What is the role of nonverbal communication in decoding a message?

Question

What is the role of nonverbal communication in decoding a message?

Answer 1

Non-verbal communication - facial expressions, body language - reinforce or refute what is being said verbally, so the listener can determine what the speaker really means by adding the non-verbal information to the verbal information.  Frequently the non-verbal communication provides more information to the listener then the verbal does.  Also, it is harder to lie non-verbally then it is verbally!

Answer 2

Nonverbal communcation plays a big part in sending a message. The use of hand movements, facial expressions, body postion can show  what kind of mood the person is in, the importance of the message as well as the urgency of the message. It can also help convey how the person feels about the person they are sharing the message with. It can also be an indicator of how the person receiving the message feels about that person...for instance are they standing up straight....smiling...making eye contact...etc.