Body Movement, Kinesics and Posture in Communication

KINESICS AND BODY MOVEMENT:

Kinesics is a word describing the study of body movement.

Paul Ekman: 5 classes of specific body expressions: emblems, illustrators, regulators, affect displays, body manipulators.

1. Emblems are commonly recognized signs that communicate a message that generally is unrelated to an ongoing conversation. (finger to your lips = be quiet)

2. Illustrators illustrate the verbal language they accompany. They may accent or add emphasis to phrase.

3. Regulators provide smooth transitions in conversations as well as control verbal communicetion.

4. Affect Displays are body changes that convey our internal emotional states. They can involve facial expressions such as angry stares or wide-eyed fear; or body movements such as trembling hands.

5. Body manipulators are movements that were originally associated with body functioning that have come to be used unconsciously and independently of body needs

Body Movement and Posture :

Show our feelings. We use our bodies to transmit messages about degrees of association and agreement. ( how you walk is often a strong indicator of how you feel).

PERSONAL APPEARANCE:

Physical appearance influences job interviews, blind dates, grades in school and even courtroom decisions. The face usually determines beauty, we are also judged by our body shapes, skin color and hair. The way we look is important to ourselves and others. We manipulate our physical appearance so that we will be perceived as attractive rather than unattractive.