Abstract on the topic: Verbal and non-verbal means of communication

• This type of work is not a scientific work, it is not a finished final qualifying work!
• This type of work is a finished result of processing, structuring and formatting collected information intended for use as a source of material for independent preparation of educational work.

If you have a hard time understanding this topic, write to me on WhatsApp, we’ll look into your topic, agree on a deadline, and I’ll help you!

If you want to learn how to correctly carry out and write abstracts on any subject, then on the page “what is an abstract and how to do it” I wrote in detail.

Introduction

Human society is unthinkable without communication. Communication is a necessary condition for human existence, without which it is impossible to fully form not only individual mental functions, processes and properties of a person, but also the personality as a whole. The reality and the need for communication are determined by joint activity: in order to live, people are forced to interact. An always active person, whose activities intersect with the activities of other people, communicates. Communication allows you to organize social activities and enrich them with new connections and relationships between people.

Verbal means of communication

Spoken speech is still the most common way of communication

It is not enough to have good diction to be understood. You must be clear about what you want to say. You must also choose your words so that your message is understood correctly. If a person must speak to a large audience, he formulates a talking point for himself or otherwise prepares for a report. But in everyday life, oral communication requires spontaneity, and this can cause anxiety, uncertainty and even fear. Work on oral communication can begin with vocabulary development. Often people are embarrassed to use their rich vocabulary, not wanting to show off their education for fear of appearing arrogant. A very important ability associated with oral speech is the ability to hold the attention of listeners. If you look someone in the audience straight in the eyes when you speak, you are guaranteed to get their attention. Conversely, if you express your thoughts in a monotone voice, while your eyes are glued to a prepared piece of paper, you will soon find that the audience is not listening to you. Visual contact with the audience is also useful because it allows the speaker to gauge the audience's reaction. The most effective, as a rule, is personal communication, that is, communication in which two people participate. Psychologists have found that open-ended questions promote communication more. A closed question (“Do you like your job?”) can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” while an open question (“What do you like about your job?”) requires an extended answer.

What is nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication
to such means of communication as facial expressions, gestures, postures, touches, intonations, changes in the circumstances of communication - that is, those that are carried out without the use of words. The human body, which has a huge number of expressive capabilities, becomes the instrument of such communication.

At the same time, “non-verbal communication” often occurs unconsciously for one or all participants in communication. “Body language” is capable of revealing even what we would not like to discover in ourselves. And the reaction to a nonverbal message also often occurs unconsciously. Meanwhile, it makes sense to learn to recognize non-speech signals in order to make the communication process more effective.

Most often, both means of communication are used simultaneously. Many people tend to gesticulate when speaking, reinforcing their words with their hands and grimaces and clarifying their meaning. In some cultures, gesturing is considered bad manners, but even there it is not possible to completely get rid of this “bad habit”.

Improving writing skills

People use written communication less often than oral communication. But with the advent of email, the importance of written communication has increased dramatically.

When selecting job candidates, employers are increasingly paying attention to their ability to write on paper. If you are asked to fill out a form when applying for a job, it may mean that the employer is testing your grammar and spelling skills. Any written communication has one clear advantage over oral communication. Write it, you have the opportunity to think, organize your thoughts and, if necessary, even rewrite it. However, there are two disadvantages of written communication. Firstly, a written message cannot convey the intonation of your voice and gestures (often, but not always: emoticons are a great achievement of humanity ), and secondly, you are deprived of instant feedback from the reader. To solve the first problem, it makes sense to add an emotional touch to your message. Here, as in oral communication, you can do a good job with a rich vocabulary. The second problem is easily solved if you know the educational level, interests and vocabulary of the people you are addressing. A short message written in simple language tends to make more sense to people.

Features of verbal communication

The verbal method of communication is characteristic exclusively of human culture. Only people can express their thoughts with words. This is precisely the main distinguishing feature of such a relationship. In addition to this, we can highlight:

1. variety of styles (business, conversational, scientific, artistic and others);
2. exclusivity (words can describe any sign system);
3. the ability to tell about a person (culture, level of knowledge, upbringing, character);
4. assigning expressions and phrases to certain cultures, social groups (fascism, communism, nihilism, democracy);
5. a necessity for implementation in life (the lack of verbal communication skills can become an insurmountable obstacle to personal and professional growth).

Meaning and connotation

A designation is the objective meaning of a word or, in other words, its dictionary definition. For example, in the explanatory dictionary, “father” is defined as “male parent.” This definition is the designation of the word. But in addition, both words we mentioned - “father” and “communism” - have an emotional connotation, that is, they have a special meaning that the dictionary definition cannot fully reveal.

Aggressive, accusatory tactics do not resolve the conflict, but force people to defend themselves and persistently defend their opinions. In such cases, it is advisable to use “I - statements” instead of “you - statements”, that is, talk about your experience, and not about the personal qualities of your opponent. After you have shared your feelings about the situation, you can suggest a possible way to resolve it.

Structure of Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is the most studied form of human communication. In addition, this is the most universal way of transmitting thoughts. In verbal human language it is possible to "translate" a message created by any other sign system.

The river side of communication has a complex multi-layered structure (from the distinctive features of the phoneme to the text and interior) and manifests itself in various stylistic varieties (various styles and genres, colloquial and literary language, dialects and sociolutes, etc.). All speech characteristics and other components of a communicative act contribute to its (successful or unsuccessful) implementation. This is a socially significant choice. This process is both endless and infinitely varied.

The system for ensuring speech communication - human language - is studied by linguistics. Without being able to present the theory of language within the framework of a communication manual.

Let us dwell on the most general communicative characteristics of speech. From the point of view of communication theory, speech is included in a single communicative act and has the following properties:

1. speech is part of communicative culture and culture in general,
2. speech contributes to the formation of the social role (social identity) of the communicant,
3. With the help of speech, mutual social recognition of communicants is carried out,
4. Social meanings are created in speech communication.

A communication strategy is a part of communicative behavior or communicative interaction in which a number of different verbal and nonverbal means are used to achieve a specific communicative goal.

A professional working in a certain field of public communication must have certain communication skills, i.e. He must

• Be able to effectively formulate a communication strategy;
• be able to effectively use various tactical communication methods;
• Be able to effectively present yourself (or your company) as a participant in the communication process.

Efficiency here is understood as the relationship between verbal and nonverbal techniques with the goals and objectives of communication, communicative intention and perspective, the systemic unity of the elements of a communication strategy, and the practical feasibility of individual tactical moves.

Abstracts:

• The main meaning of the message may not be expressed verbally at all, but only implied.
• 16 hours of contacts and communication.
• The most universal means of human communication is language.
• Failure to understand this often not only makes communication difficult, but also causes long-term conflicts.
• Perhaps you believe that you do not have such a message on your chest or back?
• The luxury of human communication A. Borisov, 1998.
• Moscow State Academy of Fine Chemical Technology named after.
• Rudakova E. V.
• We communicate almost all the time; the ability to do this is perhaps the most important skill in life.
• The lion's share of life, sometimes without realizing it, we communicate.

IN

IN

Nonverbal Communication

Interpersonal space. Sight. Language of poses and gestures

Nonverbal communication, better known as body language, includes all forms of human expression that are not based on words. Psychologists believe that reading nonverbal cues is essential for effective communication. Why are nonverbal cues so important in communication?

• About 70% of information is perceived by people through the visual (visual) channel;
• nonverbal signals allow you to understand the true feelings and thoughts of the interlocutor;
• our attitude towards the interlocutor is often formed under the influence of the first impression, which, in turn, is the result of the influence of non-verbal factors - gait, facial expressions, appearance, demeanor, clothing style, etc.

Nonverbal signals are especially valuable because they are spontaneous, unconscious and, unlike words, always sincere.

Chapter 1. Communication as a means of transmitting information

The concept of communication is closely related to the concept of communications. The act of communication is analyzed and evaluated according to the following components: addressee - the subject of communication, addressee - to whom the message is sent, message - the transmitted content, code - means of transmitting the message, communication channel, and result - what is achieved as a result of communication.

Communication is a complex process of interaction between people, consisting of the exchange of information, as well as the perception and understanding of each other by partners. The subjects of communication are living beings. The person transmitting information is called a communicator, and the person receiving it is called a recipient.

A number of aspects can be distinguished in communication: content, purpose and means.

The content of communication is information that is transmitted from one living being to another in inter-individual contacts.

The purpose of communication - the same principle applies here as was already mentioned in the paragraph on the content of communication. In animals, the goals of communication usually do not go beyond the biological needs that are relevant to them. For a person, these goals can be very, very diverse and represent a means of satisfying social, cultural, cognitive, aesthetic and many other needs.

Means of communication are ways of encoding, transmitting and processing information that is transmitted in the process of communication from one being to another. Encoding information is a way of transmitting it. Information between people can be transmitted using the senses, speech and other sign systems, writing, technical means of recording and storing information.

Communication performs a number of functions in human life:

1. Social functions of communication: organization of joint activities; behavior and activity management; control.

2. Psychological functions of communication: the function of ensuring the psychological comfort of the individual; satisfying the need for communication; self-affirmation function.

Communication can occur at various levels:

1. The manipulative level is that one of the interlocutors, through a certain social role, tries to evoke sympathy and pity from the partner.

2. Primitive level, when one of the partners suppresses the other (one is a constant communicator, and the other is a constant recipient). 3. The highest level is the social level when, regardless of social role and status, partners treat each other as equal individuals. Depending on the content, goals and means, communication can be divided into several types:

In the most general classifications, three aspects of communication are distinguished:

1) communicative; 2) interactive; 3) perceptual.

According to the criterion of the purpose of communication, eight functions of communication are distinguished:

1) contact, the purpose of which is to establish contact as a state of mutual readiness to receive and transmit messages and to maintain relationships in the form of constant mutual orientation;

2) informational, the purpose of which is the exchange of messages (reception and transmission of information in response to a request), as well as the exchange of opinions, plans, decisions, etc.;

3) incentive, the purpose of which is to stimulate the partner’s activity in order to direct him to perform certain actions;

4) coordination, the purpose of which is mutual orientation and coordination of actions when organizing joint activities;

5) the function of understanding, the purpose of which is not only adequate perception and understanding of the meaning of the message, but also mutual understanding of intentions, attitudes, experiences, states, etc.;

6) amotivational, the purpose of which is to arouse the necessary emotional experiences in the partner (exchange of emotions), as well as with his help to change one’s experiences and states;

7) the function of establishing relationships, the purpose of which is to realize and fix one’s place in the system of role, status, business, interpersonal and other connections of the community in which the individual operates;

the function of exerting influence, the purpose of which is to change the state, behavior, personal and semantic formations of the partner, including his intentions, attitudes, opinions, decisions, ideas, needs, actions, activities, etc.

The communicative side of communication is associated with identifying the specifics of the information process between people as active subjects: taking into account the relationships between partners, their attitudes, goals and intentions. All this leads not just to the movement of information, but to the clarification and enrichment of knowledge, information and opinions that people exchange. The means of the communicative process are various sign systems:

1) first of all - speech;

2) optical-kinetic system of signs - gestures, facial expressions, pantomime;

3) paralinguistic and extralinguistic systems - intonation, non-speech inclusions in speech (for example, pauses);

4) a system for organizing space and time of communication;

5) finally, the “eye contact” system.

The interactive side of communication is the construction of a general interaction strategy. There are a number of types of interaction between people, primarily cooperation and competition.

The perceptual side of communication includes the process of forming an image of another person, which is achieved by “reading” the partner’s physical characteristics of his psychological properties and behavioral characteristics. The main mechanisms of knowing another person are identification (assimilation) and reflection.

Thus, communication is a multifaceted process of developing contacts between people, generated by the needs of joint activities. Communication is also a specific form of human interaction with other people as members of society, which has its own structure, features, and functions.

Subsystems of nonverbal communication

Spatial subsystem (interpersonal space).

Sight.

Optical-kinetic subsystem, which includes:

1. Appearance of the interlocutor,
2. facial expressions (facial expression),
3. Pantomimyry (postures and gestures).

Paralinguistic or near subsystem, which includes:

1. Voice quality,
2. its range
3. key,
4. timbre.

Extra-linguistic or extra-linguistic subsystem, which includes:

1. = rate of speech,
2. = pauses,
3. =laughter, etc.

Nonverbal communication

Although verbal symbols (words) are our primary means of encoding ideas to be communicated, we also use nonverbal symbols to convey messages. Nonverbal communication uses symbols other than words. Nonverbal communication often occurs simultaneously with verbal communication and can enhance or change the meaning of words. Exchanges of glances, facial expressions such as smiles and disapproval, raised eyebrows in confusion, lively or fixed glances, looks of approval or disapproval are all examples of nonverbal communication. Using a finger as an index finger, covering the mouth with one's hand, touching, and a limp posture are also nonverbal ways of conveying meaning.

Another type of nonverbal communication is formed by the way we pronounce words. This applies to intonation, voice modulation, fluency of speech, etc. As we know from experience, the way we pronounce words can significantly change their meaning.

Through nonverbal manifestations, the interlocutor shows his true attitude to what is happening. And our task in this case is to see and interpret these manifestations, that is, to understand what is behind them. Moreover, if you are aware of and manage your own nonverbal behavior, you have a very powerful tool for connecting with and influencing another person.

What is verbal communication

Verbal communication
to the sound language we are familiar with.

Human articulate speech is a special information system that is inaccessible to most animals, but has become the main means of communication for people. The concepts of “language” and “speech” seem to be synonymous, although science still distinguishes them. Language is a specific set of signs and rules for their coordination and combination. And speech is the very ability to convey information in a sound (and written) way, as well as a specific sounding “work” (conversation, speech, etc.).

Verbal communication can be carried out through the mutual exchange of information, and then it is a dialogue. It can also be carried out in the form of a monologue - a speech by one person. At the same time, the fact of communication is always realized by all its parties. That is, in order to say something in words, you need to really want it. This constitutes one of the main differences between verbal and nonverbal communication.

Sensitivity, intuition and premonitions

When we say that a person is sensitive and intuitive, we mean that he (or she) has the ability to read another person's nonverbal cues and compare those cues to verbal cues. In other words, when we say that we have a feeling, or that our “sixth sense” tells us that someone said something that is not true, we actually mean that we have noticed a discrepancy between body language and words. said by this person. Lecturers call this audience sensitivity.

Women are usually more sensitive than men, and this explains the existence of such a thing as female intuition. Women have an innate ability to notice and decipher non-verbal signals, to capture the smallest details.

This female intuition is especially well developed in women raising young children.

Reward and punishment as methods of pedagogical influence on personality

The concepts of reward and punishment are usually perceived as antipodes. Meanwhile, the semantic range of these concepts is extremely wide. If, for example, we compare the root meanings of the words “encouragement” and “punishment” only in some European languages ​​(Russian, Ukrainian, German, French, English), it is easy to notice that some of these meanings diverge greatly, while others, on the contrary, are very close .

In the theory and practice of education, there is a widespread point of view according to which any approval, praise, expression of trust and similar pedagogical influence designed to stimulate positive emotions in the student are usually called encouragement. On the other hand, punishments often include any condemnation, threat, or censure. Their purpose is to correct children’s behavior in certain difficult situations.

An analysis of the main types and forms of pedagogical demand shows that both the positive group of forms of indirect demand (request, trust, approval) and the negative group (threat, expression of mistrust, condemnation) are used by educators and the children's team literally at every step, in situations where they do not There is no need to somehow single out this or that student from the general mass.

You write well, you try hard,” says the teacher, walking around the class during the lesson and stopping for a minute at one of the desks. A minute later, a similar remark is heard near another desk, but a note of condemnation is heard in the teacher’s voice:

Today you are very inattentive. Look, I made several serious mistakes in a simple exercise. The requirement-approval used here by the teacher is not encouragement in the proper sense of the word, just as the requirement-condemnation is not yet punishment. There is a certain qualitative line between requirements of this kind, on the one hand, and encouragement and punishment as means of pedagogical correction, on the other. It lies in the fact that in a situation of reward-punishment, a teacher or a children's team makes a certain decision, which in a certain way distinguishes one student (or group) from the general mass, makes some kind of change in their rights and responsibilities, in the relationship of the team with them. The use of rewards and punishments as means of pedagogical correction must correspond to the presence of a certain situation; it is characterized by a known decision of the teacher or team associated with the selection of one of the students (or group) from the general mass, however, as a rule, without sharply contrasting them with a change in their rights and responsibilities in the team, the relationship between the teacher and the team with them. The combination of these signs provides a corrective action. [9, p.56]

Situations of reward and punishment are special, typical cases of complex psychological and pedagogical situations, characterized by the need to regulate relationships, introduce certain precisely dosed changes into them, in other words, their pedagogical correction. The emergence and pedagogically expedient use of such situations is due to the need to form new, more significant in the moral and educational sense of the word, the needs of the individual and the collective.

We will conditionally call the situation of encouragement competitive-creative. Encouragement, as a rule, is associated with one or another, official or unofficial, manifestation of competition in a children's team. The child’s creative attitude to solving the problems facing the team, the initiative and labor efforts shown by him in the struggle for the success of a common cause, on the one hand, and the need to support this impulse, to help the emerging person establish himself in his inner position, on the other hand, is what constitutes the basis of such a psychological and pedagogical situation.

From rewards for individual positive actions and conscientious fulfillment of one’s duties to rewards for sustainable positive behavior, the manifestation of proactive concern for the team, comrades, and general success - this is the main line of development in the question of what to reward for.

The situation of punishment is a conflict situation. In my opinion, it is wrong to reduce the causes of all conflicts that arise in the educational process to the mistakes of educators - teachers, parents. Practice convincingly shows that contradictions between the requirements of teachers, the team and the behavior of individual children between collective and personal (sometimes group) perspectives can often become sources of conflict not only in a team at the initial stage of its development, but also in a developed, established team with a strong public opinion and socially significant traditions. On the contrary, we are inclined to consider a situation in which the source of the conflict is a pedagogical error, the teacher’s lack of proper work experience and tact in relations with children, as a pseudo-conflict, which does not reflect the positive logic of the use of punishment.

Specific example. During the lesson, a 3rd grade student took a mirror out of his pocket and tried to point the sun “bunny” at a friend sitting at the other end of the class. The teacher, who noticed this, demanded that he give her the mirror. When the child became stubborn and refused to comply with the teacher’s demands, she removed him from the class, followed by an entry in the diary, calling the parents to school and a number of other standard measures that led to an unnecessary aggravation of the relationship between the teacher and the student. This, in our opinion, is a typical pseudo-conflict situation, since it was entirely up to the teacher’s more pedagogically skillful actions to prevent a conflict from arising.

Considerations about the fundamental possibility and expediency of using encouragement in a situation where negatively directed relationships dominate, and, on the contrary, punishment in a situation where positively directed relationships dominate, are important, in our opinion, for understanding the dialectical relationship of these means of influence as two sides of a single method of pedagogical correction. In a significant part of real life situations, the use of reward and punishment in the system of methods for organizing the educational process is combined, and such simultaneous multidirectional stimulation ensures the reliability and speed of correction, minimal conflict in relationships and their optimal development towards the formed needs of the individual in all his other qualities

The ability of situational moods and states to transform into emotional personal states, to transform in a certain way in consciousness, to influence the formation of all personality traits is of fundamental importance for the analysis of the emotional sphere of the use of rewards and punishments. This is best seen in examples of pedagogical errors associated with situations of reward and punishment.

During the big break, the school principal appeared on the floor where the primary classes are located. The first thing he noticed was the cheerful fuss of two third-graders, chasing a piece of chalk across the parquet floor. With a sign, the director called the naughty boys over to him, placed them next to him, and when the break ended and everyone went to their classes, he said:

Everyone is busy, and you go downstairs to Aunt Marusya for polishing brushes, you will rub the floor here until it becomes completely clean and shiny.

Innate, genetic, acquired and cultural signals

Although much research has been done, there is heated debate about whether nonverbal cues are innate or learned, or whether they are passed on genetically or otherwise acquired. The evidence came from observations of blind, deaf, and deaf-blind people who would not have been able to learn nonverbalism through auditory or visual receptors. Observations were also made of the gestural behavior of various peoples and the behavior of our closest anthropological relatives, monkeys and macaques.

The German scientist Eibl-Eibesfeldt discovered that the ability to smile in children who are deaf or blind from birth appears without any learning or copying, which confirms the hypothesis of innate gesticulations.

Most nonverbal behavior is learned, and the meaning of many movements and gestures is culturally determined. Let's look at these aspects of body language.

Psychologists have long established that existing “body language” expresses what we do not want or cannot say. He is much more truthful and sincere than all the words we say to each other. Psychologists have long studied this phenomenon and came to a number of interesting conclusions. It turns out that a person subconsciously trusts not the words, but the way they were said. It has been established that the degree of trust in words is only 20%, while the degree of trust in non-verbal communication (posture, gestures, mutual positioning of interlocutors) is 30%. But most of all, oddly enough, we trust the intonations of the interlocutor and other paralinguistic components of nonverbal communication (rate of speech, pause, laughter, etc.).

If you penetrate the secrets of this amazing “body language”, you will easily understand all the secret thoughts of your interlocutor, you will be able to understand whether he is bored with you, whether he is lying to you or telling the truth.

Bibliography

1. Akishina A.A., Kano H.g. Akishina T.E. Gestures and facial expressions in Russian speech. Linguistic and regional dictionary. M., 1991. – 144 p.
2. Bodalev A.A. Personality in communication. – M., 1983. – 271 p.
3. Gorelov I.N. Nonverbal components of communication. M, 1980. – 238 p.
4. Grigorieva T.G., Linskaya L.V., Usoltseva T.P. Fundamentals of constructive communication: Method. manual for teachers. — Novosibirsk; M.: Novosibirsk Publishing House. university; Perfection, 1997. - 171 p.
5. Konetskaya V.P. Sociology of communication. - M., 2006. - 304 p.
6. Labunskaya V. A. Introduction to the psychology of nonverbal behavior. Rostov-on-Don, 2004 - 415 p.
7. Leontyev A.A. Psychology of communication. 3rd ed. - M.: Smysl, 1999. - p. 252.
8. Lisina M.I. Problems of ontogenesis of communication. - M.: Pedagogy, 1986. - 144 p.
9. General psychology: Textbook for teachers. Institute / Ed. A. V. Petrovsky, M. Progress 1980. - 422 p.
10. Pease A. Body language (how to read thoughts by gestures). - M.: EKSMO-Press, 2000. - 139 p.
11. G.G. Pocheptsov. Theory of communication - M.: "Refl-book", K.: "Vakler" - 2001. - 656 p.

• Comparative analysis of attack or intrusion detection systems
• Comparative analysis of attack or intrusion detection systems
• Features of the vector editor CorelDraw
• General characteristics of scripting languages. Python language
• Legal acts of management: concept, functions and forms
• Application of OLAP technologies in business
• Fatigue and recovery
• Modern systems of physical exercises
• Methodological principles of physical education (“Physiology of physical education and sports”)
• Economic efficiency and limits of government intervention in the market process
• Gymnastics and its effect on health
• Basics of Nonverbal Communication

Quality of presence and non-visual communication

Each of us is sensitive to varying degrees to the attention or inattention of others. Sensitivity to nonverbal expressions of another person's attitude towards us reflects a basic human need for interpersonal relationships.

The quality of presence includes both physical and psychological presence in their unity. Congruence is highly desirable here, but we must not forget that demonstrating presence is a process that requires time and special effort. In this process, the voluntary, albeit nonsensical, expression of physical presence allows for attunement to the client and leads to an increased degree of psychological presence and authenticity.

Position and distance

Face-to-face positioning is the most common, although not the only, way of positioning the consultant and client to each other. Personal position, which is determined by the positioning of the chairs of the consultant and the client in the office space, is an invitation to dialogue. By positioning the chairs at the appropriate angle and changing the distance, you can regulate the degree of openness and participation in contact. The initial arrangement of the chairs at a certain angle and at a certain distance creates additional opportunities for adjusting the line of contact of both participants, so usually the chairs are located at a distance of 1.5 - 2 meters at a slight angle.

A good counselor respects the other person's psychological boundaries, is sensitive to the client's comfortable distance, and uses the client's reactions as feedback regarding optimal physical distance and psychological proximity.

Open position

Traditionally, a distinction is made between open and closed poses. An open posture indicates that the counselor is open and receptive to what the client is saying. A closed posture, for which crossing the legs or arms is considered an obvious sign, is a sign of less engagement in conversation.

An open position does not mean that the consultant sits in it for the entire session without changes. An open posture makes the right impression only when it is relaxed and natural. Nonverbal naturalness involves the free and relaxed use of the body as a means of communication. Active gestures often reflect positive emotions and are perceived as an expression of interest and friendliness, while fluid postures and natural use of gestures reflect a relaxed and engaged personality, reminiscent of dancing.

How to explain the concept of “nonverbal communication”

Nonverbal communications are interactions between individuals without the use of words or linguistic means of communication. To convey thoughts and emotions, a person in this case actively uses body language: gestures, facial expressions, posture, visual influence. Nonverbal communications can be unconscious, these include the above methods of transmitting information and special ones. The second includes: language for the hard of hearing, the deaf and dumb, and Morse code.

Body language helps a person create a connection between interlocutors, give meaning to words and express emotions hidden in the text. The peculiarity of such communication is honesty. A person who does not know the psychology of such communication is not able to control his emotions and body language. All nonverbal signs have their own character: thoughtful, open, uncertain, friendly, belligerent, doubtful, and others.

Important! Understanding possible non-verbal signs gives a person an advantage over the interlocutor.

With such knowledge, a speaker can capture the audience's attention and tune in to his point of view. Businessmen and managers in important negotiations, using the opponent’s body language, make decisions about his honesty and the correctness of the actions being performed.

In a conversation, posture, gestures, and body language are of paramount importance. Scientists have found that when there are differences between verbal information and visual information perceived by a person, it is the latter that will remain in the subconscious. With the help of nonverbal communication, the interlocutor can convince that he is right or question his words.

Elements of visual relationship include:

• manner of behavior (movements, actions in a given situation);
• emotional overtones (hand movements, facial expressions);
• physical contact (touching, shaking hands, hugging);
• visual contact (change in pupils, gaze, duration);
• movements (gait, position when staying in one place);
• reactions (response to some events).

Facial expressions

Facial expression is the most important source of information about a person, especially about his feelings. It is the facial reactions of the interlocutor that reveal his emotional reaction and serve as a means of regulating the communication process. In addition, facial expression provides direct information to the client not only about the consultant's feelings, but also about his ability to maintain control over them.

The most striking facial expression is a smile, which, without being overused, is a good positive stimulus. “A smile usually conveys friendliness, but an excessive smile often reflects a need for approval... A tense smile in an unpleasant situation betrays feelings of apology and anxiety...” A smile accompanied by raised eyebrows expresses a willingness to obey, and a smile with lowered eyebrows expresses superiority” (Evsikova. N.I., 1999).

The furrowed eyebrows themselves usually convey disapproval. A clenched jaw can indicate firmness and confidence, as well as an aggressive nature. Fear, delight or surprise can cause the listener's mouth to open, as if there is not enough room for these feelings inside. And a person with tense nostrils and downturned lips may say: “I breathe this air, and I am next to you, but I do not approve of either this air or you.”

Methods of nonverbal communication

The most popular non-verbal communication tools are gestures and facial expressions. Hands and face are the most “emotional” parts of the body, and the most mobile, as a result of which they are more expressive when speaking. The expression of emotions is perhaps the main content of the “conversation” when gesturing. Verbal communication is not always capable of conveying the emotional component of information, and this ability varies in different “sound” languages. In this case, the hands and face are connected. Especially if the conversation is conducted by “hot” and sensual people.

Additional ways of nonverbal communication are postures and touch. Such body movements can also tell a lot about a person, his thoughts and attitude to what is happening.

Even the distance between interlocutors can say a lot about the participants in the conversation.

So, there are types of maximum permissible distance depending on the circumstances of the conversation

:

• Intimate distance – up to half a meter
  . This is how interlocutors talk, who trust each other to the maximum extent and are ready to share their most intimate things. In particular, lovers stand very close to each other. Best friends also communicate at the closest possible distance. At such a distance, physical contacts and touches are possible, which also reflect the closest, most trusting and intimate relationships possible.
• Interpersonal distance – from half a meter to 1.2 meters
  . At such a distance, ordinary friends, acquaintances, and close acquaintances conduct a friendly conversation. Touching may also be allowed here, although such strong bodily contacts as in the first case are not possible.
• Social distance – from 1.2 to 3.7 meters
  . It is intended for informal interaction in society, during a business meeting. The greater the distance, the more formal the conversation. It goes without saying that touching at such a distance is no longer possible.
• Public distance is more than 3.7 meters
  . This is the most appropriate distance for a lecturer speaking to a large group of people.

The distance during a conversation also depends on the gender, age, and personality characteristics of a person. Thus, young children are most comfortable communicating at close range, while teenagers prefer to distance themselves. A woman prefers a closer distance, regardless of the gender of her interlocutor. Confident people do not pay much attention to distances, while anxious people tend to be away from their interlocutors. Powerful people tend to shorten the distance when talking, to push - this is where, apparently, the word “assault” comes from.

Visual contact is also an important source of information. Vision is the main sense organ for humans; with its help, we strive to obtain maximum information about the subject that interests us. Therefore, long eye contact means admiration for the interlocutor, if the gaze is calm. A gaze with raised eyebrows signifies anticipation. And an intrusive, gaze with a somewhat alarming expression means indignation. If a person “rolls” his eyes, looks away, and avoids eye contact in every possible way, this means that the interlocutor is unpleasant to him.

Gestures and postures tell about people's feelings and attitudes. Their manner of sitting, standing, and the placement of their hands are important. For example, a positive position is recognized when the interlocutor sits with the body slightly tilted forward, with the hand slightly touching the cheek. Criticism is expressed by a characteristic gesture: one hand is at the chin, the index finger is extended along the cheek, the second hand supports the elbow of the first. If there is distrust, the interlocutor covers his mouth with his palm. Superiority is expressed by a sitting position, one leg placed on the other, arms thrown behind the head, eyes slightly closed. When disapproving, a person “shakes off the lint,” straightens his clothes or shakes them off, his movements are convulsive and restless.

Rubbing the chin, forehead, and bridge of the nose are known indicators of concentration. The eyes may be closed. Outstretched arms, straight head, relaxed body indicate the openness of the interlocutor.

Facial expressions are also important. It can tell about both a person’s thoughts and his feelings, while different halves of the face carry different information. As you know, the left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for intelligence, which controls the right side of the face; The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for emotions and controls the left side of the face.

Anger is expressed by wide open eyes, while the gaze is “squinted”, the teeth are clenched, and the corners of the lips are lowered. Raised eyebrows and a slightly open mouth mean that a person is surprised. Closed eyebrows, stretched lips with downturned corners indicate that the interlocutor is scared. A calm look with raised corners of the lips means the interlocutor is happy. Lowered lips and a “faded” gaze indicate sadness.

Even the intonation and timbre of the voice carry their own layer of information. Thus, drawn-out pronunciation of words and monotonous intonation are characteristic of an arrogant person. Clear, confident speech and a high tone of voice indicate enthusiasm and elation. A low tone of voice and a decrease in volume towards the end of a sentence indicate fatigue; Excitement is conveyed in the same way, but the speech is faster and the statements are abrupt. If there are many pauses in speech, the interlocutor coughs, or makes mistakes in words, it means that he is demonstrating uncertainty.

Eye contact

It is known that the eyes are the mirror of the soul, so eye contact can be identified as a separate specific skill. Direct eye contact is another way to say, “I'm with you, I want to hear what you have to say.” There is a difference between an open, direct gaze and its extreme, stare. The gaze gives the impression of active participation in contact, in fact, it often indicates “dead contact”. A fixed gaze, as if you want to see something in the interlocutor’s eyes, may also indicate a specific need for mirroring, which is typical for a client with a narcissistic personality type.

Eye contact is also a means of mutual regulation of the conversation process. From the experience of everyday communication, we all know that eye contact is easily maintained when discussing a pleasant topic.

Eye contact is a process of interaction between two personalities.

Head nods

Nodding your head is a very good way to show the client that you are listening. Nodding your head is a direct confirmation to the client that you are following him step by step, understanding what he is being told. This simple skill, when used consistently, begins to function as feedback. The absence of nodding informs the client that there is insufficient understanding and the need for clarification, and their occurrence indicates that the meaning that the client is trying to express has been internalized. Head nods, like nothing else, require action, as when used excessively, they are more likely to cause irritation and confusion than to facilitate dialogue.

Tone, tempo and volume of voice

The voice is an important means of expressing a range of subjective feelings and meanings. The tone and pace of speech can reveal a lot about a person's emotional state. Typically, the rate of speech increases when the speaker is excited, excited, or anxious. Speakers who are trying to persuade their interlocutor also speak quickly. Slow speech often indicates depression, arrogance or fatigue.

How loudly individual words are spoken can be an indicator of the strength of feelings. A phrase can have different meanings depending on the intonation. Therefore, you can speak confidently and sparingly, receiving and apologizing, rejoicing and neglecting the tone. Often people react to intonation rather than to words. The tone of voice should not only be friendly, it should match what is being said. A deep voice promotes greater confidence in the interlocutor.

One of the manifestations of the voice is laughter. Laughter can sound soft and metallic, sincere and touching. In some situations, laughter is the best way to relieve tension or avoid falling into painful feelings. Laughter and humor in general have great positive potential in counseling practice, and its presence in moderation is a sign of a good atmosphere, but too frequent cheerful sessions require investigation. It is also worth remembering that words such as “ridicule” and “ridicule” reflect the negative aspect of laughter.

Features of nonverbal communication

The main feature of nonverbal communication is the difficulty of controlling one’s own movements with the body, hands, facial expressions and other important elements of such communication. Other features of nonverbal communications include:

• duality of signals (there are body signs, facial movements that are accepted all over the world, others will differ depending on the culture of the population);
• truthfulness (it is impossible to completely hide all signals reflecting real emotions);
• creating a strong relationship between interlocutors (the overall picture helps people gather a complete picture of a person and form their attitude towards him);
• strengthening the meaning of words during verbal communication;
• the ability to explain a formed thought before suitable verbal descriptions appear.