Elements of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication: A Literature Review Abby Hill Missouri State University
When people think of communication, they almost always solely care about tangible, verbal communication, but it can be argued that nonverbal communication is far more important. Edward Sapir was once quoted as saying, “Nonverbal communication is an elaborate secret code that is written nowhere, known by none, but understood by all.” There are language and cultural barriers everywhere, but the one thing the entire world has in common is nonverbal communication. Even so, verbal and nonverbal communication is what makes up all interpersonal communication within the human race; you cannot successfully have one without the other. Several different theories explain several different aspects of these types of communication but there are a few common themes in each, including the evolution of communication, the importance of the incorporation of both types of communication, and the extension of interpersonal communication into mass communication.
Verbal communication is the most well-understood aspect of communication, therefore it is the least studied. According to the Grebelsky-Lichtman article, “Verbal communication involves symbolic and intended messages and uses learned and socially shared signal systems of propositional information that are transmitted via symbol” (2014). Several other sources corroborate this statement about the key components of verbal communication. Verbal communication includes actual words as well as tone. A main concept in several of the articles was deception. It is very easy to deceive based solely on verbal cues. This concept was consistently written throughout the articles having to do with deception. Basically, the simplicity and straightforwardness of verbal communication allows for little to be left to the imagination. Nonverbal communication is one of the most widely studied forms of communication in the world. It makes up more of actual communication than verbal cues (tone and verbiage). Mikkelson, Farinelli, and La Valley stated, “Nonverbal communication is the primary channel for the communication of emotion. The abilities to express, control, and decode emotions are important social skills” (2006). This is deemed true by several other sources, especially the former part of the statement. Nonverbal communication is what is used when differentiating deceit from the truth, as demonstrated in several articles. Nonverbal communication includes hand gestures, facial expression, body language, etc. It encompasses most of what we communicate with, and rightfully so. Basing all observations solely on words could prove dangerous and both socially and physically. While tone can provide more information than simple words, it is of the utmost importance to pay attention to the nonverbal aspects of communication. Communication evolves over time as people evolve. Not only do theories change in general, but they change based on gender and even brain dominance. Anything can cause society’s ideas of communication to change, especially a large cultural shift. Mikkelson, Farinelli, and La Valley did a study published in 2006 in which they said:
In this study, we investigated the effects of hemispheric brain dominance and sex on emotional social skills, specifically emotional expressivity, sensitivity, and control. Using the measurements of handedness, we classified participants as being standard, mixed, or anomalous dominant….In general [mixed dominant] men and women reported behaviors opposite of traditional sex differences in emotional expression. That study proved that something as simple as hand dominance can affect how you communicate both verbally and nonverbally. Not only that, but things like the internet and social media have changed our means of communication. Riordan and Trichtinger wrote an article saying that confidence in both writers and readers of email was high despite low accuracy rates (2017). This shows not only have our means of communication changed, but our attitude and mannerisms we use when we employ these communicative methods have changed as well. Communication is vastly different than what it was one hundred years ago, let alone thirty years ago when the internet first came about. Communication is an evolving social science and has to be studied fervently and often so that studies may be as accurate as possible.
Nonverbal communication cannot be successful without verbal communication. Verbal communication establishes the cues put in place by society that nonverbal cues adhere to. Tone and verbiage would not be nearly as effective without the use of body language and gesture. Patterson and Tubbs expanded on this idea in their 2005 article, stating:
It is common to equate interactions with conversations, but there are many settings where people interact without saying a word. As people stand in line at the grocery store, share an elevator ride, or walk through a crowded mall, they make adjustments in their behavior to the close presence of others. The “micro-interactions” show more about our communication skills as a species than anything else. The social norms that are placed on cultures and countries define them. The way nonverbal and verbal communication is inseparable throughout all cultures and practices, though, is what is most important. People nonverbally communicate more often than they realize and do it without thinking. Even just being in the same vicinity of others allows us to communicate verbally or nonverbally. Any type of social interaction proves chance for communication, it only depends on what you choose to do with the opportunity. One type cannot exist without the other. Verbal communication insights nonverbal communication and vice versa. Because of that fact, the two are codependent of each other.
The extension of interpersonal communication into mass communication is prevalent and obvious in these articles. Verbal and nonverbal communication in generally looked at as a small-scale interpersonal type of communication rather than something that affects the masses as well as the individual. Because mannerisms are put into practice and broadcasted for the world to see, it becomes a world affair. A study of a handshake between two heads of state analyzed the practice saying, “[W]e contend that investigating media frames found within metapragmatic discourse of nonverbal events can help organize and reveal more specific meanings that can be given to the cues” (Manusov & Milstein 2005). This quote states that large scale events can be useful for categorizing certain social norms in society and why they are important to communication. Interpersonal communication is currently changing to include much of what is considered “mass communication.” Kory Floyd stated:
The conceptual line dividing inter-personal and small-group communication is often so fuzzy as to be meaningless. Interpersonal exchanges often occur at the level of public communication, and people share interpersonal communication about mass communication. [Interpersonal communication] therefore infuses every other level, making it difficult to distinguish cleanly. (2014) This idea ties back into the evolution of communication as well. Mass communication and interpersonal communication are slowly becoming more similar and may even one day be considered the same thing.
All of these articles show the similarities in beliefs about verbal and nonverbal communication. Because verbal and nonverbal communication is so vastly different, but codependent, the study of each brings up similar assumptions and findings. It is common to see studies about the changing of communication, the codependence of the two types of communication, and mass communication and interpersonal communication slowly becoming one. All of these are common threads that lead to the same idea: communication is changing but it is always constant.
References
Bodie, G. D. & Jones, S. M. (2012) The Nature of Supportive Listening II: The Role of Verbal Person Centeredness and Nonverbal Immediacy. Western Journal of Communication, 76(3), 250-269.
Ellis, V. (2007). The Narrative Matrix and Wordless Narrations: A Research Note. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 23(2), 113-125.
Floyd, K. (2014). Interpersonal Communication’s Peculiar Identity Crisis. Communication Studies, 65(4), 429-431.
Grebelsky-Lichtman, T. (2014). Children’s Verbal and Nonverbal Congruent and Incongruent Communication during Parent-Child Interactions. Human Communication Research, 40, 415-441.
Henningsen D. D., Valde, K. S., & Davies, E. (2005). Exploring the Effect of Verbal and Nonverbal Cues on Perceptions of Deception. Communication Quarterly, 53(3), 359-375.
Manusov, V. & Milstein, T. (2005) Interpreting Nonverbal Behavior: Representation and Transformation Frames in Israeli and Palestinian Media Coverage of the 1993 Rabin-Arafat Handshake. Western Journal of Communication, 69(3), 183-201.
Mikkelson, A. C., Farinelli, L., & La Valley, A. G. (2006). The INfluences of Brain Dominance and Biological Sex on Emotional Expressivity, Sensitivity, and Control. Communication Quarterly, 54(4), 427-446.
Patterson, M. L. & Tubbs, M. E. (2005). Through a Glass Darkly: Effects of Smiling and Visibility on Recognition and Avoidance in Passing Encounters. Western Journal of Communication, 16(3), 219-231.
Riordan, M. A. & Trichtinger, L. A. (2017). Overconfidence at the Keyboard: Confidence and Accuracy in Interpreting Affect in Email Exchanges. Human Communication Research 43, 1-24.
Trees, A. R. (2005) Nonverbal and Verbal Approach Behaviors Related to Reported and Perceived Support Seeking Goals in Conversation. Western Journal of Communication, 69(4), 319-337.