Nonverbal Communication - Essay Example

? 10 December Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication is one of the most fundamental essentials of interaction between humans. People frequently make use of nonverbal communication in the daily life. Nonverbal communication is used because it offers a number of advantages which the verbal communication does not. Nonverbal communication provides an individual with more safety and freedom of expression in quite a lot of places. Individuals’ moods and body language are the primary controllers of interaction among them. One sentence can be perceived in several different ways depending upon the way it has been said. Hence, nonverbal communication often directs the verbal communication and plays a very important role in the development of understanding among the interacting people. There are a lot of differences between the way nonverbal communication is used by men and women. This paper explores the subject of nonverbal communication from different aspects and identifies the differences between the non-textual nonverbal communication of men and women. Nonverbal communication, as the name implies, is a communication that is anything but verbal. “[N]onverbal communication involves those nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source [speaker] and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver [listener]” (“Non-Verbal Communication”). In the simplest words, it is unspoken communication (Butler). This means that nonverbal communication is inclusive of text messages, emails, and other more complication and indirect ways of communication like the one through body language. Nonverbal communication through text often takes place when the communication people can not see one another face-to-face. However, in order to communicate through the body language or gestures, it is imperative that the communicating people can see one another. Technology is the most essential prerequisite of doing the nonverbal communication through text. Exchanging text messages, writing and reading emails, and chatting require mobile phones and/or computers with Internet connection to take place. The most fundamental element that makes the nonverbal communication different, and in a way, superior to the verbal communication is the fact that nonverbal communication broadcasts an individual’s true intentions and feelings to others and allows the individual an insight into the other person’s heart (“Improving your nonverbal”). There is a lot of disparity in the nonverbal communication of men and women specially on grounds of nonverbal immediacy or attitudes which cause the people to be close psychosocially. Attitudes included in the nonverbal immediacy include but are not limited to eye contact, gesturing, close proximity, smiling, vocal inflections, orientation of the body as well as touching during communication. Women rely on the nonverbal communication more than men do. One reason for this is the fact that men are braver and hence, more straight forward as compared to the women. In other words, men make use of metaphors in places where women feel more comfortable with using the similes. Men say whatever they feel on the face while women generally adopt more indirect ways of expressing their emotions, which is complicated not only for them, but also equally complicated for the listener to comprehend. Men’s ways to communicate non-verbally are more through deeds than gestures which women make use of to communicate non-verbally. This is particularly evident in the times of conflict. For example, a man may make use of his power or relations to get an individual unemployed just to tell him/her that he/she has made a big mistake by messing with a man of such huge power and significance in the society. On the other hand, a woman who is agitated to the same level as this man may just refuse to interact with the offender in an attempt to convey the message that she did not like him/her for a certain reason. This is the reason why the consequences of men’s non-verbal communication are often much more in gravity and severity than that of the women. “While women avoid conflict in order to insure closeness, men use conflict to gain status” (Kelley). Display of nonverbally immediate attitudes like smiling and weeping are more common in women than men. Women frequently make use of such polite words as “sorry” and “thank you” because they want to communicate it to the other person nonverbally that they are delicate and thus want the other person not to be harsh to them beyond a certain level irrespective of how much he/she may be agitated with them. Women communicate their submissiveness to the other person by frequently apologizing even in matters they are not at fault in. In contrast to them, men are much less likely to apologize for anything because they want to communicate their stubbornness to the other person in a nonverbal manner. “Some scholars have pointed out that the same repertoire of nonverbal behaviors that are associated with women’s communication are also considered to be typical of low power communicators, whereas men commonly use high power nonverbal behaviors” (“Men and Women’s”). Women’s nonverbal communication is in many ways indicative of their social weaknesses. Men and women also differ in their level of freedom while using the nonverbal communication. While men make more use of such obvious gestures as using the hands to express what they mean to say or convey, women make use of more restrained and subtle gestures like lowering the gaze. Women use the nonverbal communication to connect with the other person at an emotional level unlike men. More women look into the eyes while communicating with others than men do. This gesture is commonly used to gauge the other person’s sincerity. Also, women are more likely than men to use the facial expressions in the nonverbal communication (Carnes). Touching is a very strong gesture of nonverbal communication, which is frequently employed by people to express their sexual interest in the other person. Men are more likely than women to express their desire for sex through touching. The fact that men are more likely to touch than women provides another evidence for their unrestrained use of nonverbal communication. Also, touching across gender is more common than touching within gender, though it is linked with the hetero- or homosexual interest of an individual. Owing to the significance of touching as a preliminary gesture of the call for sex, touching is prohibited in the workplace in a lot of companies. Concluding, nonverbal communication plays a very important role in the interaction and promotion of understanding between two or more people. Nonverbal communication includes texting, gesturing and using the body language. Men and women differ in their ways of using the nonverbal communication, though both frequently make use of it in their interaction with others in the daily life. Women use nonverbal communication for matters that are far less in complexity than those in which men use it. Accordingly, a man’s message conveyed to an individual nonverbally can be more devastating for him/her than that sent by a woman. Unlike men, women use the nonverbal communication to develop an emotional link with people and also to hide their social weaknesses. Owing to their tendency to use the nonverbal communication more frequently than men, women are also better able than men to understand the nonverbal message conveyed by an individual to them. Touching is often the first gesture for the invitation towards sex made by men. Women’s nonverbal communication is more restrained as compared to that of men. Women’s frequent use of apology and being grateful speaks of their flexibility and tendency to modify the communication as per their position in the interaction whereas men are stubborn and thus, prefer to remain consistent in the interaction. Works Cited: Butler, Alia. “What Is Verbal And Nonverbal Communication?” 21 May 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. . Carnes, David. “Do Men & Women Use Nonverbal Communication Differently?” 12 July 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. . “Improving Your Nonverbal Skills And Reading Body Language.” 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. . Kelley, Rhonda H. “Communication between Men and Women in the Context of the Christian Community” The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. . “Men and Women’s Communication is Different—Sometimes.” National Communication Association. vol. 6. issue 1. Feb. 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. . “Non-Verbal Communication Modes.” n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. . Read More