Inter-Gender Non-Verbal Communications.
Introduction
Non-verbal communication is a process via which people receive and send messages through the use of non-verbal (wordless messages). Non-verbal communication (NVC) could occur through the use of various means. These means include the use of touch and gestures (haptic form of communication), eye contact, posture or body language as well as facial expression. NVC could also be applied by the use of objects such as hairstyles, clothing, symbols, infographics and architecture. Dance is also a body language form that is regarded as NVC. Written texts also have an NVC element detected by arrangement and spacing of words, handwriting and the inclusion of emoticons. Speech also has NVC elements termed as paralanguage. These include emotion, speaking style, voice quality and other prosodic elements including stress, rhythm and intonation. A lot of research has been centered on face to face interactions. This leads to a classification of study of three elements: physical characteristics of the people involved in the communication, the environment and conditions in which they communicate as well as the behavior of those involved in the communication during the actual communication.
Whatever people speak many at times may be different from whatever they actually feel or think. It is easy to say something insincere, and as a result; spoken word can never be relied on completely. Fortunately, there are alternative proven ways that can be applied in decoding people’s emotions, feelings and thoughts without speech-possible by reading the people’s body language. People can lie, but they cannot effectively hide or lie about their silent and unconscious body language which speaks the truth. This paper contains results to an empirical research conducted in an amusement park in the afternoon on a Friday. The notes were taken between observations in order to avoid mis-recordings that may be affected by memory of forgetfulness. Thereafter, an analysis of the notes was done (Ivy & Backlund, 1994).
The observations’ results indicated that there are great differences in the way both men and women interpret, perceive and apply non-verbal communications. For example observations on eye contact showed that women maintain the eye contact gaze for longer than men. According to the observations their gaze is usually face centered and seemingly searching. However, they are not likely able to stare at a person; it was also observed that they break contact in a frequent manner than men did. This may sound contradicting; as per the observation men are less likely to establish eye contact, but once they make eye contact, they are more likely to get “locked in”. This may happen with them being oblivious of the fact that their eye contact is “locked in”.
Upon analysis of the observations on touch (haptics); there were evident indications that men more often than not initiate touch with whoever they are communicating with, than the women. Women were also many at times than men. Whenever, there were observed cases of women touching men; there seemingly was an expression of personal warmth and affection.
Facial observations’ results indicated that men are less skilled in interpreting and sending facially expressed messages such as smiles. On the other hand women were observed to be good at sending facial messages, especially smiles. It was also observed that women smile the more and send more facially expressed messages than men.
Proxemics observations indicate that women are more likely to draw closer preferring side by side conversations shown by how the hold arms and stay by the side of men. On the other hand men seemed to prefer face-to-face conversations and are more aware of their frontal space. Men were also observed to use more gestures than women in communication, whereas women used facial expressions.
References
Ivy, D. and Backlund, P. (1994). Exploring Gender Speak: Personal effectiveness in gender communication. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Publishers.
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