NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Introduction
People cannot live without each other, we are social beings. As soon as we are in contact with others we are communicating . We are always saying something even when we are not saying a word. Communication is the process of sharing ideas, information, and messages with others in a particular time and place. Communication includes writing and talking, as well as nonverbal communication. This art of expressing and exchanging ideas is a vital part of personal life and is important in everyday life, in business, education, and any other situation where people encounter each other.
Apart from language, which is the basic means of communication, people all over the world use their hands, heads, and bodies to communicate expressively. Body language is a language without spoken words and is therefore called nonverbal communication. This kind of communication tells us something about the relationship between people. Without body language, our world would be static and colorless. Several investigators estimate that at least 70% of the communication between people takes place through body language and tone of voice. The best known theory is that of the American psychologist Albert Mehrabian. He states that when it comes to expressing feelings:
-
55% of the communication consists of body language,
-
38% is expressed through tone of voice and only
-
7% is communicated through words.
In that case, we express 93% of our feelings in a non-verbal way!
Gestures and body language communicate as effectively as words - maybe even more effectively. We use gestures daily, almost instinctively, and it is essential for all of us to become more sensitive, more aware, and more observant to the motions, gestures, and body language that surround us each day. ‘Reading signals’ is especially important in classroom teaching, where true communication is essential for effective learning, motivation and development.
|
