Essay Sample on Non-Verbal Communication: A Key to Human Interaction

Human beings aside from relying heavily on verbal communication cannot be detached from body language also known as non-verbal communication. Humankind is distinct in the aspect of communication since even communicating with animals, verbal communication is invalid whereas non-verbal can be useful and effective in relaying information to other creatures such as dogs and cats. However, with the main focus being intercommunication between humans, it is imperative to note that every individual is dependent on body behavior and communication. Thus, exploring the different approaches and ways to communicate such as emblems, regulators, adaptors, illustrators and effect displays will be essential in this study and specifically this paper.

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I carried out my observation in a mall where I set out to see what body behaviors and motions were predominant in a conversation between two men and one lady. Initially, the meeting began with the men who kept looking at their watches indicating that they were awaiting someone who could have been late which falls under the category of regulators. I chose the group due to the potential for diverse non-verbal cues since men and women have particularly different actions when trying to convey messages. When men look at the watch, women do not do the same and at times will just show facial expressions. One man seemed interested in the conversation particularly because he smiled a lot as he seemed to talk in a soft tone, while the other depicted signs of lack of interest portrayed by a frown that persisted through the entire conversation. He, however, put on a grin whenever they turned to him. The above non-verbal cues are under the category of affect displays. Before the arrival of the lady, one of them was doodling using his fingers on their table probably showing that he was anxious or nervous which is an adaptor category.

A few minutes later one of the men stretches out his hand pointing to a direction where the lady comes from and does it enthusiastically. The above cue is an illustrator as it complements the words which would probably be the man stating that the lady is arriving. The lady from afar also seems excited portrayed through a smile, another case of affect display. She waves from a distance which is an emblem, which means saying "hello." The men were casually sitting and immediately the lady takes a seat in their table, the enthusiastic man, leans forward demonstrating an interest in listening to the lady. The above is a regulator which seeks to establish and prolong the conversation. The lady also gestures closeness to the enthusiastic man through her way of greeting him. She hugs him passionately depicting some level of intimacy. The lady twists her hair with her finger immediately after the hug which falls under illustrators since she smiles portraying that the man advances a compliment to the lady.

After a long while of conversing, all of them lean back demonstrating the end of the conversation which is a regulator. The unexcited man slowly gets up from the seat and starts walking away which is another example of a regulator marking the end of the meeting. The lady then gets up and waves "bye" as she walks away which is obviously an emblem in body language.

Evidently, the predominant non-verbal communication is in the regulator's category followed by illustrators. Some of the body motions are not deliberately elicited especially the illustrators while regulators seem more intentional. The emblem appears twice while adaptors and affect displays happen less than five times. This shows how much dependent humans are to non-verbal communication and especially body gestures.