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Non-verbal communication is communication by non-linguistic means; it can include vocal communication (e.g., voice tone), but not language (e.g., sign language). Non-verbal communication is important because what we do often conveys more meaning than what we are saying, which shapes our perceptions.
All behaviour has communicative value, which means that non-verbal communication is always occurring. Non-verbal communication is primarily relational. It allows us to define the kinds of relationships we want to have with others as well as convey emotions that we may be unwilling or unable to express verbally. Non-verbal communication is ambiguous, which means that it is not always clear. We can read non-verbal cues incorrectly depending on the situation and the person with whom we are communicating. Non-verbal communication also occurs in mediated messages. Emojis, punctuation, and the timing of a message all have communicative value.
Although some facial expressions may be universal, cultures have their own display rules for the appropriate non-verbal expression of emotions. Non-verbal gestures that stand in for verbal expressions, or emblems, can also vary by culture, with the same gesture sometimes having different meanings in different places. Norms govern not only how people from different cultures express emotions, but also how they read them. Across cultures, however, women tend to be more non-verbally expressive and are better able to interpret non-verbal behaviour than men.
Non-verbal communication plays several roles in the way we relate to others. It functions to create and maintain relationships, as we use it to gather information about others, express our attitudes towards them, and create and signal emotional climate. Non-verbal regulators help to control verbal interaction. A good example is the wide array of turn-taking signals that we use in everyday conversation. We use non-verbal communication to influence others and also to influence ourselves, as it can affect both how we are perceived and how we feel. Finally, most people monitor non-verbal cues when trying to either detect or conceal deception.
There are many types of non-verbal communication that reveal relational information about our attitudes, emotions, and intentions when communicating with others. Kinesics is the study of how people communicate through bodily movements (facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, etc.). Our facial expressions can reveal our emotions in a number of ways. Oculesics is the study of how our eyes communicate. Our eyes can regulate, monitor, express emotion, show interest, and show disapproval. Our posture, gestures, and physical orientation also reveal a great deal about the relational content of our messages. Touching behaviours (haptics) reflect our feelings towards others and have a powerful effect on decision-making. Paralanguage is another type of non-verbal communication, which refers to the way a message is spoken—vocal pitch, rate, tone, volume, etc. Proxemics is the study of how people use the space around them. The distance we create around ourselves indicates something about our relationships with others. Intimate distance is the closest, followed by personal, social, and public distance. Territoriality lays physical claim to our surroundings to notify others of our ownership of space. Chronemics describes the study of how we use and structure time. The way we handle time can express both intentional and unintentional messages. For each of these types of non-verbal communication, culture plays a large role.
Physical attraction has been studied to measure the degree to which physical attractiveness affects interaction between people. People who are judged to be attractive are rated as being more sensitive, kind, strong, sociable, and interesting. We also make assumptions about people on the basis of their style of clothing. Clothing conveys a number of messages to others, such as economic level, educational level, trustworthiness, and moral character. Finally, the physical environment can shape the kind of interaction that takes place in it.