Non Verbal Communication Flashcards
NVC is Central re Emotional Contagion 1
Transference of an emotion from one animal to
another or from group to group
NVC is Central re Emotional Contagion 2
Expressed through facial expressions, body
language, vocalizations, behaviour or words
NVC is Central re Emotional Contagion 3
Humans are primed to “catch” others’ emotions
NVC is Central re Emotional Contagion 4
Automatic
NVC is Central re Emotional Contagion 5
Adaptive?
NVC is Central re Emotional Contagion 6
Biologically underpinned by mirror neurons
NVC is Central re Emotional Contagion 7
Special class of brain cell that fires when we act but also when we observe that act
NVC is Central re Emotional Contagion 8
Understanding others is not just cognitive but also
underpinned by a hard-wired drive to simulate
feelings
% of communication thats NVC
93%
Functions of NVC
Conveys info
Accentuates info
Contradiction
Regulates Conversation
kinesics
the study of body movements, gestures,
facial expression i.e. everything non-vocal
. Paralinguistic features
the non-lexical elements of
speech i.e. inflection, pitch, rate, volume, silence,
pronunciation, articulation etc.
Oculesics
the study of gaze related communication
Olfactics
the role of odour and smell
Proxemics
the spaces between people
Oculesics – Eyes as a clue to perception
- Eyes give us lots of different information
- Very young children ‘gaze track’
- As adults we find it hard to resist doing this
Darwin - 1872 1
The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals
Darwin - 1872 2
Argued that facial expression are biologically
determined / product of evolution
Darwin - 1872 3
A state of mind causes ‘muscular discharge’
(e.g. sets of facial muscle contractions) and
these express that state of mind
Darwin - 1872 4
Some expressions are true instinctual reflexes and
others result from learned association / habit
Darwin - 1872 5
Functional adaptations?
Darwin - 1872 6
Universal in that all peoples express to some
extent
Darwin - 1872 7
Widespread - Not just about humans
Ekman, Friesen, & Ellsworth (1972)
1. Cross cultural work with photos of facial emotions 2. Challenged Mead’s claim that the meaning of facial expressions were determined by culture 3. Claimed to find ‘universality’ on the expression of six ‘basic’ emotions 4. Developed the Facial Action Coding System (FACS)
Ekman’s 6 basic emotions
Happiness Sadness
Fear Anger
Disgust Surprise
(later added contempt)
Ekman et al (various work)
Micro-Expressions - brief, involuntary facial
expressions that show on the face according to the
emotions someone is experiencing.
Haptics
- Something as basic as a greeting can speak volumes
- Haptics are significantly shaped by culture
- Haptics shaped by status
Haptic Categories – Heslin, 1974
a) Functional / professional touching
b) Social / polite touching
c) Friendship / warmth touching
d) Love / intimacy touching
e) Sex / arousal touching
The Role of Nature
- Darwin / Ekman points about universality
- Animal studies
- Developmental sequence – using & comprehending
The Role of Nurture
- All aspects of NVC mediated by social factors –
type of relationship, roles involved, authority &
power, familiarity etc. - Relationship displays, roles etc. all moderated by
structural factors
Ekman & O’Sullivan (1991)
- lie detection
- Only Secret Service agents were able to detect
liars at a rate that statistically exceeded chance - How? - NVC – Especially micro expressions, some
just micro seconds in length - People can be taught to detect and read these but
a lengthy process
Feldman, 1999
- Older adolescents better liars than younger ones
- Younger or older females were better liars than
their male counterparts - Most talented liars had higher levels of social
competence - Poorer social skills were correlated with lower
ability to control NVC
