Nonverbal Communication: The World Beyond Words

Non verbal communication is defined with official concepts called Kinesics, Haptics, Artifacts, Environmental Factors, Proxemics and Personal Space, Chronemics, Paralanguage and Silence. In other words, nonverbal communication includes facial expressions, tones of voice, gestures, eye contact, spatial arrangements, patterns of touch, expressive movement, cultural differences, and other nonverbal acts. By using the search engine Google to do some in-depth research, one can easily see where researches belief that nonverbal communication is more important in understanding human behavior than words alone; according the going theories, nonverbal communication seem to be more powerful, and accurate, than what people articulate in their day to day interpersonal interactions.

Looking about me, focusing on my private relationships, all the concept advanced by so many researchers seem to seamlessly flow back and forth without a clear line. My world is comprised of appearing pleasant physically by remaining fit and dressing in a feminine manner, by creating a personal environment that is along the lines of Feng Shui, hinting at some far off heritage, while at the same time, defining my space, and easing communication concepts with the people in it.

Within this bubble, within the soothing concepts of my own created environment, my non verbal communication blossoms; the sense of touch is highlighted by being a welcoming addition rather than forming a barrier, the actual personal space line so defined by my German heritage is minimized between persons inhabiting and any particular status associated with the gender divide is removed.

While outside my own four walls I may become part of the hussle and bustle of life, and with it, the constraints associated with bell curve communication patterns, as evident by watching our gestures, facial components and body language with others based on some arbitrary concept, inside my four walls there is a comfortable silence, where non verbal communication speaks louder than words, where vocals are interpreted correctly, where silence symbolizes respect and thoughtfulness, not distance of awkwardness.

The first scientific study of nonverbal communication was Charles Darwin's book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872). He argued that all mammals show emotion reliably in their faces. (Wikipedia) Over the years, further studies expanded Darwin's concepts on non verbal communication and now they tell us we need to be aware of numerous concepts, ranging from Kinesics, Haptics, Artifacts, Environmental Factors, Proxemics and Personal Space, Chronemics, Paralanguage and finally, to Silence.

In order to remain political correct, we need to take all this research, endeavor to miss none, as we continuously monitor our nonverbal communication, while at the same time be tentative when interpreting other's nonverbal communication to assure we can effectively move within the unique dynamics of daily interpersonal relationships.