Verbal Communication Essay

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Communication is used to convey and exchange information with others. Many people see communication as simply talking to another. Speech is known as verbal communication which is achieved through the use of language. Language is a body of words, signs and symbols specific to a nation or community allowing individuals of the same geographical area to communicate intellectually with each other. When using language, however, other factors play a part in how information is portrayed. Paralanguage, for example, a term used to refer to vocal features that accompany speech, such as pitch, rate stress, volume and intonation, is used alongside language to modify and further express meaning or to perhaps convey different emotions. This is also a type of communication and is known as non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication does not involve words and is said to represent two thirds of all communication.
Non-verbal communication comes in many forms. Touch (Haptics) is a form of non-verbal communication, operationally defined as the initiation of physical contact between two individuals, for example, shaking hands (Fowler and Fowler, 1969). Touch is used to convey and indicate a range of emotions, on its own or alongside words and is vital in communication when wanting to convey psychical intimacy. Touch is often associated with love and affection which can be used to regulate the emotional psychological well-being of ourselves and others; a pat on the back, a hug, a kiss on the cheek, for example, can all be used positively to reassure and sympathise or simply as a friendly greeting. However, physical contact can also be used as a negative form of communication to convey negative emotions. Another form of non-verbal communication is...

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...than males. However, research carried out by Henley (1973), suggests that men are more likely to initiate touching in conversation than females when in a public place which was interpreted to be symbolic of the males need to feel dominant and in control. Although, an observation carried out by Hall and Viccia (1991) suggested there is more of a difference in the type of touching initiated by males and females rather than in the amount. Hall and Viccia found that males used and were more likely to use protective ‘arm around’ touching than females, which supports Henley’s claim that men touch women to appear in control, compared to females who were more likely to use ‘arms linked’ touching, which supports a statement made by Knapp and Hall (1982), suggesting women are more likely to be empathetic, nurturing and gentle, which is displayed via their touching behaviour.

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