BODY LANGUAGE - NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

BODY LANGUAGE - NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non-verbal communication comprises of all forms of communications other than the verbal one. Although world has become more aware of it in the last 50 years, its role and relevance is increasing at a higher rate than the requisite knowledge about it. Human body movements, postures, gestures including appearances etc are guided by inner thoughts, emotions and feelings. Just as any language uses a set of symbols to represent letters and words to convey the meanings, body language, mostly unconsciously, carries messages, attitudes, status, mood etc of the person. Although dress, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics are used to convey own feelings consciously but most persons doing so are unaware of their importance in interpersonal communications.
Body language has emerged as the richest language known and researches are adding more and newer dimensions to the concept and scope of non-verbal language.

Researches have confirmed that verbal communication, both oral and written, primarily helps in conveying information and non-verbal communication assists in negotiating inter-personal attitudes and behavior. In some cases, non-verbal communication even substitutes oral communication - a woman can give a man a „look to kill‟ without speaking a word.
In respect of body language and the rules it follows, human beings are at the same stage of development as other animals and are governed by the biological rules that control their actions in the form of gestures, expressions and sounds. It is rather interesting to know that human beings are rarely aware of their postures, expressions and sounds that accompany their oral messaging.
Persons

Body does not lie although human beings can easily be swayed in to telling things that are not true. A perceptive and trained speaker can easily find out if he is speaking above, below or in line with the level of understanding of the audience and change / modify the message and his style to suit.

Sensitive observers of body language can capture cues from non-verbal communication and compare it with the verbal communication and if they do not match, they get the uncanny feeling that the speaker is not telling the truth. There is a famous maxim, „Words may lie but the body seldom does‟. Body language has been described as the language all speak but very few understand it.