Nonverbal Communication: What are the Types? How are they Used?

Nonverbal Communication

What is nonverbal communication?

Simply, it is communicating with out the spoken word or sounds coming from the mouth. There are several forms ranging from a look to the beat of a drum, and if you liked the wild west, smoke signals.

Types of Nonverbal Communication Click the link for a comprehensive review.

Non-verbal forms of communication or wordless communication speaks volumes even though no single word is uttered. Including facial expressions, eye movements, eye contact, body posture and your gestures all convey thoughts, feelings and the thinking of the communicator.

Think of some of the facial expressions we make when biting into a lemon. How about smelling something rotten. These expressions are made when experiencing something.Lesser experiences likewise create facial and body expressions.

These all communicate to those who know how to listen to what is being said.

Examples of touch include shaking hands, the double hand grasp and the shoulder touch when shaking hands.

Nonverbal types of communication also includes, touch, smell and taste.

Some aspects of verbal communication can employ nonverbal communication skills. For instance such qualities as pace, pitch, power, modulation tonality of the voice.

Sign language and symbols are also non-verbal communication.

Facial expressions, gestures and eye contact are also a form of communication.

Nonverbal Categories

*Facial Expression

*Occulesics: Eye Behavior

*Physical Attractiveness

*Kinesics -Body Movements

*Paralinguistic

*Proxemics

*Vertical Distance

*Haptics

*Olfactics

*Chronomics

In the above list, we communicate numerous messages. Are we telling the truth? Are we trying to hide something? Do we feel guilt, shame or remorse? All of these are things our body makes micro-expressions that tell what we are really feeling or thinking.