What types of gestures have you used today to communicate without words?

What we say without saying anything at all says a lot about us. While language is important for conveying thoughts and emotions, it’s not the only way we communicate. That’s where nonverbal communication comes in, bringing a host of cues from facial expressions to hand gestures that send important messages, helping others understand us.

Here’s what nonverbal communication is, why it’s important and how to pick up on the signs.

Nonverbal communication is defined as how people communicate with each other without talking or writing. “For example, when we wink at someone, offer a strong handshake or back away, we are conveying a message without speaking a word,” says Marcie Coulter-Kern, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Manchester University in North Manchester, Indiana. “Our facial expressions, body language and even physical distance send a message.”

We communicate nonverbally to convey information about emotions, intentions, attitudes, needs and more, according to research in the International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences[1]Hall JA. Nonverbal Communication, Social Psychology of. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Science. 2001;10702-10706. .

“We are constantly communicating nonverbally,” says Patti Wood, an international nonverbal communication and human behavior expert and author of  SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma. In fact, we can exchange up to 10,000 cues in less than a minute, she says.

6 Common Types of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication goes well beyond arm crossing and head nodding. It encompasses everything from how loudly and quickly we speak to the way we dress and present ourselves.

While sign language uses different expressions and gestures, it’s important to note that it’s not considered a form of nonverbal communication. Instead, it’s a nonvocal form of verbal communication since signing can be translated into specific words.

Below, we outline the most common types of nonverbal communication.

Kinesics

Kinesics refers to body movements including gestures, head movements and facial expressions, notes research from the University of Minnesota[2]Functions of Language. Communication in the Real World. The University of Minnesota Libraries. Accessed 04/11/2022. . “They reflect our perception of ourselves and others and the situation and topic,” explains Wood. But while you can clearly see a person smile when they laugh or pose for a photo, for instance, there’s a wide range of expressions that we don’t always recognize so consciously. Tilting your head, tossing your hair, crossing your legs, tapping your foot and winking all count as body movement cues.

In fact, according to Coulter-Kern, we are more likely to believe someone’s facial expression than their words.

Chronemics

Chronemics is how time affects communication. More specifically, Wood says it’s the use of time to reflect personal or cultural identity, power or status. For example, arriving on time—or showing up late—as well as responding to a call or text in a timely fashion are forms of chronemics.

Proxemics

This type of nonverbal communication has to do with physical space and distance, notes data in Communication Disorders in Multicultural and International Populations[3]Proxemics. Communication Disorders in Multicultural and International Populations. Accessed 04/11/2022. . “We are drawn toward what we like and are repelled by what we don’t,” adds Wood.

There are four proxemic zones of personal space: intimate, personal, social and public (or professional). Interestingly, Wood explains that our personal space bubbles have shifted over time. For instance, she says intimate space has grown from 12 inches in the 1990s to up to 1.5 feet now.

In either setting, the amount of space we decide to set between ourselves and others boils down to comfort level. “People often position themselves closer to those they are comfortable with and farther away from those they distrust,” says Coulter-Kern.

Haptics

We also use touch to convey emotions and communicate. Haptics includes hugging, kissing, shaking hands and other forms of embracing. “Research shows that touch is the first sense to develop, and it plays an essential role in well-being,” says Wood.

Physical Appearance

“Physical characteristics such as skin color, height, weight, facial features, facial and body symmetry and attractiveness influence how people perceive us—and vice versa,” says Wood. We can alter our physical appearance with items like makeup, tattoos and jewelry. Aspects of our physical appearance, chosen or not, communicate meaning to the people around us, research shows.

Data backs the idea that our appearance can influence other people’s perceptions of us even before we have a chance to talk to them. “People often perceive trustworthiness, introversion or extroversion, maturity and friendliness by someone’s looks—sometimes incorrectly,” says Wood.

Vocalics

Also called paralanguage, this type of nonverbal communication spans all the nuances of a person’s voice, including their pitch, volume, rate and vocal quality. It also includes breathing, laughing or using verbal filler like “uh” or “um.” Vocalics comprise the vocalized — but not verbal — components of nonverbal communication.

Wood says this subcategory of nonverbal communication helps us assess other peoples’ personalities, emotional intensity and humor, and provides us with cues to regulate the flow of conversation. “Many experts consider paralanguage to be the most honest nonverbal communication and the best way to assess deceit,” says Wood.

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