3.7: Functions of Nonverbal Communication

Now that you know some of the categories of nonverbal communication, let’s talk about what functions nonverbal communication serves.

Repeat Verbal Communication

We use nonverbal communication to repeat verbal communication. For example, we may point in a specific direction while explaining directions, nod, or shake our heads to duplicate the verbal messages of “yes” or “no.”

Replace Verbal Communication

We use nonverbal communication to replace verbal communication. If someone asks you a question, instead of a verbal reply “yes,” you may choose to simply nod your head without the accompanying verbal message. When we replace verbal communication with nonverbal communication, we use nonverbal cues that are easily recognized by others such as a wave, head-nod, or head-shake. Shaking the head side-to-side to indicate “no,” or to show disbelief or disapproval is used by infants to refuse food or drink; even children born deaf and blind shake their heads to refuse objects or to show others they do not wish to be touched. 

Complement or Contradict Verbal Communication

We use nonverbal cues to complement or contradict verbal communication. If a friend tells you that she recently received a promotion and a pay raise, you can show your enthusiasm in a number of verbal and nonverbal ways. If you exclaim, “Wow, that’s great! I’m so happy for you,” while at the same time smiling and hugging your friend, you are using nonverbal communication to complement what you are saying. Unlike duplicating or replacing, nonverbal communication that complements cannot be used alone without the verbal message. If you simply smiled and hugged your friend without saying anything, the interpretation of that nonverbal communication would be more ambiguous than using it to complement your verbal message.  Sometimes nonverbal messages can be used to contradict the verbal message.  For example, a “wink” may contradict a stated message.

Accent The Verbal Message

We use nonverbal communication to accent the verbal message. For instance, you may be upset with a family member and state, “I’m very angry with you.” To accent or accentuate your feelings, you might use paralanguage to vocally emphasize the word “very.” (“I’m VERY angry with you”).  Parents might tell their children to “come here.” If they point to the spot in front of them dramatically, they are accenting the “here” part of the verbal message.

Regulate Communication

We use nonverbal communication to regulate communication. Rarely, if ever, would we approach someone and say, “I’m going to start a conversation with you now. Okay, let’s begin.” Instead, we might smile, make eye contact, move closer, or face the person directly — all nonverbal behaviors that indicate our desire to interact. Likewise, we do not generally end conversations by stating, “I’m done talking to you now” unless there is a breakdown in the communication process. Instead, we may look at our phone, look in the direction we wish to go, or stay silent to indicate an impending end in the conversation.  If our listener doesn’t respond to our nonverbal cues, we may say something to the effect, “I really need to get going now.”

Indicate Relationships

We use nonverbal communication to indicate relationships. Take a few moments today to observe the nonverbal communication of people you see in public areas. What can you determine about their relational standing from their nonverbal communication? For example, romantic partners tend to stand close to one another and touch frequently. On the other hand, acquaintances generally maintain greater distances and touch less than romantic partners. Those who hold higher social status often use more space when they interact with others. In the United States, it is generally acceptable for women in platonic relationships to embrace and be physically close while males are often discouraged from doing so. Contrast this to many other nations where it is custom for males to greet each other with a kiss or a hug and hold hands as a symbol of friendship. We make many inferences about relational standing based on the nonverbal communication of those with whom we interact and observe. Imagine seeing a couple talking to each other across a small table. They both have faces that looked upset, red eyes from crying, closed body positions, are leaning into each other, and are whispering emphatically. Upon seeing this, would you think they were having a “breakup conversation”?

Express Emotions

We use nonverbal communication to express emotions. While we can certainly tell people how we feel, we more frequently use nonverbal communication to express our emotions. Conversely, we tend to interpret emotions by examining nonverbal communication. For example, a friend may be feeling sad one day and it is probably easy to tell this by her nonverbal communication. Not only may she be less talkative but her shoulders may be slumped and she may not smile. One study suggests that it is important to use and interpret nonverbal communication for emotional expression, and ultimately relational attachment and satisfaction (Schachner, Shaver, & Mikulincer, 2005). Research also underscores the fact that people in close relationships have an easier time reading the nonverbal communication of emotion of their relational partners than those who aren’t close. Likewise, those in close relationships can more often detect concealed emotions (Sternglanz & DePaulo, 2004).

Demonstrate and Maintain Cultural Norms

We use nonverbal communication to demonstrate and maintain cultural norms. We’ve already shown that some nonverbal communication is universal, but the majority of nonverbal communication is culturally specific. For example, in the United States, people value their personal space; thus, they maintain greater distance from others than is common in many other cultures. If you visit New York City, you might observe that any time someone accidentally touches you on the subway he or she might apologize profusely for the violation of personal space. Cultural norms of anxiety and fear surrounding issues of crime, terrorism, and a global pandemic appear to cause people to be more sensitive to others in public spaces, highlighting the importance of culture and context.

Westerners who are visiting China might be shocked that shoppers there do not observe the personal distance that is common in the United States.  In China, shoppers may ram their shopping carts into others’ carts when they want to move around them. This is not an indication of rudeness, but a cultural difference in the negotiation of space. Similarly, in many Asian cultures, frequent touch in crowded public spaces goes unnoticed because space is not used in the same way as in the United States.

Mixed Messages

A mixed message is when your nonverbal communication and verbal communication send two different messages. Imagine that you visit your boss’s office and she asks you how you’re enjoying a new work assignment. You may feel obligated to respond positively because it is your boss asking the question, even though you may not truly feel this way. However, your nonverbal communication–such as a hesitation in answering or a frown– may contradict your verbal message, sending a mixed message to your boss.

Social psychology professor Albert Mehrabian explored the relative impact of various channels of communication in terms of the power they have to convey our feelings and attitudes to others. Specifically, he studied the relative effectiveness of words alone compared to the nonverbal channels of voice (paralanguage), facial expressions, and body language. His study gave rise to the Mehrabian Equation. According to the Mehrabian Equation, when a message is broken down into three components–words, speaker’s voice, and body language:

• 7% of the impact of a message is communicated with words (verbal communication).

• 38% of the message is paralinguistic (speaker’s voice and vocalizations).

• 55% of the message is in facial expressions and other forms of body language.

It is important to note that Mehrabian’s research found that 93% of communication is nonverbal. Clearly, paying attention to our nonverbal communication and attempting to keep it consistent with our verbal message is vital for delivering messages that communicate what we intend them to.

References

Mehrabian, A. (1981). Silent messages: Implicit communication of emotion and attitudes (2nd ed). Wadsworth.

Schachner, D. A., Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2005). Patterns of nonverbal behavior and sensitivity in the context of attachment relationships. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 29, 141-169.

Sternglanz, R. W., & Depaulo, B. M. (2004). Reading nonverbal cues to emotion: The advantages and reliabilities of relationship closeness. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 28(4), 245-266.