THEORIES OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION:
I. CHARACTERISTICS OF NON VERBAL CODE SYSTEMS (according to Burgoon)
1. Non-verbal codes tend to be analogic rather than digital.
-Non- verbal codes can either be digital or analogic. Discrete like numbers and letters are under digital signals. On the other hand, it is known to be continuous for analogic signals because it forms a spectrum of range just as like in volumes of sound and the brightness of the light. Therefore, even the vocal pitches and facial expressions cannot be classified into just one category.
2. Nonverbal codes are iconicity or resemblance.
-Non-verbal codes can have same appearance with other things being symbolized. It is because ICONIC CODES can depict the image or shape of something with your hands.
3. Nonverbal codes seem to elicit universal meaning.
-In any way, nonverbal codes must have universal meaning. This could help for all people to recognize it in the same manner with one message to impart. Signals like threats and emotional displays are easily acknowledged.
4. Nonverbal codes enable the simultaneous transmission of several messages.
-Nonverbal codes deliver continuous message at a time. It is through the parts of our body: face, hands, voice. These are different messages that can be sent once but can also understood in different ways.
5. Nonverbal signals often evoke automatic response without thinking.
-There are some nonverbal signals that we automatically response even without thinking.
Examples: Stepping on a brake on a red light, blinking eyes when dirt or dust comes in our eyes, shut our eyes when we sneeze.
6. Nonverbal signals are often emitted quite spontaneously, as when you let a nervous energy.
-Often times, we omitted nonverbal signal when we let a nervous energy into us. We tend to do a lot of hand signals and body movements to release the tensions inside us.
CLASSIFICATION OF NON-VERBAL CODE SYSTEMS
According to the type of activity (according to BURGOON):
7 types:
1. KINESICS or bodily activity
- Body motions can be with the use of eye contact, facial expressions, gesture, and posture. Eye contact is the way we look with people whom we are communicating. This shows paying attention. Facial expressions are important in conveying message to show our emotions. Gestures are the movements of our arms, hands, and fingers to describe or to give emphasis. Posture is the position of our body; it is also a way of paying attention.
2. PROXEMICS or use of space
- The use of space also shows nonverbal communication. Intimate distance for private conversations of close friends, Personal distance for casual conversations, Social distance for impersonal business, and Public distance for public speeches.
3. Physical appearance
- Choice of clothing and personal grooming also communicate a message. The message you want to send is determined on how you dress and groom yourself. We have our choice to choose which clothing styles and grooming behaviors we want but it should be accordingly.
4. HAPTICS or use of touch
- We communicate through touch by the use of our hands. We can use it to hug slap, kiss, pat, hold, embrace, stroke and tickle. With these, we also convey message in variety of meanings. Our touch can be gentle and firm depending on how we do it for such purpose
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5. VOCALICS or use of voice
- Vocalics is also known as paralanguage. This is a nonverbal sound of what we hear or how something is being said. It has 4 vocals characteristics: pitch volume, rate and quality. The presence of vocal interferences or extraneous sounds interrupts a conversation of fluent speech.
6. CHRONEMICS or use of time
- The use of time also conveys meaning. Edward Hall calls informal time including: duration, activity and punctuality. Duration is the time regarded as appropriate for certain events or activities. Activity refers to what people perceive should be done in a given time period. Punctuality is the extent to which one adheres strictly to the appointed or regular time.
7. ARTIFACTS or use of objects
- Object language refers to the meanings attributed to objects with we surround ourselves. It says something about us because it represent the choices we make.
RAY BIRDWHISTELL'S THEORY ON KINESICS
- He was an anthropologist.
SEVEN ASSUMPTIONS WHERE THE THEORY WAS BASED:
1. All bodily movements have potential meaning in communicative contexts. Somebody can always assign meaning to bodily activities.
-With several ways to move our body parts, we could convey different message that can be used for communicating. Assigning of meaning will do for understanding.
2. Behavior can be analyzed because it is patterned. The organization of bodily activity can be subjected to systematic analysis.
-Our body activities can be controlled, patterned and analyzed. it is because our behavior is the one responsible for our different actions.
3. Although bodily activities have biological limitations, the use of body motions in interaction is considered to be a part of the social system. Different groups will use gestures differently.
-If there are universal meanings for certain body language, there are also some gestures that are only used in a particular group of persons in the society.
4. People are influenced by the bodily activities of others.
-Body activities are also dynamic. If a gesture is used simultaneously by a person, another person can imitate it.
5. The ways in which bodily activity functions in communication can be investigated.
-Through science, the way we move and how our body activities function can be studied and investigated for further intention.
6. The meanings discovered in research on kinesics result from the behavior being studied as well as the methods used for research.
-There is a basis for such discoveries in meanings of bodily movements. It is derived from different methods in research.
7. A person's use of bodily activity will have idiosyncratic features but will also be a part of a larger social system shared with others.
-Each individual’s usage of body movements will be a part of the social system because people influence each other. Whatever movement has been discovered, it will be shared and imitate by others.
-based largely on the perceived similarities between bodily activities and language called linguistic-kinetic analogy.
-Out of the thousands of perceptible body motions produced in a short period of time, certain of these emerge as important in communication. Such movements are called KINES.
KINE - range of motions or positions seen as a single motion or position.
Ex. Perceptible movement of the eyelid or a turn of the hand.
KINEMES - group of kines - elements that have distinct meanings.
- group of relatively interchangeable kines.
- example up to 23 different positions of the eyelids can be discerned but they can be group into four kinemes.
KINEMORPH - complex combination of kinemes throughout the body.
Example- a wink, a smile and a wave of the hand.
