Nonverbal Communication

As more and more Americans get the COVID-19 vaccine and social restrictions are gradually lifted, in-person interactions are becoming a part of daily life again. After over a year of staying home and using digital tools to communicate, face-to-face exchanges may feel strange or even cause anxiety, and there will likely be a period of adjustment as we become more comfortable sharing the same physical space as others.

While transitioning from digital to in-person interaction, the type and quantity of information exchanged will also shift. Phone calls and Zoom meetings were critical in keeping us connected while physically isolated, but were largely unable to effectively transmit nonverbal cues. We could hear the voices of others — and see a small, grainy video of their face if we were lucky — but the nuances of body language, vocal tone, and real-time facial expressions were often lost in translation.

Nonverbal cues give us a wealth of information about the other person or people in a conversation, and are crucial in determining the attitudes of others. Two seminal studies in 1967 determined that when someone’s words convey a different message than their body language, what they’re doing may be a more accurate source of information that what they’re saying; researchers found that only 7% of communication was verbal, while 55% was expressed through body language and 38% through tone of voice.

When reading the body language of others, a helpful system to use is the three C’s: congruence, context, and clusters. Congruence is the comparison of verbal and nonverbal information being conveyed, while context refers to variances in character traits and external environment that can help us understand the reactions and responses of others. Clusters means using multiple verbal or nonverbal cues instead of just one, which will usually lead to a more accurate picture of the message being conveyed.

Lastly, how can we use nonverbal communication to make a positive impression on others? A smile, eye contact, and gestures can all help convey information in a clear and confident manner while attracting others. Vocal pitch is also influential, and a lower voice has been shown to convey confidence and authority.