What is nonverbal communication?
Nonverbal communication is the transmission of feelings, attitudes and relationships through facial expression, gesture, gaze, tone of voice, distance, touch and appearance rather than words. Even in silence we keep communicating, which is why communication theorists in family therapy say "one cannot not communicate."
- Channels
- Face, gesture, gaze, touch, space, paralanguage
- Functions
- Repeat, substitute, accent, regulate, contradict
- Traits
- Often unconscious, strong for emotion, culture-bound
- Related
- Mehrabian's rule
Main types
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Facial expression | Smile, frown |
| Gesture | Nod, crossed arms |
| Gaze | Eye contact, averted eyes |
| Touch | Handshake, pat |
| Space | Conversational distance |
| Paralanguage | Volume, pace, sighs |
Ekman and Friesen's five categories
Paul Ekman and Wallace Friesen (1969) classified nonverbal behavior as:
- Emblems: gestures with direct verbal translations (thumbs-up)
- Illustrators: hand movements that depict speech
- Affect displays: facial expressions of emotion
- Regulators: nods and gaze that manage turn-taking
- Adaptors: self-touching or fidgeting under stress
Hall's proxemics
Anthropologist Edward T. Hall (1966) described how distance varies with relationship.
| Zone | Approx. range | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Intimate | 0–45 cm | Family, partners |
| Personal | 45 cm–1.2 m | Friends |
| Social | 1.2–3.6 m | Business |
| Public | 3.6 m+ | Speeches |
These figures came from middle-class Americans and vary across cultures.
If someone says "I'm fine" while avoiding your eyes and sighing, which do you believe? When words and body disagree, people usually trust the nonverbal cue. Repeated mismatches in families can confuse children, the starting point of double bind theory.
In practice
In counseling and social work interviews, leaning slightly forward and appropriate eye contact convey attentiveness. Norms for eye contact, touch and gestures differ by culture and generation, so no single cue proves what someone feels.
Frequently asked questions
- Is communication 93% nonverbal?
- That figure applies only to Mehrabian's experimental conditions.
- What is paralanguage?
- Vocal features such as volume, pitch, pace and pauses.
- Can body language reveal lies?
- It offers clues, but no single gesture reliably detects lying.
References
- Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1969). The repertoire of nonverbal behavior: Categories, origins, usage, and coding. Semiotica, 1(1), 49–98.
- Hall, E. T. (1966). The hidden dimension. Doubleday.