There are five functions of non-verbal communication.
1.) Managing conversations: Even though conversations involve speaking and communicating verbally, it is very important to understand how non-verbal communication can affect conversations. Non-verbal clues can tell you if someone is interested in listening to you, if they are inviting you to talk to them, or if they do not want to listen to you. Without saying one word, you can tell if someone is going to want to talk to you through non-verbal communication.
2.) Expressing emotions: Non-verbal is the easiest way to tell how someone is feeling or how you are feeling. Have you ever run into a scenario where you have seen someone looking upset and you asked them if they were okay? Without them saying a word you still knew something was wrong. This is how non-verbal communication can show you how someone is feeling without saying a word. If someone is smiling or frowning, laughing or crying, either way non-verbal cues can tell you how someone is feeling.
3.) Maintaining relationships: Most of the time, affection and attraction isn't shown through sentences or words but instead gestures and body language. To maintain an intimate relationship, non-verbal messages are going to play a vital role in keeping the relationship alive. Whether it's a hug, a kiss or holding hands, these are all signs of important relationship signs of affection that all come from non-verbal communication.
4.) Forming impressions: Most first impressions you gain from people are not what they said, but how they said it and their body language you analyzed. Many people in modern times refer to an activity as "people watching" where people sitting or standing will observe all of the people around them and judge them on their non-verbal communication. This is a scenario that happens to us everyday and not a lot of people take time to think about what they are doing. Especially the saying "I got a bad vibe from them." shows how people call it a vibe, but in all reality what they are saying is that they received a bad impression about someone due to their non-verbal communication.
5.) Influencing others: Many times people who influence you are teachers, parents, cops, or judges. People of high authority positions, but why are we so easily influenced by them? It isn't the position that influences as much as how the people in the positions carry themselves. You don't see teachers wearing short shorts and a tank top every day, and the reason is they have a reputation to maintain if they are going to be in a position of power. People in higher positions tend to talk more intelligently, dress nicer, and show more confidence to gain credibility from others and in turn influence others.
Learning about all these ways that non-verbal functions in everyday situations is useful, but how exactly are non-verbal messages channeled from one person to another? Through three main channels do all non-verbal communication messages come from. First is facial displays, this is the most popular idea that comes to mind when people think about non-verbal communication. Facial displays can be considered everything from a smile to attractiveness. It is proven that we are more likely to be influenced by people who have more attractive features. Although many people do not like to admit this fact, it is a concept of non-verbal communication that does not always get as much thought as it should. There is also eye behaviors that influence non-verbal communication. You can tell a lot about how someone is feeling through their eyes. Eye contact is the main point in communication because it can tell you everything from whether or not someone is attracted to you or if someone is not interested at all. Lastly, there is gestures and touch that show a huge portion of non-verbal communication. Touch can show someone that you feel very comfortable around them and that they feel very comfortable around you. All relationships have a sense of touch and gestures even if they do not get as much thought as facial expressions, they are just as important in the knowledge of non-verbal communication.
Always understand that non-verbal communication plays such an important role in forming impressions and should always take some thought. Some key ways to help better yourself in the subject of non-verbal communication are:
- Be aware of the situation and who you are around
- Always keep culture in mind, where people come from and their backgrounds.
- And if you don't understand something always ask for clarification. It will save a lot of confusion.
With these short tips, so much unneeded stress can be saved. Being conscious of non-verbal messages can help you understand whether someone is attracted to you or if someone is having a bad day. The importance and usefulness of non-verbal communication is beyond any other form of communication. Never assume someone is acting a certain way due to their non-verbal communication but always be aware of what someone's body language might be telling you, and what your body language is telling everyone around you. With these few helpful hints, your life can be seen in such a different perspective that you never saw before.
-Raboin
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