Non-verbal communication and its elements

Non-verbal communication is the sending and receiving of messages without using words, through body movements, facial expressions, voice quality, space, time, appearance and silence. It often supports, replaces or even contradicts what we say, so it strongly influences how a message is understood.

Elements of non-verbal communication

1. Kinesics (body language): movement of the body, including gestures, posture and facial expression. A smile shows friendliness, a slouch may show boredom, and crossed arms may show defensiveness.
2. Eye contact (oculesics): steady eye contact shows interest and honesty, while avoiding the eyes may signal nervousness or lack of confidence. Its meaning varies between cultures.
3. Proxemics (use of space): the distance we keep from others. Intimate, personal, social and public distances are used in different situations.
4. Haptics (touch): handshakes, pats and hugs convey warmth, support or authority. A firm handshake suggests confidence.
5. Paralanguage (vocal cues): tone, pitch, volume, speed and pauses. The same sentence can sound polite or rude depending on the tone.
6. Chronemics (use of time): punctuality and the time we give someone show respect and priorities. Coming late to an interview sends a negative message.
7. Appearance and artifacts: dress, grooming, hairstyle, ornaments and the neatness of documents create first impressions.
8. Silence: it can show agreement, thought, anger or respect, depending on the situation.
9. Environment: seating arrangement, lighting, colour and office design affect the mood of communication.

In technical and business communication, we should keep our non-verbal signals consistent with our words, so that the listener receives one clear message.