Nonverbal Communication: Definition, Types, & Examples

In moments like this, what we are communicating verbally versus nonverbally can look quite different. Noticing whether or not these verbal and nonverbal signals align is an important part of understanding social interactions. As it turns out, the nonverbal aspects of our communication matter just as much as what we are actually saying. So let’s look at nonverbal communication and learn a bit more about how understanding nonverbal communication can help you navigate social situations.
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The simple answer for why nonverbal communication is important is that it is as meaningful for our understanding of social situations as what is verbally communicated. In fact, it is sometimes said that we derive more meaning from nonverbal communications than we do verbal communications (Philipott, 1983). Just as importantly, when there is an incongruency between what is communicated verbally and what is communicated nonverbally, people are more likely to believe the messages delivered nonverbally (Burgoon & Bacue, 2003).
 
This is especially important to know because while we usually think deliberately and consciously about what we say, we may not give the same degree of attention to our nonverbal communications. This is something I am very aware of as a therapist. For example, if a client tells me about something they did that was clearly self-destructive, I may say out loud, “That sounds like a painful and challenging situation,” but at the same time, I may unconsciously frown at hearing their story. That frown on my face may betray my thought of, “Oh man, you really didn’t help yourself out there,” and I need to be ready to explain to my client that I both empathize with their distress and want to help them not engage in self-destructive behaviors.
 
In addition to it being important to be aware of the ways that we communicate nonverbally, being skilled in effective nonverbal communication is associated with many positive wellbeing outcomes, such as having more satisfying and higher-quality relationships and better physical and mental health (Riggio, 1992). People who are effective at both expressing themselves nonverbally and interpreting other people’s nonverbal behaviors tend to have higher self-esteem, be more effective communicators, be more flexible, and have greater social awareness (Burgoon & Bacue, 2003).

Let’s look at some broad categories or types of nonverbal communication (LaFrance & Mayo, 1978):

Nonverbal communication: Tone of voice​
Nonverbal communication can include how we say things: our tone of voice, speed of speaking, the pauses we take or don’t take, and how loud our voices are. Consider the sentence “Sure, I’ll do that.” If you say it with the tone of your voice going up at the end of the sentence, it communicates a positive feeling about what you’re being asked to do. If your tone goes down at the end of the sentence, it kind of communicates the exact opposite! If you draw out the first word – “suuuuurrre” – people might perceive that you are uncertain about committing, and if you use a sarcastic tone of voice, people will know that while you might do what they asked, you won’t be happy about it.

Nonverbal communication: Body position
Nonverbal communication also includes how oriented we are in space to the other person. Imagine trying to console somebody from the opposite corner of the room, or telling somebody across the table that you love them without looking up from your phone. How close we stand to each other, whether we fully face each other, how much eye contact we make – all of these actions send nonverbal messages.
 
For example, I know that when I feel ambivalent about being in a particular conversation, my inclination is to orient myself slightly away from the people I’m talking to. I have to tell myself to physically commit to being in the conversation: turn fully towards the person, face them, look them in the eye. To give another example, I bet that each time you have become romantically or sexually involved with someone, you were probably highly attuned to the amount of physical proximity you were experiencing as your connection progressed – perhaps even reading a great deal into each movement that brought you closer together or further apart.
 
Another type of nonverbal communication is physical touch. Here, I am reminded of the nine months I spent in Egypt, and the many affectionate greetings I witnessed between men. It was common for two friends to greet each other with a flurry of standard sayings – “How are you? What’s happening? Everything good?” – while giving each other a sustained hug and maintaining eye contact from a close distance. I was impressed with the familiar nonverbal intimacy that Egyptian men showed each other.
 
As noted above, nonverbal communications are often thought to be ways of enhancing or reinforcing the verbal message in the conversation, and physical touch is a very effective – although also complicated – way to do so. Perhaps you have noticed that your most empathetic, enthusiastic, or affectionate friends will accentuate their comments of care or concern by touching your arm, rubbing your back, or even grabbing your hand. 

Perhaps no nonverbal communication is more important to our interpretation of what others mean than facial cues; in fact, people routinely derive more meaning about “what that person really meant” from their facial expressions than from their body language or even the tone of their voice (Rosenthal, 1979).
 
A primary example of nonverbal communication is communicating emotions not through what is spoken but through the facial cues, and to a lesser extent the bodily cues, that come out in the situation (Planalp, 1998). In fact, sometimes nonverbal communication tells us everything we need to know, rendering verbal communication extraneous.
 
For example, when your friend tells the same bad joke for the fifth time, instead of telling them that you are annoyed, you might just roll your eyes, shake your head and smile, or give an exaggerated sigh. Since nonverbal communication can feel less direct and confrontational than verbal communication, people often rely on providing nonverbal cues instead (Planalp, 1998).
 
As an example that continues this trend, nonverbal cues of happiness, such as smiling, laughter, and a bright and resonant voice, are more common than verbal expressions of happiness (Ekman & Friesen, 1969; Shaver et al., 1987). Conversely, rather than say it loud that we are angry, we may frown, smile less, turn away from other people, speak in a monotone, and decrease eye contact (Ekman & Friesen, 1969; Shaver et al., 1987).

Want to learn more? Here are some related articles that might be helpful.

To keep learning, here are some books to explore:​​

• Burgoon, J. K., & Bacue, A. E. (2003). Nonverbal communication skills. In J. O. Greene & B. R. Burleson (Eds.), The handbook of communication and social interaction skills (pp. 179–219). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum
• Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1969). The repertoire of nonverbal behavior: Categories, origins, usage, and coding. Semiotica, 1, 49–98.
• Feldman, R. S., Philipott, P., & Custrini, R. J. (1991). Social competence and nonverbal behavior. In R. S. Feldman & B. Rime (Eds.), Fundamentals of nonverbal behavior (pp. 329–350). New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Hall, J. A., Horgan, T. G., & Murphy, N. A. (2019). Nonverbal communication. Annual Review of Psychology, 70(1), 271-294.
• Harrison, R. P. (1973). Nonverbal communication. In I. de Solo Pool, W. Schramm, N. Maccoby, F. Fry, E. Parker, & J. L. Fein (Eds.), Handbook of communication (pp. 46–76). Chicago, IL: Rand McNally.
• LaFrance, M., & Mayo, C. (1978). Cultural aspects of nonverbal communication. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2(1), 71-89.
• Planalp, S. (1998). Communicating emotion in everyday life: Cues, channels, and processes. In P. A. Anderson & L. K. Guerrero (Eds.), Handbook of communication and emotion: Research, theory, applications, and contexts (pp. 29–48). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
• Riggio, R. E. (1992). Social interaction skills and nonverbal behavior. In R. S. Feldman (Ed.), Applications of nonverbal behavioral theories and research (pp. 3–30). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Rosenthal, R. (Ed.). (1979). Skill in nonverbal communication: Individual differences. Cambridge, MA: Oelgeschlager, Gunn, & Hain
• Shaver, P., Schwartz, J., Kirson, D., & O’Connor, C. (1987). Emotion knowledge: Further exploration of a prototype approach. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 52, 1061–1086.
• Streeck, J., & Knapp, M. L. (1992). The interaction of visual and verbal features in human communication. In F. Poyatos (Ed.), Advances in nonverbal communication (pp. 3–23). Amsterdam: Benjamins.