Discussion: Nonverbal Messages

We communicate with others throughout our lives; at home, work, or in any other type of relationship that we have with others. One of the most common communication issues we face is the degree to which a person's verbal messages match their nonverbal messages.

In Unit 2 we covered verbal messages. However, there are several different types of nonverbal behaviors to monitor as well. These include (but are not necessarily limited to):

• Facial expressions
• Gestures
• Body language/posture
• Haptics (touch)
• Proxemics (space or distance)

Keeping these or other types of nonverbals in mind, think of a situation from your own experience in which you were interacting with someone and they sent you a verbal message that was inconsistent with the nonverbal message. When you have your example in mind, describe the following information in your initial post:

• Describe the context of the situation.
• Who was the other person?
• What was the communication about?
• What was the verbal message that they sent, and what nonverbals did they send that were inconsistent with the verbal message?
• How did you interpret and react to this interaction?
• What was the outcome of the situation?
• Were your goals and their goals met?

Be sure to offer enough detail so that others can follow your example and respond accordingly.