Body Language And Non-Verbal Communication

As explained, the terms body language and non-verbal communications are rather vague. So what is body language? And more usefully, what might we regard it to be, if we are to make the most of studying and using it?

The Oxford English Dictionary (revised 2005) definition is: "body language -noun - the conscious and unconscious movements and postures by which attitudes and feelings are communicated [for example]: his intent was clearly expressed in his body language."

The Oxford Business English Dictionary offers a slightly different definition.

Appropriately and interestingly the Oxford Business English Dictionary emphasizes the sense that body language can be used as a tool, rather than it being an involuntary effect with no particular

Body language is more than those brief descriptions. Body language certainly also encompasses where the body is in relation to other bodies (often referred to as

'personal space'). Body language certainly also includes very small bodily movements such as facial expressions and eye movements.

Body language also arguably covers all that we communicate through our bodies apart from the spoken words (thereby encompassing breathing, perspiration, pulse, blood-pressure, blushing, etc.) In this respect, standard dictionary definitions don't always describe body language fully and properly.

We could define body language more fully as: "Body language is the unconscious and conscious transmission and interpretation of feelings, attitudes, and moods, through: body posture, movement, physical state, position and relationship to

Body language is a powerful concept which successful people tend to understand well. So can you.

The study and theory of body language has become popular in recent years because psychologists have been able to understand what we 'say' through our bodily gestures and facial expressions, so as to translate our body language, revealing its underlying feelings and attitudes.

Body Language is also referred to as 'non-verbal communications', and less commonly 'non-vocal communications'.

The term 'non-verbal communications' tends to be used in a wider sense, and all these terms are somewhat vague.

For the purposes of this article, the terms 'body language' and 'non verbal communications' are broadly interchangeable. This guide also takes the view that body language/non-verbal communications is the study of how people communicate face-to-face aside from the spoken words themselves, and in this respect the treatment of the subject here is broader than typical body language guides limited merely to body positions and gestures.

If you carry out any serious analysis or discussion you shoul d clarify