Types of Nonverbal Communication

Medically reviewed by
David Susman, PhD
on July 28, 2021
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A substantial portion of our communication is nonverbal. Experts have found
that every day we respond to thousands of nonverbal cues and behaviors
including postures, facial expressions, eye gaze, gestures, and tone of voice.
From our handshakes to our hairstyles, nonverbal details reveal who we are
and impact how we relate to other people.
What Are Types of Nonverbal Communication?

Nonverbal communication types include facial expressions, gestures,

paralinguistics such as loudness or tone of voice, body language, proxemics
or personal space, eye gaze, haptics (touch), appearance, and artifacts.

9 Types of Nonverbal Communication

Scientific research on nonverbal communication and behavior began with the
1872 publication of Charles Darwin's The Expression of the Emotions in Man
and Animals. Since that time, abundant research has been conducted
regarding types, effects, and expressions of unspoken communication and
behavior. While these signals are often so subtle that we are not consciously
aware of them, research has identified several different nine types of
nonverbal communication.

How to Read Body Language and Facial Expressions

Facial Expressions
Facial expressions are responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal
communication.1 Consider how much information can be conveyed with a
smile or a frown. The look on a person's face is often the first thing we see,
even before we hear what they have to say.
While nonverbal communication and behavior can vary dramatically between
cultures, the facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, and fear are
similar throughout the world.

Verywell / Joshua Seong

Gestures
Deliberate movements and signals are an important way to communicate
meaning without words.2 Common gestures include waving, pointing, and
using fingers to indicate numeric amounts. Other gestures are arbitrary
and related to culture.

In courtroom settings, lawyers have been known to utilize different nonverbal

signals to attempt to sway juror opinions. An attorney might glance at his
watch to suggest that the opposing lawyer's argument is tedious or might
even roll his eyes at the testimony offered by a witness in an attempt to
undermine his or her credibility.

These nonverbal signals are seen as being so powerful and influential that
some judges even place limits on what type of nonverbal behaviors are
allowed in the courtroom.

10 Ways to Have More Confident Body Language

Paralinguistics
Paralinguistics refers to vocal communication that is separate from actual
language.3 This includes factors such as tone of voice, loudness, inflection,
and pitch.

Consider the powerful effect that tone of voice can have on the meaning of a
sentence. When said in a strong tone of voice, listeners might interpret
approval and enthusiasm. The same words said in a hesitant tone of voice
might convey disapproval and a lack of interest.

Consider all the different ways that simply changing your tone of voice might
change the meaning of a sentence. A friend might ask you how you are
doing, and you might respond with the standard "I'm fine," but how you
actually say those words might reveal a tremendous amount of how you are
really feeling.

A cold tone of voice might suggest that you are actually not fine, but you
don't wish to discuss it. A bright, happy tone of voice will reveal that you are
actually doing quite well. A somber, downcast tone would indicate that you
are the opposite of fine and that perhaps your friend should inquire further.

How to Developing a Strong Speaking Voice

Body Language and Posture

Posture and movement can also convey a great deal of information. 4
Research on body language has grown significantly since the 1970s, but
popular media have focused on the over-interpretation of defensive
postures, arm-crossing, and leg-crossing, especially after publishing Julius
Fast's book Body Language.

While these nonverbal behaviors can indicate feelings and attitudes,

research suggests that body language is far more subtle and less definitive
than previously believed.

6 Ways to Improve Your Body Language Skills

Proxemics
People often refer to their need for "personal space," which is also an
important type of nonverbal communication.5 The amount of distance we
need and the amount of space we perceive as belonging to us is influenced
by a number of factors including social norms, cultural expectations,
situational factors, personality characteristics, and level of familiarity.

The amount of personal space needed when having a casual conversation

with another person usually varies between 18 inches to four feet. On the
other hand, the personal distance needed when speaking to a crowd of
people is around 10 to 12 feet.

Eye Gaze
The eyes play an important role in nonverbal communication and such things
as looking, staring and blinking are important nonverbal behaviors. When
people encounter people or things that they like, the rate of blinking
increases and pupils dilate. Looking at another person can indicate a range
of emotions including hostility, interest, and attraction.

People also utilize eye gaze as a means to determine if someone is being

honest.6 Normal, steady eye contact is often taken as a sign that a person is
telling the truth and is trustworthy. Shifty eyes and an inability to maintain
eye contact, on the other hand, is frequently seen as an indicator that
someone is lying or being deceptive.

How to Overcome Eye Contact Anxiety

Haptics
Communicating through touch is another important nonverbal behavior.
There has been a substantial amount of research on the importance of touch
in infancy and early childhood.

Harry Harlow's classic monkey study demonstrated how deprived touch and
contact impedes development. Baby monkeys raised by wire mothers
experienced permanent deficits in behavior and social interaction. Touch can
be used to communicate affection, familiarity, sympathy, and
other emotions.

In her book Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters, author Julia

Wood writes that touch is also often used as a way to communicate both
status and power.7

Researchers have found that high-status individuals tend to invade other

people's personal space with greater frequency and intensity than lower-
status individuals. Sex differences also play a role in how people utilize touch
to communicate meaning.

Women tend to use touch to convey care, concern, and nurturance. Men, on
the other hand, are more likely to use touch to assert power or control over
others.

Appearance
Our choice of color, clothing, hairstyles, and other factors affecting
appearance are also considered a means of nonverbal
communication.8 Research on color psychology has demonstrated that
different colors can evoke different moods. Appearance can also alter
physiological reactions, judgments, and interpretations.

Just think of all the subtle judgments you quickly make about someone based
on his or her appearance. These first impressions are important, which is
why experts suggest that job seekers dress appropriately for interviews with
potential employers.

Researchers have found that appearance can play a role in how people are
perceived and even how much they earn. One 1996 study found that
attorneys who were rated as more attractive than their peers earned nearly
15 percent more than those ranked as less attractive.

Culture is an important influence on how appearances are judged. While

thinness tends to be valued in Western cultures, some African cultures relate
full-figured bodies to better health, wealth, and social status.

How Do We Form Impressions of Other People?

Artifacts
Objects and images are also tools that can be used to communicate
nonverbally. On an online forum, for example, you might select an avatar to
represent your identity online and to communicate information about who
you are and the things you like.

People often spend a great deal of time developing a particular image and
surrounding themselves with objects designed to convey information about
the things that are important to them.

Uniforms, for example, can be used to transmit a tremendous amount of

information about a person. A soldier will don fatigues, a police officer will
wear a uniform, and a doctor will wear a white lab coat. At a mere glance,
these outfits tell people what a person does for a living.

A Word From Verywell

Nonverbal communication plays an important role in how we convey
meaning and information to others, as well as how we interpret the actions
of those around us.

The important thing to remember when looking at such nonverbal behaviors

is to consider the actions in groups. What a person actually says along with
his or her expressions, appearance, and tone of voice might tell you a great
deal about what that person is really trying to say