Nonverbal Communication
Communication with people is both verbal and non-verbal through certain signs and signals. Nonverbal communication can be discussed under two headings as body language and visual language.
We will examine the body language subheading of nonverbal communication within the framework of communication in human relations.
Body Language
Verbal. Non-human differences that contribute to the meaning of the message are considered as body language in communication.
Body language actually tells more about what people mean than all the words in the languages spoken in the world. Most of the signals sent by the body while speaking convey messages to the outside world without us being aware of it.
Body language varies according to cultures and agreements between individuals. Being able to interpret the body language of others requires skill. Being able to master one's own body language and using it as necessary is very important in communication.
Body language can be used consciously or unconsciously. For example, when looking at something interesting, our pupils dilate and the head tilts to the side. The shoulders of a person who is under tension rise, and some people's faces and necks may turn red when they are under stress.
Facial Expressions (Mimics)
The most common way to express the emotional state we are in. Our facial expressions are very important. Gesture is defined as all the expressions consisting of changes in the gaze and facial lines caused by the contraction and relaxation of the facial muscles in different ways.
There are approximately twenty muscle groups, mostly pairs, that perform facial expressions on the human face. Many different expressions occur when they are stretched and relaxed in different ways. Facial muscles can be grouped into three groups in terms of reflecting an emotional expression:
• Forehead muscles,
• Eyelids and surrounding muscles,
• Mouth area and jaw muscles.
In addition to reflecting our emotions, facial expressions can also be used consciously as social signals that show our attitude towards the other person in social life. When we come across a person we love on a very sad day, we can smile to show that we are happy to see them. Stating that we saw someone we know from a distance We raise our eyebrows up.
Gestures
The use of the head, hand, arm, foot, leg and body creates gestures. Some gestures are made consciously and they are symbolic. These symbolic gestures are called "emblems". These symbolize certain meanings, and these meanings change from society to society. For example, shaking from right to left means "no" in our society, but in Bulgaria it can be understood as "yes" because it is a head movement close to the meaning of "yes". These are learned by individuals living in society and used to support communication when necessary. Since the client's society is the determinant of the gestures he uses in communication, especially when we have a client from a different society, we may need to evaluate him according to his own society.
Apart from these, we can give various messages by using our head, hands, arms and feet in different ways when communicating with people. .
Head movements: We use our heads to express the emotional state we are in, to support our facial expressions, and to determine our attitude and attitude towards the person in front of us, together with other gestures. In addition, as we mentioned before, we also use it to perform symbolic gestures. For example, having the head tilted forward shows that we are not interested in the outside world and that we are turning within ourselves, while turning the head towards a certain person shows that we are interested in him/her.
Looks: Looks are important to communicate with the person in front of us. If a person looks away while talking, it usually indicates that he is not finished talking yet and does not want to be interrupted. If a person looks away while the other person is talking, it shows that the person does not like what the other person is saying and is not happy to have this conversation. If the person looks towards the other person while talking, it shows that he/she is happy with the situation and is interested in the topic being discussed. If the speaker looks directly at the other person's face while speaking, this shows that the speaker is sure of what he says.
Of course, we should not forget that eye contact may have different meanings in all societies. When communicating with individuals from different societies or cultures It is important for us to learn about society and culture-specific behaviors to strengthen communication.
Body Posture
Whichever direction the body posture points in general, this indicates the direction we are interested in. If we are listening to the other person with interest, our feet and head will be turned towards him. However, if our body posture is not turned towards that person while someone is trying to communicate with us, it may indicate that we are not interested in that person.
Use of Voice
People talk and express with their bodies while communicating. sometimes they just use sounds. For example, in effective listening, communication is established by saying "uh-huh" when necessary, using the sound made by touching the tongue under the upper teeth and withdrawing, which means "no", making the sound "aaa" when surprised, and making the sniffling sound that expresses sadness. In addition, fluctuations in the tone of voice may be an indicator of the importance given to the subject.
Interpersonal Distance and Use of Space
Regardless of the words spoken, people convey their feelings and intentions to the people around them. and an important element in expressing one's thoughts is the use of space. The first large-scale research on this subject was started by anthropologist Edward Hall. In his studies with American and highly educated people, Hall identified four types of distance that people use. These are: intimate distance, personal distance, social distance and general distance.
According to Hall, people who are in very close relationships with each other can be 0 to 45 cm away from each other. This area is known as "intimate distance" (such as family members, spouses, close friends).
Entering a person's private area leads to an increase in anxiety, distress and aggressive tendencies.
In situations of mutual conversation. For example, when having dinner with a friend, the distance between us is personal space. This distance is between 45-120 cm. We maintain this distance when talking to our colleagues. We can say that the social area is between 120-210 cm, but it can also extend up to 300 cm. We maintain this distance with the people we meet in social environments. If we try to bypass a person's social space and enter their personal space, the other person He/she may become uncomfortable and try to change his/her location. The general area is 300 cm or more. While waiting on the street or in the subway, we generally try to protect this area. Although this is not possible in Istanbul conditions, you can see people standing at intervals when the density is less. If someone enters your social area in a low-occupancy subway station, you may feel uncomfortable. This situation may make you nervous.
Bodily Accessories
People's clothes, jewelry, and even the perfume they use are important in non-verbal communication. For example, our clothing alone provides information about many issues such as our conservatism, whether we want to attract attention, or our fondness for comfort.
First Impressions
Creating an impression is the process of creating an impression about someone else from different sources. It is the process of evaluating information and coming to a conclusion. Social psychologists see this process as a dynamic process that renews and changes. This process is also integrative. Every information we obtain about a person is evaluated together with other information we obtain.
So, on what basis do we form first impressions?
We form some of our impressions about people by listening to what they express verbally and what they convey to us. We create based on information. The other part is non-verbal communication sources, the most important of which are facial expression, eye contact, physical appearance and body language.
Facial Expressions
2000 years ago, Cicero. “The face is the reflection of the soul,” he said. Centuries later, Darwin said that some emotional expressions are innate and therefore some expressions are perceived the same way all over the world.
According to Darwin, correct understanding of facial expressions is of vital importance. It is important for us to understand whether the other person is approaching us with anger, fear or happiness. When you see an angry face, your anxiety level increases and we protect ourselves. In other words, perceiving facial expressions correctly is functional. According to this functional thesis, people do not pay equal attention to all expressions. They need to be more aware of vital expressions, that is, facial expressions that indicate danger in order to survive. Hansen and Hans In their research on this subject, expressions of fear and anger were noticed more quickly than expressions of happiness.
Eye Contact
Another non-verbal cue used to create an impression is eye contact. It is not eye to eye. You can tell what others are feeling by the direction and intensity of how they look at each other. How you look at a person evokes certain feelings and thoughts in that person. But what we should not forget is that the emotions and thoughts it evokes may vary depending on the situation, person and culture.
Physical Appearance
People with a beautiful physical appearance are more beautiful than those who are not. There are studies showing that people are interesting, warm-hearted, extroverted and more socially skilled. There is a lot of research showing how effective physical beauty is in our decisions. However, what should not be forgotten is that physical appearance can be deceiving and, more importantly, it should not be evaluated alone.
Body Language
Body language, which we examine in more detail in non-verbal communication, is Of course, it is also important in creating a first impression. The posture of the body, the movement of the arms and legs, the direction of the body give us many clues, and we form our first impressions by looking at these movements without even realizing it. In addition, we decide whether the person we just met is telling the truth by looking at their body language. Especially if we are suspicious, we first pay attention to facial expressions and then to gestures. In this case, the effect of what is said is much lower than the effect of facial expressions and gestures.
Non-Verbal Communication
Studies on non-verbal, kinetic communication, the tone of words, pauses. It has been shown that speech characteristics such as silence and speed vary from person to person, but the patterns are specific to each person and do not change over time.
It is possible to see various behavioral patterns that differ from region to region with variables such as socioeconomic level, education and training. But gestural communication does not need to be demonstrated by everyone. If we need to give an example of gestural communication; While girls from conservative families tend to blush more, girls from high socioeconomic levels
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