Features of verbal and nonverbal communication in interpersonal communication
Interpersonal speech communication always represents social interaction, dialogue. By participating in verbal communication, a person expresses judgments and perceives the words expressed by other people. Information expressed in language by one person is appropriated by others, and thus understanding occurs in dialogue. In dialogue, as a communicative process, people interact by expressing semantic positions in words. In dialogue, thought is assessed and mastered in accordance with business, political, ethical, aesthetic and other criteria. Thus, dialogue is an indispensable component of linguistic communication. In interpersonal communication, posture, gestures, facial expressions, facial expressions, gaze, etc. are used as nonverbal communication means. Nonverbal means of communication, despite the richness of the verbal language of communication, are used very widely in interpersonal communication. Unlike words (sentences), nonverbal means are perceived directly by a person and act strongly, conveying the subtlest nuances of attitude.
9 pages, 4371 words
Means of communication non-verbal means of communication
Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation Chelyabinsk State University Institute of Economics of Industries, Business and Administration Department of Economics of Industries and Markets Abstract In the discipline: Psychology and pedagogy On the topic: “Means of communication: non-verbal means of communication” Completed by: Art. gr. 24PS-101 Kuznetsova L.S. Checked by: teacher Tarasova N.N. Chelyabinsk 2011 Contents...
Nonverbal means of communication (as well as verbal ones) perform basic communication functions (informational, pragmatic and expressive).
Nonverbal signs (for example, gestures, facial expressions) are most often unmotivated indexed signs and reveal feelings, emotions, and evaluative attitudes. The pragmatic function includes establishing contact, feedback, social orientation, incentive and regulatory motives. Expressive functions include adaptive, emotional (evoking emotions) and emphatic (emotional highlighting of a certain fragment).
Nonverbal communication always occurs in person. These means, as is known, can accompany speech, or can be used separately from verbal means. Nonverbal signs can be divided into three main groups: body language, paralinguistic means, clothing and jewelry. Body language can reveal a lot about the feelings and intentions of communicators. The biological roots of body language lie in various animal postures studied by ethology (postures of intimidation, reconciliation, loving intentions, etc.).
Meanings of posture, position of limbs, fingers, etc. are not always precisely defined initially; they depend on the context. Moreover, the human body is flexible enough to assume almost any position. Verbal communication is the most studied type of human communication. In addition, this is the most universal way of transmitting thoughts. A message created using any other sign system can be 'translated' into verbal human language. For example, a red light signal is translated as 'the passage is closed', 'stop'; a raised finger covered by the palm of the other hand, as in 'asking for an extra minute of break' in sports, etc. The speech side of communication has a complex multi-tiered structure (from the differential feature of phoneme to text and intertext) and appears in various stylistic varieties (various styles and genres, colloquial and literary language, dialects and sociolects, etc.).
All speech characteristics and other components of a communicative act contribute to its (successful or unsuccessful) implementation. When speaking with others, we select from a vast inventory (in modern linguistics they sometimes say: fields) of possible means of speech and non-speech communication those means that seem to us most suitable for expressing our thoughts in a given situation. speech is part of communicative culture and culture in general.
Barriers in interpersonal communication can be classified according to the nature of the existing interference:
1. Technical interference The source of such interference is the communication channel itself (fax, telephone) when obstacles to the passing signal appear in the communication channel. Interference can completely block the communication channel or partially, distorting information or truncating it.
2. Psychological interference is associated with the relationship between the communicator and the recipient, their attitudes towards the channel of information, methods, content and form of the message
3. Psychophysiological INTERFERENCE arises due to sensory abilities, peculiarities of human perception, and the ability of the human brain to remember and process information.
4. Social interference is expressed in the communicants’ belonging to different social groups; they are determined by social norms, prohibitions, and restrictions in obtaining information. 5. Cultural and national reasons. Features in interethnic communications are determined by differences in traditions, norms, values, assessment of various forms of communications, and reactions to the information received.
Preface
In Russian psychology, there are many books that explore the problem of communication, but, oddly enough, there is not a single one that is entirely devoted to informal communication.
Separate aspects of this topic (perception and understanding of a person by a person - A. A. Bodalev with his students [21–28] [1]; attraction - L. Ya. Gozman [38–42], friendship - I. S. Kon [92– 94]; psychology of love - E. P. Ilyin [73]; communicative aspects of informal communication (rumors and gossip) - D. S. Gorbatov [43–63]) have already been covered in psychological literature as independent problems or fragments of related topics, however, no attempt has been made to address these aspects within a single, more generalized theme. As a result, there is still no comprehensive description of informal communication.
There is no doubt that the central issue of informal communication is attraction, that is, the attraction of people to each other, which is closely related to social perception, or the perception of a person by a person. Social perception has been viewed primarily from the perspective of external conditions that contribute to interpersonal perception. The emotional side of interpersonal perception associated with people’s assessment of each other in terms of their external attractiveness and especially the spiritual beauty of a person
[2], which plays no less, if not a greater, role in the emergence of attractions between people, has become of interest to psychologists (mostly foreign) only in recent years. This is due to the understanding that without taking into account the emotional side of interpersonal perception, normal communication and building everyday and business relationships with each other is impossible.
Understanding how and why people converge or, on the contrary, cannot find a common language and establish informal communication, provides great opportunities for the practical application of socio-psychological knowledge in the context of interpersonal interaction, opens up the possibility of qualitative analysis of interaction, and helps to increase its effectiveness.
However, so far many issues related to attraction have not received proper coverage. In this regard, I examined a number of new aspects of the psychology of attraction, namely: what attracts us in people - the charm and sex appeal of the object of attraction, the emergence of sympathy and its varieties, and other issues that are mentioned extremely rarely in psychological literature, especially domestic ones.
The book has four sections. The first section examines the psychological processes that encourage informal communication and accompany it: perception and understanding of a person, attraction (attraction to another person), sympathy. The second section is devoted to the consideration of individual and personal characteristics of a person that determine attraction to him. The third section deals with the types of attraction (friendship, camaraderie, friendship) and the degree of closeness of relationships between people during their informal communication. The fourth section is devoted to the main forms of informal verbal communication: conversations, rumors and gossip. The book provides an extensive list of literature on the topic under consideration, as well as techniques that allow you to study various aspects of the problem of informal communication.
Communication strategy, communication tactics, communication skills
A communicative strategy is a part of communicative behavior or communicative interaction in which a series of different verbal and nonverbal means are used to achieve a specific communicative goal, as E.V. Klyuev writes, “the strategic result towards which the communicative act is aimed.” Strategy is a general framework, outline of behavior, which may include deviations from the goal in individual steps. Sellers, in particular, are taught strategies for selling goods through communication with the buyer. Sometimes a seller may speak badly about a particular product. But at the same time, he is implicitly advertising another available product! The seller (especially the street distributor) can use non-verbal techniques (offering to look at a brochure with illustrations together - penetrating into the personal space of a potential buyer).
We use a specific greeting strategy every day for different people and for different purposes of communicating with these people. Many strategies are ritualized, turned into speech conventions and lose their “rhythm” and information content. Violation of conventions, on the contrary, can be considered as a 'message'. If you are often late, and justify your lateness, for example, with poor transport, then they stop believing you. When this actually happens, they don’t believe your truth. In this case, you can even come up with a paradoxical principle: lie so that they believe
Communicative intent (task)
– a tactical move, which is a practical means of moving towards the corresponding communicative goal. Remember the previous example of 'temporary honesty' with the buyer. The same “temporary frankness” is contained in the rhetorical figures of politicians who admit: “We are not angels, we are simple people,” although the communicative goal is to convince the voter of the almost “divine” exclusivity of the potential chosen one. For this, non-verbal elements of communication can also be used (simple clothes, the president in a home environment and a sweater, and other image-making techniques).
The intention and the goal are different here, but ultimately, within the framework of the strategy, the intention contributes to the implementation of the overall goal: - be able to effectively formulate a communication strategy; - be able to effectively use a variety of tactical communication techniques; - be able to effectively present yourself (or your company) as a participant in the communication process. Efficiency here means the correlation of verbal and nonverbal techniques with the goals and objectives of communication, communicative intention and perspective, the systemic cohesion of the elements of a communicative strategy, the practical feasibility of individual tactical moves.
Introduction
Communication is usually divided into formal (business) and informal. Formal communication, or, as it is also called, mask contact, is regulated communication, marked by the boundaries of the formal roles of the interlocutors. It usually occurs in business relationships when the parties communicate formally, at an official level. The usual masks of politeness, courtesy, indifference, and sympathy are used. Business communication is a type of communication, the purpose of which lies outside the communication process and which is subordinated to the solution of a specific task (industrial, scientific, commercial, etc.) based on the common interests and goals of the communicants.
Informal interpersonal communication is, firstly, non-business, secondly, voluntary and, thirdly, confidential communication, often reduced to a “heart-to-heart conversation”.
There are three types of conversation [20]:
1. Formalized, where the conversation follows strict, pre-agreed regulations (for example, negotiations, meetings, conferences, etc.).
2. Semi-formalized, where there is no predetermined regulation, but still some canons are observed (small talk, official receptions).
3. Informalized, where there are also rules, but these rules are quite flexible, changing depending on the situation (for example, everyday conversations with loved ones, acquaintances, random interlocutors). Obviously, the second and third types of conversations relate to informal communication.
All conversations are subject to a single logic, expressed in a sequence of phases: initiation (inviting a conversation, starting it), the conversation itself and its end. The first phase of informal conversation involves people recognizing each other as potential interlocutors, which can be achieved through various means of communication, including greetings and glances.
Informal conversation
characterized by the following features:
✓ the duration of the conversation is not specified in advance;
✓ both or several interlocutors speak at the same time, interrupting each other, but only until they are convinced that they do not understand each other;
✓ the order of entry into the conversation of each participant and the time of his statement are not regulated;
✓ during the conversation, participants use various techniques to take the floor or move to the position of listener. Such techniques could be asking the interlocutor a question or taking a pause.
Informal communication can be: casual and one-time, when, for example, one person asks another on the street how to get to the metro; periodic (for example, when meeting acquaintances living in the same house); constant (communication in the family, at work). In what follows we will talk about the last two types of informal communication.
Functions
informal interpersonal communication are as follows:
✓ organization of joint leisure activities;
✓ people getting to know each other;
✓ formation and development of interpersonal relationships.
The confidential nature of informal communication is considered as a process that has its own stages
and patterns of development.
The first stage is the establishment of first contact and the formation of an image of another person; the goal is to form an adequate first impression. At this stage, the role of social perception, processes of processing and interpretation of received information is most important; as a result, an emotional and motivational attitude is formed, which largely determines the nature of further interaction.
Perceived appearance and expressive behavior play an important role in determining the characteristics of the partner, his states, intentions; without them, understanding the other person and the success of the interaction are impossible.
The second stage is the formation of interpersonal relationships; it has the following substages, differing in goals and means:
✓ achieving agreement, acceptance and sharing of positions;
✓ emotional support, receiving approval;
✓ the desire to achieve acceptance of oneself as an individual.
The third stage is the stabilization of interpersonal relationships; the goal is to establish optimal psychological contact and maintain it or transform it in the desired direction. As in the first stage, the role of non-verbal means of communication and mechanisms of understanding increases again.
Each of these forms of informal communication, one way or another, arises in any work collective with a specific purpose, namely, the best adaptation to its internal rules and laws of existence.
The most important factor in trusting communication is psychological intimacy, which arises as a result of complete psychological contact.
Psychological intimacy
– these are relationships based on complete trust in each other and mutual understanding; This is mutual respect and mutual assistance. There are two levels of psychological intimacy: primary and rational.
The primary level occurs already at the first contact (long acquaintance is not required, it feels like you have known each other for a hundred years). It is characterized by high spontaneity of emotional perception, unconsciousness and is little amenable to volitional regulation. This level of intimacy is characterized by ease, a high degree of trust and understanding, a correct forecast of the partner in the situation and, finally, acceptance of him with all his strengths and weaknesses.
The rational level is based on an understanding of the similarity of attitudes, values, norms, and life experiences. It arises at a certain stage of relations with a person, is recognized and regulated by the participants in communication themselves.
It is believed that at work, relationships based on common values and interests (rational level) are more stable than relationships based on likes and dislikes. If you take a close look at the informal connections existing in your team, they will most likely fit into one of five forms of interaction:
1. “Couple” - two people mutually sympathize with each other. Often one of them is only a complement or “companion” of the other.
2. “Triangle” - three people sympathize with each other and form their own small, but at the same time very close core of the team.
3. “Square” - can be formed as a set of pairs, the relationships between which do not necessarily have the same intensity.
4. “Chain” – a linear connection between several people, which, under certain conditions, can become a source of rumors, a “damaged phone”.
5. “Star” – is based on an informal leader, to whom several members of the team are close.
The following components
psychological intimacy:
✓ understanding (mutual understanding, understanding at a glance);
✓ trust (maximum frankness, free, comfortable, fearless communication);
✓ emotional intimacy (sympathy, joy from communication; empathy and sympathy, heightened sense of the other person’s condition);
✓ acceptance (tolerance for certain shortcomings of another, recognition and acceptance of another, perception of him as he is, absence of conflicts and the desire to give in, desire to help);
✓ unity, proximity of goals, ideals, points of view (coincidence of values).
The formation of attachments is based not only on the subject’s need to have close, trusting relationships with people. It is also important to understand why it is with this, and not another person, that we would like to get close, make friends, and trust him with our innermost thoughts and feelings.
A special role in this process is played by the attractiveness and force of attraction of another person, that is, attraction
. Attraction is a multi-valued phenomenon. It necessarily includes an assessment of another person, as well as a certain emotional background, which may vary in intensity and degree of personal involvement and interest. Attraction differs from the broad class of attitudes in that it is an attitude directed at one person and not at a group.
Further…
- Psychologists recommend using the method of affirmative answers in practice. Its essence is very simple: you should not mention topics at the very beginning of the conversation, discussing which the participants in the dialogue will not be able to come to an agreement. By avoiding sharp corners, you will achieve better results. Start the conversation with those questions that your counterpart will definitely answer in the affirmative. If you want to make a good impression on others, refrain from criticizing and evaluating your interlocutors. Also, do not constantly talk about your problems - this will very quickly get boring for other participants in the dialogue. Try to avoid disputes and conflict situations, especially if the conversation is not face to face. Under any circumstances, try to calmly listen to your interlocutor, this is the only way you can find a way out of a difficult situation. If your opponent drags you into an unnecessary argument, try to remain calm and do not give in to provocations. In this case, it is best to try to find out what goal the interlocutor sets for himself. If you want your opinion to be taken into account, respect the other person's point of view. Remember that the manifestation of irritability and tactless behavior can become an insurmountable obstacle to establishing contact between interlocutors.
Kvartina Daria Jun 09, 2016
