Non-Verbal Communication in Counselling free essay sample

Nonverbal communication is body language and plays a major role in relationship development because it is also the main channel we use to communicate our feelings and attitudes towards others. But because much of our nonverbal communication behavior is unconscious, most of us have limited awareness or understanding of it. The importance of nonverbals in communication cannot be overemphasized; they are crucial to getting the full message. Some writers have suggested that as much as 80% of communication takes place on the nonverbal level. top General Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication: 1. Nonverbal Communication Uses Many Channels for Sending and Receiving – Messages may be sent in many ways, as the list below shows. This list is to help you become more aware of the variety of and complexity of nonverbal communication. With greater awareness you will develop greater understanding of the ways in which others interpret the nonverbal signals you send. Also, by improving your skills in reading the nonverbal responses other persons make to your communication, you will learn how you yourself are perceived. We will write a custom essay sample on Non-Verbal Communication in Counselling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I. Nonverbal communication behaviours using TIME:  · Recognition  · Priorities II. Nonverbal communication behaviours using the BODY:  · Eye Contact – There seems to be more eye contact in interpersonal interactions between Arabs, South Americans, and Greeks than between people from other cultures. There is evidence that some African Americans looks at others less than whites do when sending and receiving messages.  · Eyes  · Skin  · Posture  · Facial expression – the face is the exhibit gallery of our emotional displays. And although we often try to manipulate our facial cues to project a premeditated feeling, our faces may still betray our true emotions to others. Your face is versatile. According to one research team, it is capable o f producing over 250,000 different expressions. Research has found that facial expressions conveying happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, surprise, and sadness were the same in 68 to 92 percent of the cultures examines. 1. Surprise: Wide-open eyes, raised and wrinkled brow, open mouth. 2. Fear: Open mouth, tense skin under the eyes, wrinkles in the centre of the forehead. 3. Disgust: Raised or curled upper lip, wrinkled nose, raised cheeks, lowered brow, lowered upper eyelid. 4. Anger: tensed lower eyelid; either pursed lips or open mouth; lowered and wrinkled brow; staring eyes. 5. Happiness: Smiling; mouth may be open or closed; raised cheeks; wrinkles around lower eyelids. 6. Sadness: Lip may tremble; corners of the lips turn downward; corners of the upper eyelid may be raised. All humans probably share the same neurophysiological basis for expressing emotions, but we learn different rules for sending and interpreting the expression. For example, the Japanese culture does not reinforce the show of negative emotions; it is important for Japanese to â€Å"save face† and to help others save face as well. Hand and arm gestures: Hand and body gestures with the most shared meaning among Africans, North Americans, and South Americans include pointing, shrugging, head nodding, clapping, thumbs down, waving hello, and beckoning. There are, however, regional variations within cultures; it is not wise to assume that all people in a given culture share the sam e meaning for certain gestures. The OK gesture has sexual connotations for some South American and Caribbean countries. In France the OK sign means worthless.  · Self-inflicted behaviours  · Repetitive behaviours  · Signals or commands  · Touching  · Sexual