Nonverbal Behavior

A series of essays, written by experts from around the world, on the role of nonverbal behavior in everyday social interaction. Among the topics addressed are nonverbal expressiveness in families, television viewing and nonverbal behavior, emotional mimicry, culture and nonverbal behavior, power, smiling and gender, children's use of nonverbal behavior; nonverbal interactions with friends, relatives and strangers, nonverbal behavior as a social interaction facilitator, the role of nonverbal behavior in close relationships, and how nonverbal behavior reveals deception.

This book examines state-of-the-art research and knowledge regarding nonverbal behaviour and applies that scientific knowledge to a broad range of fields. It presents a true scientist-practitioner model, blending cutting-edge behavioural science with real-world practical experience.

The Nonverbal Communication Book

The study of nonverbal behavior has substantially grown in importance in social psychology during the past twenty years. In addition, other disciplines are increas ingly bringing their unique perspectives to this research area. Investigators from a wide variety of fields such as developmental, clinical, and social psychology, as well as primatology, human ethology, sociology, anthropology, and biology have system atically examined nonverbal aspects of behavior. Nowhere in the nonverbal behavior literature has such multidisciplinary concern been more evident than in the study of the communication of power and dominance. Ethological insights that explored nonhuman-human parallels in nonverbal communication provided the impetus for the research of the early 19708. The sociobiological framework stimulated the search for analogous and homologous gestures, expressions, and behavior patterns among various species of primates, including humans. Other lines of research, in contrast to evolutionary-based models, have focused on the importance of human developmental and social contexts in determining behaviors associated with power and dominance. Unfortunately, there has been little in the way of cross-fertilization or integration among these fields. A genuine need has existed for a forum that exam ines not only where research on power, dominance, and nonverbal behavior has been, but also where it will likely lead. We thus have two major objectives in this book. One goal is to provide the reader with multidisciplinary, up-to-date literature reviews and research findings.

This volume presents, in an integrated framework, contemporary perspectives on the role of nonverbal behavior in psychological regulation, adaptation, and psychopathology, and includes both empirical and theoretical research that is central to our understanding of the reciprocal influences between nonverbal behavior, psychopathology, and therapeutic processes. It has several objectives: One is to present fundamental theories and data relevant to researchers and clinicians working in such fields as psychopathology and psychotherapy. Another objective is to link contributions of basic research to clinical applications. Finally, the volume gathers contributions in different sub-fields that are rarely presented jointly, such as brain damage and non-verbal skills.

The present volume is an excellent introduction to the study of human nonverbal communication, including interaction and gesture, for students and specialists in other disciplines, as well as a convenient compilation of significant contributions to the field for experts. Part 1 includes four articles, the import of which is primarily theoretical or methodological. Part II comprises eight articles in which instances of interaction are examined and attempts are made to explain how the behavior that can be observed in them functions in the interaction process. Part III presents six articles on what may broadly be referred to as 'gesture'. These articles deal with specific actions, mostly of the forelimbs, which are usually deemed to have specific communicational significance. In an introductory chapter, the volume editor, Adam Kendon, not only examines the various issues raised by the eighteen papers but also shows the relevance of each article as a contribution to the development of an understanding of how human visible behavior functions communicatively.

The goal of this edited volume is to provide a much needed bridge between the research on nonverbal communication and the application of those findings. The book features contributions from some of the leading researchers in the field. These distinguished scholars apply their understanding of nonverbal communication processes to a variety of settings including hospitals and clinics, courtrooms and police stations, the workplace and government, the classroom, and everyday life. It explores nonverbal communication in public settings, in intimate relationships, and across cultures and general lessons such as the importance of context, individual differences, and how expectations affect interpretation. Applications of Nonverbal Communication appeals to a diverse group of practitioners, researchers, and students from a variety of disciplines including psychology, health care, law enforcement, political science, sociology, communication, business and management. It may also serve as a supplement in upper level courses on nonverbal communication.