Body Language and Non-Verbal Communication

Body Language and Non-Verbal Communication What is nonverbal communication? Nonverbal Communication is a system of symbolic behaviors that includes all forms of communication except words. It is the nonlinguistic transmission of information through visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic channels where the message isn’t being said. Nonverbal communication is an unconscious language that broadcast our true feelings and intentions. Trust, clarity and rapport can be created when nonverbal signals match up with the words we say if it didn’t generate tension, mistrust and confusion.There are two types of nonverbal communication which are nonverbal messages produced by the body and nonverbal messages produced by the broad setting. Nonverbal communication is used to repeat the verbal message, used to accent a verbal message, regulate interactions and as a substitute for verbal messages such as gestures and facial expressions. Body language is a main feature of nonverbal communication. What is Body Language? Body language plays a big role in intuition as it gives us messages about the other personthat we can interpret at an intuitive level. Body language is the conscious and unconscious actions and postures by which attitudes and feelings are communicated. Body language is a subconscious behavior distinct from sign language which is fully conscious and purposeful act of communication. Body language can reveal much about feelings and meanings to others and how others reveal their feelings towards you. Body language signals happen on both conscious and unconscious level. Body language encompasses how we position our body, facial expressions, movement of eyes, the space between us and people and also body language tend to include the pace, pitch, volume, variation, pauses of our voice. Body language is thought to account for between 50 to 70 percent of all communication. There are two types of body language parts of the body and intent. Body movements include Eye contact, body position, gesture and movement Body movements Body movements emphasize what a person says and deliver information about the emotions and attitudes of the person. There are some hand gestures to say â€Å"ok† â€Å"come here† which are internationally recognized. Facial expressions show the emotions we feel unintentionally which gives strong clue about the true emotional state of a person. Some gestures are used to give back such as nodding heads which will allow the person to adapt to his speech to reflect interest and agreement which will help to develop the conversation. Nonverbal behaviors such as biting nails, scratching heads are psychological needs which are subconscious. These behaviors often accompany feelings of anxiety or hostility. Posture reflects people’s emotions, attitudes and intentions. There are two types of postures open and close postures. In a close position people tend to have arms folded legs crossed where as in an open structure people tend to have arms apart on the arms of a chair which communicates openness or interest to listen, clos posture shows discomfort or disinterest to communicate. Eye contact is important in giving and receiving feedbacks, let a partner know when it is their turn to talk and to communicate something about a relationship between people. Communication may not be smooth if a listener averts eyes too frequently. Personal Space Personal space maintained between two people is different to types of relationship in different cultures. There are four types of relationships. The closest contact is the intimate distance. To hold a conversation personal distance is appropriate where it is easy to see the expression, eye movements and the body language. Mostly hand shaking occurs in a personal distance. Social distance is the distance for impersonal business it is more to a formal relationship where the speech should be loud and use of eye contact is essential to remain the interaction. Finally the public distance is when speakers address groups at public distance. It is necessary to exaggerate on nonverbal communication specially the hand gestures as facial expressions cannot be seen in such a distance. In different relationships the body language used differs as the distance is different from one to another. The nonverbal communication is adjusted to use in different relationship types. Body language as an influencer Opening up the body and taking and filling more space shows the power posture which shows a range of confidence and boosting effects. When in an interview or anywhere else using the power pose gives confidence and shows that you are confident and full of energy. This will influence people more on how they feel about you than what you say. Avoidance of devices used helps to develop moreconfidence. It is better avoiding using devices before a meeting so that it will help to organize and focus thoroughly. Facial expressions also mattes a lot in body language, It is necessary to have proper facial expression. Before a meeting go in front of a mirror and image yourself and reset to suit the emotions of the meeting. A genuine smile will stimulate your own sense of wellbeing which will display you are approachable, corporative and trustworthy> Gesturing when speaking will aid the thoughts and make a good impression. It is more effective and competent when using hand gestures it is another tool to punctuate what we are saying. When the gestures are meaningful and related to what we say it makes the listener to understand and remember. Gesturing helps to make clearer thoughts and speak in tighter sentences with declarative language. Leaning forward, nodding, tilting the head shows that you are engaged and paying attention which will encourage the speaker to continue specking. It is better to keep the hands free when talking to make the speech effective by using hand gestures. It is said that people with their hands held at waist level are more comfortable than hands at chest level Hand shake is the most powerful nonverbal signal. People remember two times more if you shake hand and people react more openly and friendly to people who shake hands. Shuffling of feet, fidgeting and winding of feet around each other shows nervousness and anxiety, when in tension people will stretch and curl feet to relieve tension Body languages of different genders Male and females doesn’t show much of a difference. There are few noticeable differences in female body language which women do consciously and subconsciously and also it says women tend to be more aware of their body language and others body language cues. Men read body language using different areas of their brains Men and women lie differently. Women lie less about themselves and more to protect others feelings or to make others feel better about themselves. Men lie to appear more powerful, interesting, and successful. They lie about themselves eight times more than they lie about others. Men usually point their toes towards the most important person to him in a group. Men take much more space to claim power in a room or assert dominance. How to improve non verbal communication To improve nonverbal communication, should learn to manage stress and pay attention to inconsistencies and show proper gestures to illustrate the message effectively. Should also maintain the proper posture and eye contact to display confidence an interest if not it will be viewed as disinterest or nervousness. In order to communicate effectively it is necessary to be aware of our space as well as others space and also it is equally important to be culturally competent and to know what is accepted in other cultures. References Goman, C. (2014).10 Powerful body language tips.Available: http://www.amanet.org/training/articles/10-Powerful-Body-Language-Tips.aspx. Last accessed 30th May 2014. Female Body Language Science of People. (n.d.). Science of People. Retrieved May 30, 2014, from http://www.scienceofpeople.com/2013/06/female-body-language/ Edwards, V. (2014, January 30). How to Read A Mans Body Language. The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 30, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vanessa-van-edwards/how-to-read-a-mans-body-l_b_4674615.html

Fatal Secret

*Wednesday 15th October It's getting worse. I have no friends. My family hates me. My grades are low and I can't sleep. I don't know why I even bother with school any more. My parents are so busy fighting they don't even know I'm there. I might as well just leave, it will make everyone happy. I have to go. Just pack my bags, and go* It's a Thursday afternoon, the sun is shining, there's a clear blue sky, and everything is close to perfect. Or so it seemed†¦ â€Å"Grace! Gracie! Gracie darling I'm home!† Grace's mother called repeatedly, but no one was home. Though she looked around, Grace's mother found nothing. Absolutely nothing. Except for this piece of paper lying on grace's dresser. Why this piece of paper stuck out so much she didn't know, but nevertheless she picked it up. It was addressed to her. â€Å"Mum, I know I haven't been the best daughter lately, so I think I've done you and dad a favour. I've seen the pair of you fighting, and I can't help but feel it is my fault. So I've decided to get out of your way. I don't know where I'm going, or how long for, but I think you will agree that it's for the best. In case I never see you again, I want you to know one thing. I love you and dad very much, and I owe you everything. You are the best parents a girl could wish for, but I hate seeing you like this. It's for the best, and I know when I come back things will be much better. Promise me you won't forget me. I'm sorry, Gracie xxx† Grace's mother was stunned. She read it over and over, but each time it said the same thing. Grace was gone. Her baby girl had run away, and it was all her fault. Straight away she phoned her husband, who came home immediately. â€Å"Helen, calm down† â€Å"No, we must call the police† â€Å"Look love†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Steven, our child has gone!† â€Å"Yes dear, but we can't do anything just now. The police can't do anything for another twenty-four hours. Please, just calm down. Gracie will turn up anytime now. You'll see. She'll come rushing through that door crying, saying how she made a mistake. It will all be alright.† But she didn't. They waited all night, but there was no sign of Grace. Eventually they did call the police, although that didn't make much of a difference. Grace was nowhere to be seen. Helen, Grace's mother, had started to think the worst. â€Å"Steven, what if she's, you know, what if something's happened to her. She could be lying in a ditch right now, calling out for help. Officer, can't you do something!† â€Å"We're trying as hard as we can ma'm, but there's only so much we can do. There's a search party out now, and we've advertised it everywhere. I'm afraid there isn't much else I can do. Sorry.† It was true, not much else could be done, and there didn't seem much hope for Grace's survival. No one knew if she was alive or dead. There was no evidence pointing either way. Not at the time anyway†¦ The street is no place for a young girl, as Grace found out over time. She began to regret ever leaving. She wasn't the only one alone, but everyone else seemed to know how to survive, whereas Grace was struggling to find a meal each day. She would get funny looks when people walked past. Other homeless people scared her, something about them made her feel uneasy. One man, a strange looking man with a long ripped coat and a scar across his face, he scared her the most. He would walk past her; give her funny looks, like he was thinking something. Grace was permanently on the move to try and escape his glare, but somehow he would always find her. She wasn't the only one he scared. There were other girls, young girls, on the street with Grace. She wouldn't understand why, but every now and again, one of these girls would go missing. She'd never see them again. Grace just thought that they'd moved on, or gone home. If only she knew†¦ The search continued for weeks, even months. Every day more and more people seemed certain she had disappeared completely. For everyone knew about it. It was all over every newspaper, on every channel. Not one workplace hadn't discussed it over their tea break. Lots of people joined in the search, everyone wanted her to be okay. When almost every person had given up hope of finding her, something turned up. Some children had gone down to the river one Sunday afternoon for a bit of fishing. One boy had something on the end of his line, but it wasn't a fish. It was something much larger and heavier, for he had trouble pulling it in. It was a body, a naked body. A young girl's naked body. It was Grace. When the police examined the case, it was put down as suicide. They didn't look into it much, everything added up. She was young, lonely, upset, it all seemed to fit. But maybe they should have looked a little deeper, examined it a bit more. Did she kill herself, or was it someone else' s doing. Maybe they needed just that one bit of evidence to prove that it wasn't as simple as it looked. Maybe†¦ * Wednesday 15th November I'm scared. I don't know exactly what's happening. But I know it's to do with him. I've seen him before, he gives me funny looks. I've heard him talking himself; he's not right in the head. Before I heard him asking another girl if he could do stuff to her. Dirty, wrong stuff. It's not right. I just want to go home, I don't want anything to happen to me. I never wanted to die, I just thought I shoouldgive my parents some space. I think I hear him again; he's coming over here. It's the end, I know it is. I just want to go home. I just want to go home. *

Anti-War Movement

The United States participation in the Vietnam War was a subject of much debate among the American public. While many Americans supported the United States involvement in the War, in agreement with the Government that American assistance was needed in order to stop the spread of Communism, other people felt that it was immoral for the United States to involve itself in another country's internal matters. (Chambers) 2000. The antiwar movement against Vietnam in the US from 1965-1971 was the most significant movement of its kind in the nation's history. After evaluating different social theories such as: Functionalism, Conflict and Interactionism, I have decided to classify the Anti-War movement during the Vietnam War as a Conflict Theory. I feel the Anti-War Movement’s has characteristics of Neo-Marxism. Though the first American protests against U. S. intervention in Vietnam took place in 1963, the antiwar movement did not begin in diligence until two years later, when President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered massive U. S. military intervention and the sustained bombing of North Vietnam. Chambers) 2000. In the spring of 1965, â€Å"teach? ins† against the war were held on many college campuses. The Anti-War Movement was centered on America’s higher-education system, the students, playing leading roles. Teach-ins were extreme, massive public protests. By 1968 Protesters numbered close to seven million and over half of them were Caucasian college students. The teach-ins were primarily peaceful, but effective. They were successful in capturing the attention of the public as well as those in government. The motivation behind teach-ins were just that, with the hopes of further escalation in Vietnam to slow down or come to a halt. In April 1965, President Johnson gave a major Vietnam address at John Hopkins University, in response to the growing campus protest activity. This speech marked the political impact of campus demonstrations. (Electric Library) This is an example of Neo-Marxism. The protestors were getting a partial system change. They had the attention of the public, and most importantly the government. However, by 1967 a lot of anti-war activists began to think peaceful protests were not going to be enough to influence war policy, so they began using civil disobediences, strikes, public disruption, shouting at government speakers and guerilla theatre to get their message heard loud and clear. In March 1967, a national organization of draft resisters was formed. In April 1967, more than 300,000 people demonstrated against the war in New York. Six months later, 50,000 surrounded the Pentagon, sparking nearly 700 arrests. By this time it became typical for, senior Johnson administration officials to encounter demonstrators when speaking in public, forcing them to restrict their outside appearances. Many also had sons, daughters, or wives who opposed the war, fueling the sense of attack. Prominent participants in the antiwar movement included Dr. Benjamin Spock, Robert Lowell, Harry Belafonte, and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. With prominent leaders extending their support in the movement it gave the activist a great deal of motivation and validation. The social theory of Neo-Marxism was in full effect. By 1968, the Johnson administration realized the impact of widespread public opposition to the war and the troubling prospects in Vietnam, causing them to put a halt on the bombing of North Vietnam and to stabilize the ground war. This policy reversal was the major turning point. U. S. troop strength in Vietnam would climax at 543,000 (Chambers) 2000. The antiwar movement reached its peak under President Richard M. Nixon. In October 1969, more than 2 million people participated in Vietnam Moratorium protests across the country. The following month, over 500,000 demonstrated in Washington and 150,000 in San 4 Francisco. Militant protest, continued to spread, leading many Americans to wonder whether the war was worth a split society. And other forms of antiwar activity lingered on. The Nixon administration took a host of measures to dull the movement, mainly mobilizing supporters, smearing the movement, tracking it, withdrawing U. S. troops from Vietnam, instituting a draft lottery, and eventually ending draft calls. Once U. S. troops began coming home, the antiwar movement gradually declined between 1971 and 1975 (Chambers) 2000. The American movement against the Vietnam War was the most successful antiwar movement in U. S. history. The Neo-Marxism social theory is easily applied to the Anti-War Movement. The characteristics of the conflict were disorder, boycotts, intense conflict, commitment, and emotional involvement all of which resulted in system change. The activists involved in the Anti-War movement of this time were passionate and dedicated to seek change. They sought out peace and love for our Country and did not lose sight of their objective. They went to great lengths to achieve what seemed like the impossible. References http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O126-VietnamAntiwarMovement.html

Commonly Confused Words Pair, Pare, and Pear