What is Body Language?
Nonverbal communication involves our posture, hand gestures, and movements. Although people use words to express themselves, body language frequently communicates more. It enables the transmission of feelings and intentions that would be difficult to explain with words alone. Humans are predisposed to pick up on nonverbal clues from the individuals opposite them.
Types
Each body language denotes different meanings when observed. These are some of the types of body language in expressing personalities.
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Facial Expressions
Many emotions can be portrayed on the human face without speaking. It’s quite expressive. Furthermore, unlike certain other nonverbal communication approaches, facial expressions are universal. For example, all cultures share the same facial expressions for joy, grief, fear, and disdain.
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Body Movement & Posture
A person’s actions and physical looks can communicate a wide range of emotions to others. The way a person slouches, and a person stands upright is very different.
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Gesture
Gestures connect us in our daily lives. We may use our hands when arguing or speaking aggressively. People point, wave, or summon something or someone. They communicate with gestures without thinking about it.
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Eye contact
Since most people’s dominant sense is sight, eye contact is essential to nonverbal communication. How they stare at someone can convey various emotions, including interest, affection, hatred, or attraction.
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Touch
They communicate a lot with touch. A feeble handshake or a dominating grasp on the arm conveys different messages.
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Space
People need physical space. However, it varies depending on culture, situation, and interpersonal closeness. Physical space can be used to transmit various nonverbal messages, such as signals of intimacy and affection, anger, or dominance.
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Voice
When people speak, people read the voice as well as the words. Different frequency gives different interpretations.
Importance of Body Language
Body language has always been a part of daily conversation. There are many advantages in understanding the body language of each person they interact with. Here are a few of the significance of body language.
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Business
Body language that indicates trust in a corporate situation is formal. This is consistent with business etiquette in general, in which people present themselves in a professional and focused manner while recognizing that the relationship has limitations. The handshake is widely used in business at the start of a meeting or negotiation. It demonstrates that each person is willing to trust the other.
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Friendship
Body language amongst friends is often more expressive and informal than body language in business. As in business, a handshake may be used at a meeting, but it may also involve clasping two hands around one hand or laying a hand on the shoulder, among other things. To convey trust between friends, body language may be substantially more expressive and tactile than in business.
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Intimate relationships
The body language of trust in close relationships such as courting and marriage is quite open and frequently very personalized, even if it is not as physically dynamic as in friendship.
