KINESICS
Non-verbal communication is one of the most dependable means of relaying information in our day to day interactions. Since they are controlled by our subconscious mechanisms that are often a true reflection of feelings or thoughts. Kinesics is the art of studying gestures and body movements as a means of communication. These communicative body movements or gestures can be classified according to the manner in which they’re displayed and their translated meaning. Some of the gestures are intentional, while others rise spontaneously due to internal mental processes. Non-intentional gestures usually provide more authentic communication compared to intentional ones. The most common types include emblems, illustrations, regulators, adopters, and affect displays (Seel,.255).
Emblematic gestures, also commonly referred to as symbolic gestures, take place independent of speech relaying verbal meaning with no words used. Emblems are unique to cultures having similar meanings but take different forms depending on the culture where it is developed. They’re important in communication, particularly across lengthy distances where voice messages can’t reach or in situations where it is not allowed(Seel,.255). An example of a commonly used emblem in the US culture is positioning both hands by the side of the head while pointing upwards using the forefingers may communicate that one is angry; in other cultures, it means the devil, while in others, it symbolizes that that one wants sexual intercourse or is horny. The inverted peace sign displayed by two fingers up in a ‘V’ outline, with the palm facing towards oneself, symbolizes an insult in England’s cultures and Australia, implying “screw you.”
Sometimes people display a gesture that resembles what they are attempting to describe through illustrative gestures. Such gestures mostly assist people in conveying messages clearly(Seel,.274). For instance, a ‘stirring motion of the hand’ may indicate that one is cooking some food while holding an imaginary steering wheel, and moving it left and right communicates that action of driving. Another illustrative gesture that symbolizes cycling is clenching the fist of one’s two hands and moving them in a circular motion to mimic the movement of one’s feet when cycling. Other illustrative gestures include touching one’s beard to indicate ‘male’ while touching the breasts symbolize ‘female.’ Illustrative gestures are culture-specific and can be misunderstood if they are not interpreted accurately in the right cultural context.
Regulator gestures are a group of gestures involving a combination of body movements that guide us to understand the dialogue better. Some of the common examples include nodding one’s head to indicate that one is in the agreement or in signaling the speaker to continue, raising one’s eyebrows to symbolize to approve what the speaker is saying(Seel,.274).’. Regulators usually accompany speech and are used mostly to avoid repeating some words such as go ahead or continue. On the other hand, raising a finger indicates that one wants to say something and is therefore seeking permission. When one reaches a traffic police checkpoint, the officers use regulator gestures, which are usually repeated thrice or more, to signal the motorist to either stop or continue. When one hand of the police officer is raised with an open palm, it means one needs to stop. If the officer wants to signal the motorist to go, he/she will use the gesture of beckoning motion of the fingers.
Some lower level of personal awareness people use adapters as a form of non-verbal communication to meet a certain personal need in some situations. For example, it may indicate anxiety when one twists her hair, especially when asked a challenging question or trying to figure out something (Seel,.255). Crossing one’s arms is indicative of a defensive position, especially when someone talking to someone. Other examples of adaptor gestures include taping a pen, scratching the head, removing one’s hat, removing one’s glasses, and winging one’s legs. On most occasions, the doer of an adaptor is unaware of the gesture while the observer can read them if knowledgeable about them.
When non-verbal cues of the body or face express an emotional message or affective state, that gesture is referred to as affective displays. Thee gestures are often spontaneous hence may display signals that we may, which are against social norms or the objectives of communication(Seel,.274). For instance, the gait of bouncing may be indicative of happiness; sudden frowning shows displeasure while a pronounced grin shows pleasure. Employees often use affective displays as a strategy to improve service experience and reinforce customer relationships. Business entities have primarily focused their employee training on two dimensions of affective display: intensity and authenticity. But there is scanty research on when, why, and how the dimensions influence customer reactions.
Therefore, our awareness gestures and what they communicate can be a dependable way of learning each other’s thoughts and feelings than relying on verbal communication. Most non-verbal cues arise spontaneously hence allow less room for hypocrisy. The knowledge of Kinesics can be applied in job interviews, college admissions, and relationships to make the achievement of our objectives easier.
Works cited
Seel, Olaf Immanuel. “Presuppositions, paralanguage, visual kinesics.” Current Issues in Intercultural Pragmatics 274 (2017): 255.