozed off (Molnár, 1997).
By having a true awareness of non-verbal cues communication will have a better chance of succeeding. Poor understanding of non verbal cues may lead to misinterpretation and thus leading to breakdown in communication. The major cause of misinterpretation of nonverbal communication may be the cultural barrier. In different cultures non verbal cues. Most people assume that non verbal cues are transferable. However they are not. They are very difficult to teach and not always easy to decipher and translate. This leads too
References: Baldoni, J. (2003). Great communication secrets of great leaders. McGraw-Hill Professional, pp 42- 46 Mehrabian, A. (2007). Nonverbal communication. Transaction Publishers, pp 16-43 Molnár, P. (1997). Nonverbal communication: where nature meets culture. Routledge Publishers. Wood, J. (2009). Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters. Cengage Learning, pp 195-198