Reading Material 4　Nonverbal Communication (NVC)

In addition to verbal language there are great differences in cultural norms and practices of nonverbal behaviour.Nonverbal communication refers to all intentional and unintentional stimuli between communicating parties，other than spoken word.These nonverbal processes are sometimes accounted for as much as 70% of the communication.Successful interaction in intercultural settings requires not only the understanding of verbal messages but of nonverbal messages as well.Characteristic to nonverbal communication is that it is less systematized than verbal communication;it is culture-bound and ambiguous.

Nonverbal communication can be divided to four categories:kinesics，proxemics，paralanguage and chronemics.Kinesics refers to the body movements in communication.It has also been called body language.The four most common body activities are facial expressions，eye contact，hand gestures，and touch.Severe misunderstandings can occur if one does not know the rules of，for example，touching others or level of eye contact in another culture.Proxemics refers to the study of how we use space in communication process.This space can mean anything from architecture and furniture to the distance between inter-actants in communication situations.Paralanguage comprises of all the sounds we produce with our voices that are not words.These include for instance laughter，tone and pace of voice and“empty”words such as um，uh or You know.Chronemics is the study of how we use time in communication.Hall's time orientations (monochronic and polychronic;see e-Journal on Culture for Details)belong to this category，as well as our understanding of present，past and future.

To deliver the full impact of a message，use nonverbal behaviors to raise the channel of interpersonal communication:

Eye contact:This helps to regulate the flow of communication.It signals interest in others and increases the speaker's credibility.People who make eye contact open the flow of communication and convey interest，concern，warmth，and credibility.

Facial expressions:Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits happiness，friendliness，warmth，and liking.So，if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likable，friendly，warm and approachable.Smiling is often contagious and people will react favorably.They will be more comfortable around you and will want to listen more.

Gestures:If you fail to gesture while speaking you may be perceived as boring and stiff.A lively speaking style captures the listener's attention，makes the conversation more interesting，and facilitates understanding.

Posture and body orientation:You communicate numerous messages by the way you talk and move.Standing erect and leaning forward communicates to listeners that you are approachable，receptive and friendly.Interpersonal closeness results when you and the listener face each other.Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling should be avoided as it communicates disinterest.

Proximity:Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for interaction with others.You should look for signals of discomfort caused by invading the other person's space.Some of these are:rocking，leg swinging，tapping，and gaze aversion.

Vocal:Speaking can signal nonverbal communication when you include such vocal elements as:tone，pitch，rhythm，timbre，loudness，and inflection.For maximum teaching effectiveness，learn to vary these six elements of your voice.One of the major criticisms of many speakers is that they speak in a monotone voice.Listeners perceive this type of speaker as boring and dull.

Many other nonverbal code systems are relevant to an understanding of intercultural communication because virtually everything we say，do，create，and wear can communicate message about our culture and ourselves.These other codes include the chemical，dermal，physical，and artifactual systems that create a multi-channeled set of nonverbal messages.