Topic 5 Flashcards
Define ‘tell’
A non-verbal behaviour that reveals a person’s true state of mind
Define ‘cluster’
In relation to nonverbal communication, a group of different types of nonverbal behaviours or tells.
Explain ‘congruence’
The extent to which verbal and nonverbal messages reinforce or contradict each other
- When they are not congruent with each other, you need to work out what is really true
- If there is incongruence, believe the nonverbal communication
Define ‘back channeling’
In conversation, responding to a speaker with nonverbal and preverbal feedback, such as nodding, smiling and ‘friendly grunts’
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘head movements’
- The ‘yes’ gesture and the ‘no’ gesture are not universal
- NVC can vary considerably from culture to culture
- Interpret nodding in conversation
- Use of backchanneling (Feedback) to indicate support
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘facial expressions’
- Reveals much of your emotional disposition
- Strong cultural and social messages involved in suppressing or expressing those emotions
- High-status people’s expressions
- Smiling - a positive and spontaneous response (but may be pressure on staff to smile on cue)
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘eye contact’
Eye contact, or direct gaze, means different things to different people
- Euro-American, Saudi Arabian, Korean and Thai people tend to regard a direct gaze as a desirable characteristic indicating openness and honesty
In other cultures, an averted gaze indicates respect
- Such as in Japanese, Mexican, West African and Puerto Rican cultures
There is potential for misunderstanding here
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘voice’
Paralinguistic changes
- The properties of voices, separate from the words being spoken, that can convey meanings
Pitch
- Tend to pitch voice higher with those you know
- Deception may be suggested in raised pitch/use of non-word interjections and partial words
- Males lower pitch than females
Inflection
- For questions you use a high-rising tone to cue a response
- When you are ready to stop talking, you upwardly inflect or downwardly inflect
- Continual high-rising tone – indicates immaturity or lack of confidence
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘smell’
- Major mode of communication in animal world
- Human pheromones (chemicals) - key signals in sexual behaviour – not yet well understood
- In Western societies, a taboo topic
- Hard to get feedback on your body smells, may be a distracter to effective communications
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘gesture’
- Body movements that express an idea or emotion
- Take care with cultural differences
- An innocent gesture in one culture might be seen as insulting in another
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘posture’
Relates to body movements and disposition
- Bowing: Universal sign of respect, and sometimes even defeat
- Rigid body: Aggression, shoulders raised, both signals of readiness for physical combat
- Slumped posture: Defeat or depression
- Mirroring/postural echo: copy an admired person’s posture
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘body movement’
How humans move their bodies in relation to communications.
- Orientation
- Orientation/attitude, inclination/body angle adopted in relation to others
- Synchronisation
- Interactive process that helps define relationships between individuals
Define ‘mirroring’
Consciously or unconsciously copying the nonverbal behaviour of someone admired
Define ‘kinesics’
The study of non-linguistic body movement in relation to communication
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘touching’
- Basic human need
- Varies between cultures and within cultures
- High-contact cultures
- Arab peoples, Latin Americans, Russians, most South East Asians and southern Europeans
- Low-contact cultures
- People of Anglo-Saxon origin, Scandinavians, Japanese, Koreans and Chinese
Five types:
1. Functional / professional 2. Social / polite 3. Friendship / warmth 4. Love / intimacy 5. Sexual / arousal
Define ‘ Haptics’
The study of touch as a form of communication
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘Clothing and adornment’
- ‘Clothing’ - primarily to protect people from the elements and to send social and sexual messages
- ‘Adornment’ – both physical decoration, body modification
- Social inventions of different cultures
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘Personal space/territoriality’
- Personal space varies considerably between cultures and classes, and even between the sexes
- Many males demand more personal space than many females
- People from rural areas may have higher personal space needs than people from city areas
- Intercultural conflict can arise if norms about space and touch are not understood
Define ‘proxemics’
The study of the spatial relationships between individuals
Discuss the different meanings/uses of ‘environment’
Powerful mode of communication Successful communications may be due to: - Building architecture - Room size and shape - Furniture - Interior decoration - Climate
Define ‘dyssenia’
The condition of having difficulties in understanding or sending nonverbal information.
Explain the types of ‘audiences using Persuasion and audience analysis’
Distinguish audience dynamics:
- Authority
- Influence
- Assess the audience types:
- Decision-makers
- Influencers
- Collectors
- Socials
- Develop a power map
How do you deal with ‘problem audiences’
- You may experience fear and stress with public speaking
- You may be unsure of the audience
- Generally speaking, most members of an audience want you to succeed
- How do you manage a hostile audience?
Use the grapevine
- Find out about individuals before the meeting
- Use official channels as well as the grapevine
- Know your stuff
- Research the topic well in advance of the event
- Present in a calm and modest manner
Multiple questioners
- Identify the order of questioners
- Keep questions and answers brief
- Offer to speak later to persistent questioners
Tell the truth
- Assess if an audience has a reason to be hostile
- Do not lie; the audience will know
How do you ‘plan’ for public speaking
What do you want to say? How can you best say it? What does the audience want to hear? What does the audience not want to hear? What does the audience need to hear? How do you ensure your presentation is effective?
How do you ‘plan the content’ of your presentation?
Pattern of exposition
- What are you going to present?
Content quantity
- How much can you say in the time you have?
Focus
- What will be your unique message?
Spice
- How will you vary the content to maintain audience interest?
The multiple audiences problem
- How can you best cater for sub-audiences?
The multi-channel problem
- How can you best reinforce the spoken message?
Balance
- Have you been even-handed in considering opposing viewpoints?
How should you ‘structure your presentation’?
Three-part presentation structure:
Opening or introduction
Body or main section (3-5 main points)
Conclusion or closing
Colloquially:
Tell them what you are going to tell them
Tell them
Tell them what you have just told them
Fourth part of the presentation structure:
- A questions segment or phase
- Hold back new material
- Release new material when answering questions
Define ‘spice’
Variety given to a presentation such as quotations, statistics, anecdotes, analogies or metaphors, dramatic visuals, demonstrations and humor
How should you ‘rehearse/practice’ oral presentations
For a formal presentation rehearse:
- The full text of your presentation
- Dressed and groomed as for the presentation
- In the venue as for the presentation
- Using the audiovisual aids as for the presentation
- Using video to record, play back and analyse your performance
- In front of a select audience
Define ‘performance stress’
Anxiety related to performance; also known as speaker anxiety or stage fright
List some strategies for managing ‘performance stress’ and preparing for speaking
Exercise, yawn/stretch/role head from side to side, relax, meditate, use music/laughter, go to the toilet beforehand, avoid tranquilizing agents e.g. alcohol, avoid problematic foods, drink water, build in a time cushion, make the stage familiar, rehearse, revisualise, be overprepared.
