Non-verbal Graphic Communication
Nonverbal communication is the transmission of messages or signals
through a nonverbal platform such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures,
posture, and body language. It includes the use of social cues, kinesics,
distance (proxemics) and physical environments/appearance, of voice
(paralanguage) and of touch (haptics). It can also include the use of time
(chronemics) and eye contact and the actions of looking while talking and
listening, frequency of glances, patterns of fixation, pupil dilation, and
blink rate (oculesics). Non-verbal communication is more important than verbal
communication. The people communicate non verbally without even knowing. For
example, being angry on some situation speaks about your likes or dislike and
your behaviour describes your personality. Also, your gestures and postures
while communicating emphasizes your message.
Non-verbal codes
Kinesics
The word kinesics comes from the root word kinesis, which means
“movement,” and refers to the study of hand, arm, body, and face movements. The
physical movements of different parts of the human body convey different
messages and emotions. Body language reveals out true emotions through
different body movements and expressions. The different aspects of body
language are as follows:
Facial expression
Facial expressions refer to the use of the forehead, brow, and
facial muscles around the nose and mouth to convey meaning. Facial expressions
can convey happiness, sadness, fear, anger, and other emotions.
Eye contact
Eye contact is studied under the category of oculesics and
specifically refers to eye contact with another person’s face, head, and eyes
and the patterns of looking away and back at the other person during
interaction. Eye contact provides turn-taking signals, signals when we are
engaged in cognitive activity, and helps establish rapport and connection,
among other things.
Gestures
Gestures are arm and hand movements and include adaptors like
clicking a pen or scratching your face, emblems like a thumbs-up to say “OK,”
and illustrators like bouncing your hand along with the rhythm of your
speaking.
Head movements
Head movements and posture include the orientation of movements of
our head and the orientation and positioning of our body and the various
meanings they send. Head movements such as nodding can indicate agreement,
disagreement, and interest, among other things. Posture can indicate assertiveness,
defensiveness, interest, readiness, or intimidation, among other things.
Proxemics
Proxemics refers to the use of space and distance within
communication. US Americans, in general, have four zones that constitute our
personal space: the public zone (12 or more feet from our body), social zone
(4–12 feet from our body), the personal zone (1.5–4 feet from our body), and
the intimate zone (from body contact to 1.5 feet away). Proxemics also studies
territoriality, or how people take up and defend personal space. For example, A
person can signal to someone else that they don't feel very safe around them by
standing further away. We signal to a romantic partner that we want affection
by standing closer.
Haptics
Haptics refers to touch behaviours that convey meaning during
interactions. Touch operates at many levels, including functional-professional,
social-polite, friendship-warmth, and love-intimacy. A handshake or a pat on
the back is an example of haptics. Haptics is the use of touch feedback when you
interact with your device. Haptics might include taps, vibrations, and even a
sensation of pressing and releasing. We discussed the role of haptics in
communication.
Vocalics
Vocalics is the study of paralanguage, which includes the vocal
qualities that go along with verbal messages, such as pitch, volume, rate,
vocal quality, etc. Vocalics refers to the vocalized but not verbal aspects of
nonverbal communication, including our speaking rate, pitch, volume, tone of
voice, and vocal quality. These qualities, also known as paralanguage,
reinforce the meaning
of verbal communication, allow us to emphasize particular parts of
a message, or can contradict verbal messages. For example, a higher pitch in
voice shows anger.
Physical appearance
Personal presentation and environment refer to how the objects we
adorn ourselves and our surroundings with, referred to as artifacts, provide
nonverbal cues that others make meaning from and how our physical
environment—for example, the layout of a room and seating positions and
arrangements—influences communication
Chronemics
Chronemics refers the study of how time affects communication and
includes how different time cycles affect our communication, including the
differences between people who are past or future oriented and cultural
perspectives on time as fixed and measured (monochronic) or fluid and adaptable
(polychronic). For example, in most countries it would a norm for a boss to be
late for a meeting but not for the subordinates. Going for job interviews,
running your start up presentations for investors may also presuppose
extra-waiting due to power-plays as well.
Artifacts
Artifacts are forms of decorative ornamentation that are chosen to
represent self-concept. They can include rings and tattoos, but may also
include brand names and logos. From clothes to cars, watches, briefcases,
purses, and even eyeglasses, what we choose to surround ourselves with
communicates something about our sense of self. Artifacts may project gender,
role or position, class or status, personality, and group membership or
affiliation. Paying attention to a customer’s artifacts can give you a sense of
the self they want to communicate, and may allow you to more accurately adapt
your message to meet their needs.
Types of body language
Body language is one of the primary ways we communicate with each
other. The way you present yourself, behave and act carries meaning. The
meaning can be positive or negative.
Positive Body Language
Positive body language is a type of non-verbal communication that
puts us in a position of comfort, likeability and dignity. Also known as open
body language, it helps us be open and approachable to others—helping them feel
at ease during interactions or exchanges. When you pay close attention to your
body language, you have the potential to navigate conflicts and build new
relationships.
Negative Body Language
Negative or closed body language are nonverbal cues that affect
your credibility and influence. You act or respond through gestures, facial
expressions and postures that may offend or even hurt others. Your closed body
language may drastically reduce your ability to be effective and you may not
even be aware of it.
The use of facial expressions, gestures, different kinds of
mannerisms and body movements are essential for nonverbal communication. Here
are the various kinds of body language we generally use:
Facial expression
The face is an important communicator. It is commonly said that
the face is the index of the mind. It expresses the type of emotions or
feelings such as joy, love, interest, sorrow, anger, annoyance, confusion,
enthusiasm, fear, hatred surprise, and uncertainty.
Facial expressions are indicated through the mouth (open, wide or
closed), eyelids (raised or lowered), nose (wrinkled or relaxed), cheeks (drawn
up or back) and the forehead (lowered or raised).
Gestures
If you fail to gesture while speaking, you may be perceived as
boring, stiff and un-animated. Gestures are movements of the arms, legs, hands,
and head. For example, a wave of the hand has a specific meaning-“hello” or
“good-bye”; a forefinger and a thumb touching to form a circle have the meaning
-“ok”.
Alike facial expressions, interpretations of some gestures also
differ across cultures. For example, in Europe, raising thumb is used to convey
that someone has done something excellent while in Bangladesh the same gesture
means something idiotic.
Postures
You communicate numerous messages by
the way you walk, talk, stand, and sit. Posture is defined as the attitude
assumed by the body either with support during the course of muscular activity,
or as a result of the coordinated action performed by a group of muscles
working to maintain the stability.
Eye contact
We also communicate through eye
behaviours, primarily eye contact. While eye behaviours are often studied under
the category of kinesics, they have their own branch of nonverbal studies
called oculesics, which comes from the Latin word oculus, meaning “eye.” The
face and eyes are the main point of focus during communication. The best way to
show someone that you’re interested and engaging with the situation is to
maintain eye contact. However, that doesn’t mean you stare someone down as too
much eye contact can make them feel uncomfortable. Make sure you make eye
contact when the interviewer is talking or listening to you.
Gesture Vs Posture
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Gesture
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Posture
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Gesture refers to a movement of part of the body, say, a hand or
the head to express an idea or meaning.
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Posture refers to the position of a person’s body or body parts.
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Only involve a part of the body.
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Involves the whole body.
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Can be used to replace words.
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Do not replace words
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Usually used to indicate attitude and emotions
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Can reveal confidence level, mood.
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Visual communication
Visual communication is the practice of using visual elements to
communicate information or ideas. Visual communication is believed to be the
type that people rely on most, and it includes signs, graphic designs, films,
typography, and countless other examples. Graphical communication is also a
visual
communication. It is a type of non-verbal communication wherein
the message or information is conveyed to the receiver through graphs, charts,
maps, diagrams, tables, etc. Some of the commonly used graphical communication
are as follows:
Maps: A map is a diagrammatic representation of an area of land or sea
showing physical features like roads, cities, etc.
Diagrams: Simplified
representation using images.
Tables: A communicator can
also use tables to display data. Tables can be formatted for words or for
numerical data. They can be used for comparing data, or when one item has
several data points associated with it. By using a simple table, you can put
all of this data in front of your audience. X, Y and Z each have four data
points associated with them. They can compare best times and review rankings of
each runner.
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Participants
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Races Run
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Best Time
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Average Time
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Ranking
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X
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2
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3:23
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3:47
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3
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Y
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3
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2:56
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3:12
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1
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Z
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2
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2:54
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3:36
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2
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Pie Charts: Pie charts show the composition of data, or the pieces of a whole.
It shows the relationships of the parts of the whole. The circle is considered
with 100% and the categories occupied is represented with that specific percentage
like 15%, 56%, etc.
Graph: Graphical Representation is a way of analysing numerical data. It
exhibits the relation between data, ideas, information and concepts in a
diagram. It is easy to understand and it is one of the most important learning
strategies. It always depends on the type of information in a particular
domain.
Line Graphs: Line graph or the linear graph is used to display the continuous
data and it is useful for predicting future events over time.
Bar Graphs: Bar Graph is used to display the category of data and it compares
the data using solid bars to represent the quantities.