Examples Of Nonverbal Communication

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Introduction I. Communication is the basis of the modern American workplace. Made up of two main parts, communication consists of verbal and nonverbal categories. Verbal communication looks at how we communicate verbally, while nonverbal communication deals with how we communicate without the use of words. Good communicators must have an adequate balance of verbal and nonverbal techniques and know how to properly use them. Anyone that has ever watched the popular sitcom,“The Office” knows that Michael Scott is an interesting character. Michael Scott, played by actor Steve Carell, plays a regional manager at a local paper company. In his role as head of the office, Michael regularly communicates with his employees to combat varying issues,…show more content…
Paralanguage is defined as vocal cues that accompany spoken language (1). Some examples of paralanguage include pitch, volume, rate, silence, and nonfluencies. Paralanguage can be seen in Michael Scott at various times throughout the episodes. One example of Michael’s paralanguage is when pulling a joke on the office receptionist Pam. He calls Pam into his office, trying to support a grim face. He explains to her that she is to be fired, but his face, holding back a smile, says something completely different. Along with paralanguage, proxemics should also be considered (2). Proxemics is defined as the study of the use of space. In a common office space, personal (eighteen inches to four feet) or social distance (four feet to twelve feet) is generally accepted. Michael Scott can be examined both violating these spaces, and complying to them. In complying to unspoken space regulations, Michael is known to call very many conference room meeting in which he stands in front of the room and goes over an underlying issue. While breaking these spaces, he has invaded intimate space with some characters, while keeping some at a public…show more content…
In general. Men are more visually dominant than women. Visual dominance is calculated by comparing the percentage of looking while speaking with the percentage of looking while listening. Along with the verbal masculinity of the character, his visual dominance changes as well. Conclusion IV. In conclusion, communication is the basis of the average American workplace. Without communication, workplaces would not be able to be an effective company. Analyzing the verbal and nonverbal aspects of Michael Scott, he is not considered to be a good
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