Non-Verbal Communicatio

n Christina Ferrari

Purpose• Identify non-verbal communication• Understand how non-verbals are used to

communicate• Apply this knowledge to communication/public

speaking.

Participate!

Answer the questions and email them to me for grading-- 2 pointts per question.

Be creative: submit your answers using Padlet

Voki.com or Glogster for 10 bonus points!

CommunicationWhat is communication? Here are some words we often think of in regards to communication:

Transmit, pass on, verbal contact, discussion, words, writing, language, Talk—all of these involve the spoken or written word but what about non-verbal communication?

• Visual images: paintings, sculpture, photographs, all use non-verbal communication.

• A picture paints a thousand words: Non-verbals are potent, highly effective ways to communicate.

Pablo Picasso: The Weeping Woman

• Every time you speak to another person, go for a job interview, give an oral or spoken presentation, you are communicating non-verbally.

• Non-verbals can enhance or even drown out your spoken words.

August Renoir:

The Luncheon of The Boating Party

CommunicationNon-verbal communication is powerful--It can change the way your verbal communication is received.

Imagine the President giving a major speech at the United Nations wearing torn jeans, an old stained T-shirt and a baseball cap.

No matter how good the speech is, the message would be lost!

Understanding non-verbal communication is necessary to improve your communication skills.

Detail from Da Vinci: The Last Supper

KinesicsKinesics: the study of body movements, gestures, facial expressions, etc., as a means of communication.

John Singer Sargent: Lady Agnew

Eye-ContactLack of Eye-Contact Directly looking at each other

Rembrandt: Two Scholars Disputing. These men are actively involved in discussion.

No eye-contact: they may be strangers, or they just wish not to engage in conversation. Avoiding eye contact says leave me alone!

De Erderly: a soup kitchen, late 1930’s

Use Eye-Contact to Engage• Look at the audience to engage and stimulate

interest.

Johannes Vermeer: The Girl with a Pearl Earring

It looks as though she is about to speak to us. With direct eye-contact she has our attention.

Focus on your audience to connect with them.

Body Movements/Gestures

Holding your head and shoulders up shows that you want to communicate.

Hunched shoulders, stooping forward and holding your head down tells others to back off.

Q1. I don’t think the guyin the red shirt is in a chatty mood.

What do you think? Why?

Facial Expression

John Brack: Collins Street

Q2. From his facial expression do you think this man is feeling relaxed and ready to listen to what you have to say?

• Q3. The facial expression of a speaker effects how the audience receives their message. Y/N

Detail from Jan Van Eyck: The Marriage of Arnolfini

Use Kinesics to your advantage:

• Make direct eye-contact.

• Use gestures that invite others to pay attention to what you are saying rather than shut them out.

• Use facial expressions to add interest and demonstrate your willingness to engage with the audience.

Environment• Environment creates an impression and sets the

scene.

Claude Monet: Water Lilies

The painting of water lilies in calming blue can make us feel cool and relaxed as we contemplate the beautiful garden.

• The dull, drab cityscape creates an impression of boredom, blandness and uniformity.

Backdrop• If you film yourself giving any type of speech, consider

the background--the environment around you.

• Avoid distractions. A pile of washing behind you, a collection of knick knacks, your dogs, anything that makes the audience focus too much on the environment or creates a strong impression that does not match your words.

• Film outside, in front of a bare wall or an appropriate picture. Get the audience to focus on you not the surroundings.

Artifacts/Physical appearance

Artifact: An object made by humans.

• The way we look and the objects around us such as clothes, jewelry, furniture, sporting equipment etc., convey information about to others.

Q4. Which of these women do you think is wealthy?

Why?

Jean Ingres: Princess de Borgile

Abraham Solomon : Old Woman Frying Eggs

Artifacts: gold necklace, jewel bracelets, expensive looking dress, hair ornaments, gold fabric on the chair, delicate fine lace netting in hair

Artifacts: drab clothing, thick heavy material, no jewelry or other fine objects, humble kitchen utensils

Audiences take note of the way

you look and are dressed

• Present the image you want people to receive.

• Use props: books, glasses, clothes, accessories.

• Dress appropriately: If you are presenting a speech on business for example wear a suit rather than jeans and a T-Shirt.

Practice

• View the following artworks and apply your knowledge of non-verbal communication to answer the questions.

Napoleon on His Imperial Throne

Jean Ingres

Q5. Examine the Artifacts

What do they tell us?

Vincent Van Gogh

The Bedroom at Arles

Q6. What clues can you findthat communicatedetails about the artist?

Rembrandt

The Nightwatch

Q7.Examine the kinesics in this picture.

What do the movementsfacial expressionstell you about what is happening?

Which man do you think is in charge?

Why?

Photograph: Bill Henson

The Paris Opera

Q8. Where are they bothlooking?

Do you think the man in the suit wants to communicate with the person behind?

Claude Monet

Garden at Sante Adresse

Q9 I am presenting anInformative speech on the invention of the semi-colon (trustme it is riveting).

Would this be a good background for my speech?

Why/Why not?

Domenico Fetti

Melancholy

Q10 This man is depicted in a state ofmelancholy.

There are some clues that reveal this.

a) How does Fetti usekinesics to depictthe melancholy state of mind?

b) Identify one artifactWhich gives us a clueThat the man is melancholy

Summary• Non-Verbal Communication sends strong

messages to the audience. • Enhance communication skills by being aware of

how non-verbal communication works.

To send the message you want the audience to receive use: • Kinesics (body movement, facial expressions,

eye-contact)• Environment• Artifacts/Physical Appearance