MAJOR CATEGORIES OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR
Nonverbal communication is better known as body language. Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions, tones of voice, gestures, postures, eye contact, spatial arrangements, touch, expressive movement, clothes, and other "nonverbal" acts. Research suggests that nonverbal communication is more important in understanding human behavior than words alone - the nonverbal "channels" seem to be more powerful than what people say.
We start forming impressions of people we meet from the moment we set eyes on them. A large part of the initial impression that we create comes from our body language. Body language plays a big role in intuition as it gives us messages about the other person that we can interpret at an intuitive level. It is therefore necessary to learn about our body language so that we can recognize it in others as well as in ourselves.
Body communication has been studied under the general name of kinesics. Usually body language occurs unconsciously. However, it can also be used deliberately and the body language that we decide to use determines to a large extent the quality of our communication. It follows that therefore it would be good to become conscious of our own and others' body language. We can learn to use our body language for a purpose. As well as learn to understand and interpret body language of others.
Body language is used especially to express feelings. For instance if we do not like someone, it is often difficult to say that directly to the person. However we can make it clear either intentionally or unintentionally through body language. The opposite is also true. We may say that we ARE angry through words yet our body language may be saying loud and clear that we are NOT. This can be very confusing for the receiver. This is usually described as giving out double messages - one message in words and an opposite message in body language. It is also difficult to lie or cover up our feelings through body language. People may give their true feelings away by not being aware of their body language. Research has shown that most people pay more attention to, and believe more readily, their impression of how a person acts through body language than what is said through words. As a consequence we tend to doubt, or put a question mark behind, the spoken words if they do not correspond with the language of the body.
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