6 keys to understanding how non-verbal communication works

Non-verbal communication is a fascinating field of study, the knowledge of which can be applied in a wide variety of situations.

For this reason, year after year many investigations are carried out on this topic, which contribute to a better understanding of the different ways in which what we do not say directly gives clues about our intentions, our emotions, our interests, etc.

However, in order to fully understand how non-verbal communication works, it is first necessary to discard some myths and question various preconceptions about this field of study and analysis of behavior human. Therefore, here we are going to see a summary of the main keys to understanding how non-verbal communication works, from which it is possible to start building useful knowledge to better understand others and adapt to what conversations reveal about the people who speak with us.

• Related article: "The 28 types of communication and their characteristics"

The keys to understanding non-verbal communication and how it works

These are some key aspects that will help you understand how non-verbal communication works.

1. Not all parts of the body provide the same information

The human body is made in such a way that there are a number of muscles that are especially sensitive to psychological processes, both cognitive (that is, those based on ideas and concepts) and emotional

Therefore, people trained in non-verbal language analysis they pay particular attention to these areas, to make good use of their attention span, which is limited.

2. The chameleon effect must be taken into account

For better and for worse, human beings have a tendency to imitate our interlocutor when we speak face to face, even if we are not aware of it. That means that non-verbal information is collected from the other person when they are conversing with someone almost it is never "pure", since it incorporates this tendency to behave in accordance with what the other does.

However, this too implies that if we learn the keys to non-verbal communication well, we can take advantage of this “chameleon effect”; for example, to calm someone who is initially defensive, showing in certain ways that we are relaxed and that our breathing is not accelerated.

• You may be interested in: "Chameleon effect: when we imitate the other without realizing it"

3. Intonation is essential

Not all the information that is exchanged in non-verbal communication processes has to do with muscle movements that we can see directly. The case of intonation when speaking is the most paradigmatic example of this: the fact of expressing oneself verbally by modulating One way or another, the voice can provide us with many data to take into account, even though we do not see the movements that cause it.

In fact, paying attention to intonation is a very good way to know the way the person moves. the muscles involved in speech, which have the characteristic of leaving their "imprint" on the voice with the minimum change that occurs in them. This is especially interesting if we take into account that these structures are very sensitive to the emotional state of the issuer.

4. Non-verbal communication unfolds over time

It would be a mistake to analyze someone's body language assuming that it is composed of moments, "photographs" that give us clues about the mental state of that individual. On the contrary: this type of communication that goes beyond words is characterized by its dynamism, due to the fact of not being able to be totally "enclosed" in the pages of a book, because it is not static.

So, pay attention not to specific moments, but to sequences of movements with a beginning and an end. This explains that one of the most interesting areas of non-verbal communication, proxemics, which gives us information based on the position and the distances that some people adopt with respect to others, must be analyzed by looking at the direction of those movements. It is not the same to see an image in which two people are very far apart, as to see how two people are together and little by little one of them moves away.

5. Moments of disruption provide more information

The moments when we “catch” the other person are especially valuable from the point of view of view of non-verbal communication, because they give us clues as to whether there is a disruption in their flow of thoughts.

For example, in interrogations carried out by investigators or police officers, it is common to make the other person "lower her defenses" talking about subjects in which you feel comfortable, to at a certain moment make a sudden change of subject towards what could bother you the most and see how reaction to.

People who do not have much to hide are somewhat surprised but do not make micro-expressions associated with stress, but those in which a disruption occurs at a psychological level (the step from speaking almost without thinking to having to invent something almost on the fly) these subtle gestures do appear.

6. There are cultural differences to consider

People who have developed knowledge in non-verbal communication are experts on the subject, including other things, because they know how to recognize what they cannot know, and they are aware that there are aspects that ignore.

For example, they know that most of the knowledge generated by science about this area has to do with the non-verbal language of people of Western culture, or of societies highly influenced by this culture. And it is known that gestures, proxemics and the use of intonation can vary greatly depending on ethnicity to which the person we are observing belongs.

Are you interested in learning about non-verbal communication? Try this course

If you are thinking of training in the interpretation and handling of non-verbal language, you will surely be interested the course "The power of non-verbal communication: keys to interpret body language", promoted by the European School of Coaching (EEC). It is a 15-hour program designed to teach the theoretical and (above all) practical aspects of non-communication. verbal and body language, and is taught online with live classes through the synchronous classroom system of EEC. It is a course designed especially for professionals who work in areas where it is essential to manage human interactions, such as Human Resources and Personnel Selection technicians, psychotherapists, coaches, and commercial.

• You can find more information about Escuela Europea de Coaching and its courses at this page.