00484-- WHAT IS NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION? //kinesics//proxemics// chronemics

WHAT IS NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION?

Non-verbal communication refers to all communication that occurs without the use of words spoken or written. Non-verbal communication is concerned with body movements (kinesics), space (proxemics), chronemics (time) and vocal (paralinguistic) features.  It includes all unwritten and unspoken messages, both intentional and unintentional.  

Personal appearances, facial expressions, postures, gestures, eye contact, voice proximity, and touch are all non-verbal signals that influence the way in which a message is interpreted and understood.

1.KINESICS [body movements]

Kinesics is the study of the body's physical movements.  It is the way the body communicates without words, i.e., through the various movements of its parts.  






Personal appearance play an important role in communication because people see before they hear.  Appearance includes clothes, hair, accessories, cosmetics and so on.   

Posture comes under Kinesics.  Posture generally refers to the way we hold ourselves when we stand, sit or walk.  

1. Slumped posture = low spirit
2. Erect posture = high spirits, energy and confidence
3. Lean forward = open, honest, and interested
4. Lean backward = defensive or disinterested
5. Crossed arms = defensive and not ready to listen
6. Uncrossed arms = willingness to listen

Gesture is the movement made by hands, head, or face.  Skillful and appropriate gestures can add to the impact of verbal communication.  
Facial Expression  plays an important part in non-verbal communication.
The face is the most expressive part of our body.  A smile stands for friendliness, a frown for discontent, raised eyebrows for disbelief, tightened jaw muscles for antagonism, etc.


Eye contact  Eyes are considered to be the windows of the soul.  Eye contact is a direct and powerful form of non-verbal communication.  Eyes are also a rich source of feed back.  

2. Proxemics [study of physical space]

Proxemics is the study of physical space in interpersonal relations.  Space is related to behavioural norms.  The way people use space communicates a lot.  In a professional setting, space is used to signal power and status.  For instance, the head of a company has a larger office than junior employees. 

Like kinesics, proxemics also has cultural variations.  Edward T. Hall (1996) divides space into four distinct zones.


a) Intimate Zone starts with personal touch and extends just to 18 inches (one and half feet).    Members of the family, lovers, spouses, relatives, and parents fall in this zone.  The best example is the mother child relationship.


b) Personal Zone stretches from 18 inches (one and a half feet) to 4 feet.  Close friends, colleagues, peers, etc. fall in this zone.  

c) Social Zone Social events take place in the radius of 4 feet to 12 feet.  In this zone relationships are more formal and official.  People are more cautious in their movements.

d) Public Zone starts from 12 feet and may extend to 25 feet or to the range of eyesight and hearing.  Events that take place in this zone are formal.  Here the audience views what is happening as an impartial observer.  The degree of detachment is very high.  Public figures like the prime minister of a country, for example, have to maintain this distance for security reasons. 


3. Chronemics [use of time]

Chronemics is the study of how human beings communicate through their use of time.  In the professional world, time is a valuable resource.  If we are late for an appointment, people react negatively.  If early, we are considered either over eager or aggressive.  So one must be on time.  By valuing someone else's time, we communicate our professionalism or seriousness both subtly and explicitly.

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00481--The modes of communication

Describe the modes of communication

The modes of communication are:

1. Formal and Informal,
2. Oral and Written,
3. Internal and External, and, 
4. Verbal and Non-verbal Communication.

1.Formal and Informal

Communication can be both formal and informal.  It depends on one's relationship with the sender or receiver.  The first social meeting between two individuals tend to be very formal, but as they get familiar the communication becomes friendly and informal. When working directly for the goal of the organization, formal communication is used.  Both formal and informal communication modes are equally important.  Informal communication within any set-up is known as the grapevine referring to rumour.  Written communication can be either formal or informal.  

2.Oral and Written

Any communication can be divided into two equally important categories: oral and written.  

Oral forms	Written forms
Face-to-face conversations	Memos
Telephone conversations	Letters
Meetings	Emails
Seminars	Faxes
Conferences	Notices
Dictation	Circulars
Presentations	Newsletters
Group discussions	Reports
Interviews	Proposals
Video conferences	Research papers
	Bulletins
	Brochures
	Manuals
	In-house journals

  
THE ADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

The written mode is very convenient to send lengthy messages with a lot of information that cannot be shared orally.  In written communication, the response can be well prepared because the medium gives ample time to the receiver to analyse the message and its implications.

THE DISADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
It takes longer to draft and convey a written reply, thus it will not work in places where time matters, e.g. , when discussing an urgent business deal.  In a negotiation-like interaction, which requires a lot of exchanges between two parties, written communication can take a long time.  Written communication cannot be supplemented with non-verbal gestures and postures, which are sometimes essential for a message to be properly interpreted.

3.Internal and External

Internal ; Communication within an organization is known as internal communication.  It usually is formal.  Here interactions take place through pre set formats, and are usually not ad hoc or unplanned.  

External  ;  All official, technical, or professional communication with people outside the organization is known as external communication.  This is mode is equally important as Internal communication.

4. Verbal and Non-verbal Communication

Verbal communication includes both oral and written communication.  

Non-verbal communication refers to all communication that occurs without the use of words spoken or written. Non-verbal communication is concerned with body movements (kinesics), space (proxemics),  and vocal (paralinguistic) features.  It includes all unwritten and unspoken messages, both intentional and unintentional.

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00479--What are the features essential for effective or productive communication?

What are the features essential for effective or productive communication?

1.  Clarity and integrity of the message to be conveyed,

2.  One who communicates must know the main purpose and objective of the message he/she wants to achieve

3.  The language chosen should be known to both the parties,

4.  To convey the message properly an appropriate medium should be chosen, and, 

5.  There should be appropriate feedback to the message.

The Communication Process

Guidelines for effective communication

• Before sending a message, one should analyse and simplify the content of the message.  
• One should also ensure an appropriate atmosphere before delivering the message.  
• One should be very careful about the content as well as paralinguistic features such as tone, pitch, and voice.  
• One should emphasize verbal communication with the help of appropriate gestures and postures.  

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00478--What is LSRW? // communication skills

What is LSRW?

LSRW

 The four major formal communicative skills are known as LSRW.

L = listening

S = speaking

R = reading

W = writing

Listening

In relation to  communication listening refers to the ability to understand an oral message.  One is to understand what one hears.  Listening attentively as well as assimilating the information is very important for effective communication.  The way one listens reveals ones attitude.  Listener's response to the message (interest, empathy, boredom etc.) is communicated through the act of listening.  The power to comprehend the delivered information quickly is the need of the hour.  Effective listening skill is required for a professional as it is one of the basic and most important skills needed for activities such as interviews, group discussions, meetings etc.

Speaking

Which is the most frequently required skill in professional and social spheres? It is Effective Speaking.  Effective speaking is but the ability to express one's message effectively to the audience through spoken words.  The delivery of messages is possible through both face-to-face communication and electronic devices.  This skill is very much required for communicating in conferences, meetings, seminars, group discussions etc.

 Reading

The act of effective reading requires the skills of decoding and comprehending the written message.  Thus reading is a complex skill.  The reader has to develop different skills such as vocabulary, fast reading, and intensive reading.  Fast reading skills include; a) scanning, and, b)skimming.  Intensive reading includes; a) thorough reading, and, b) inferential skills.

Writing

When we write down a graphic element on a piece of paper , it becomes a written document.  This written communication is the second form of communication which is transmitted through words.  Effective writing skills are required to write documents such as reports, letters, memos and emails.  Why written communication is more important than oral communication?  Because it is a permanent record of one's transactions, and it can be referred to at any point of time.  Only practice can perfect the writing skill.  For effective writing, one must write, rewrite, and finally learn to edit.

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00476--WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF (HUMAN) LANGUAGE?

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF (HUMAN) LANGUAGE?

Language is not exact. It can lead to misunderstanding. Noam Chomsky and Ferdinand de Saussure have classified the language so that the true nature of the languge could be understood. They are:

1. Language is artificial,
2. Language is restricted,
3. Language is abstract,
4. Language is arbitrary,
5. Language is creative,
6. Language is redundant, and,
7. Language is recursive.

• Language is artificial because it is man made.
  It cannot exist in isolation. It is subject to change.
• Language is restricted because it is not capable of
  repressenting our thoughts fully. The limitation of
  language is often overcome by non-verbal cues.
• Language is abstract because it represents
  generalizedideas of things or thoughts.
• Language is arbitrary because the sign C A T
  has nothing in common with the animal cat,
  but still it means that.
• Language is creative because new words are
  being created through different processes.
  Also the existing ones change their meaning.
• Language is redundant because it has
  the capacity for repetition. When we say
  discuss about [discuss = talk about something]
  or order for [ order = instruction for] we use
  repetition. Sometimes repetition is needed
  for effective communication.
• Language is recursive because it enables
  the generation of any number of sentences
  using the same basic grammatic templates.
  END