Observing Nonverbal Behavior

"Words express thoughts…Body expresses emotions"! Well! Every interaction in civilized world is multilayered. You have to constantly play the guessing-game for intents and motives – "Does he really mean what he says"? "Does she really feel how she emotes"? "Does he really believe in how he acts"? This makes observing nonverbal behavior immensely important, as that is what helps you develop an understanding into people's emotional realities. "Observing Nonverbal Behavior – An exhaustive guide to the essential skill of 'Social Intelligence'", with more than 200 photographs and reader-friendly style, rises way above run-of-the-mill ‘How to’ books on body-language and delineates the science behind the subject while simplifying it for utility.

Implicit communications analyzed alongside verbal communication in therapy. Body language, facial expression, and tone of voice are key components in therapeutic interactions, but for far too long psychotherapists have dismissed them in favor of purely verbal information. In Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication in Psychotherapy, Gill Westland examines the interrelation of the verbal and the non-verbal in the context of clients and therapists working together. The physiology of communication is also discussed: from overwhelming emotions that make it difficult to speak to breath awareness that makes it easier. Therapists will be able to cultivate non-verbal communication through mindfulness practices and “right brain to right brain communication.” It is not just the client’s actions and emotions that are significant; it is important that therapists relate in a way that makes it clear to their clients that they are receptive and inviting, and Westland expertly depicts the bodily dimensions of this encounter between client and therapist. The book brings together insights from a range of psychotherapeutic traditions, including psychoanalysis, arts psychotherapies, humanistic psychotherapy, and, in particular, body psychotherapy, for clinicians who want to expand their communication abilities. Drawing on 30 years of clinical experience, and providing illustrative clinical vignettes, Westland has written a guide both for those who might not have any experience in the theory of non-verbal communications and for lifelong psychotherapy practitioners. She lays as groundwork recent research into the neurobiology of interaction and the foundations of non-verbal communication in babyhood, continuing throughout from a bodymind perspective that pays due attention to the physicality of the body. Westland urges therapists to learn how to leave their comfort zone and try new ways of helping their clients. Writing in a richly evocative, lucid language, Westland seeks to bring about change in both psychotherapist and client as they navigate both the verbal and non-verbal aspects of embodied relating.

How well do you read the body language of the people around you? Researchers estimate that nonverbal communication comprises between 60 and 93 percent of all communication. How much are you missing? In Reading Hidden Communications Around You, author Anne Beall shares her approach to reading individuals in the workplace. Beall describes an easy, intuitive way to interpret body language called PERCEIVE, a technique Beall developed after an exhaustive review of relevant academic studies conducted in the fields of psychology, anthropology, and communication. PERCEIVE can be used to identify receptivity, like, dislike, discomfort, stress, deception and emotions. It can also be used for impression management to increase perceptions of credibility, trustworthiness and likeability in the workplace. Beall provides insight into the major aspects of nonverbal communication, including facial expressions, physical contact, eyes, gestures and voice, as well as proximity and relative orientation, which are the foundation of body language. With real-life examples and photos, Reading Hidden Communications Around You helps you observe nonverbal behavior, use the PERCEIVE method to read peoples reactions and emotions, and present an appropriate response for each situation.

Nonverbal Behavior: Applications and Cultural Implications covers the role of nonverbal behavior in interpersonal and intercultural communications. The book discusses the emergence of an alternate epistemology in science and its application to the study of communication; the research on the measurement of the sensitivity to nonverbal communication; and the applications of nonverbal behavior in teaching. The text also describes some cultural sources of miscommunication in interracial interviews; the teacher and nonverbal behavior in the multicultural classroom; and the social contexts for ethnic borders and school failure. The implication of common misconceptions about nonverbal communication for training is also considered. Educators, practitioners, researchers, and students of human communication will find the book invaluable.

The use of nonverbal cues in social activities is essential for human daily activities. Successful nonverbal communication relies on the acquisition of rules of using cues from body movement, eye contact, facial expression, tone of voice, and more. As such, this book adds to our understanding of nonverbal behavior by examining state-of-the-art research efforts in the field. The book addresses the classification and training of nonverbal communication with advanced technologies, gives an overview on factors underlying the learning and evaluating of nonverbal communications in educational settings and in digital worlds, and characterizes the latest advancement that uncovers the psychological nature underlying nonverbal communication in conversations. We hope the book will reach a large audience for a variety of purposes, including students and professors in academic institutions for teaching and research activities as well as researchers in industries for the development of communication-related products, benefiting both healthy individuals and special populations.

For many years the Handbook of Methods in Nonverbal Behavior Research (Scherer & Ekman, 1982) has been an invaluable text for researchers looking for methods to study nonverbal behavior and the expression of affect. A successor to this essential text, The New Handbook of Methods in Nonverbal Behavior Research includes chapters on coding and methodological issues for a variety of areas in nonverbal behavior: facial actions, vocal behavior, and body movement. Issues relevant to judgment studies, methodology, reliability, analyses, etc. have also been updated. The topics are broad and include specific information about methodology and coding strategies in education, psychotherapy, deception, nonverbal sensitivity, and marital and group behavior. There is also a chapter detailing specific information on the technical aspects of recording the voice and face, and specifically in relation to deception studies. This volume will be valuable for both new researchers and those already working in the fields of nonverbal behavior, affect expression, and related topics. It will play a central role in further refining research methods and coding strategies, allowing a comparison of results from various laboratories where research on nonverbal behavior is being conducted. This will advance research in the field and help to coordinate results so that a more comprehensive understanding of affect expression can be developed.

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.