The power of nonverbal communication

Abstract

This chapter aims to alert readers to the power and problems of nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication seems to be so innate and natural that we often lack awareness of the impact it can have. It can also be perceived to be a truthful form of communication, one that we can readily judge if there is some discrepancy between verbal and nonverbal behaviour. This is because we often implicitly trust our interpretation of people's nonverbal communication, sometimes letting it undermine the words people use. This seems a reasonable thing to do as we are less able to conceal our nonverbal communication. This chapter will overturn this assumption and show how the messages we perceive in others, and the ones we send nonverbally, can be open to misinterpretation, sometimes at a great cost to the individual. The more aware we are of the nuances of nonverbal communication, the better equipped we will be gauge our own and other's behaviour... Understanding the power of nonverbal communication in our academic professional and personal lives is an important tool for successful communication.