NCJ Number
46436
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 10-17
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE IMPORTANCE OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIORS IN INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IS DISCUSSED, AND SIX SUBSYSTEMS OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR ARE IDENTIFIED AND ILLUSTRATED AS THEY APPLY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Abstract
IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT IN FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION LESS THAN 35 PERCENT OF THE SOCIAL MEANING OF THE INTERACTION IS CONVEYED BY THE VERBAL MESSAGE. CONSEQUENTLY AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE NONVERBAL SUBSYSTEMS WHICH AFFECT THE SPOKEN MESSAGE IS IMPORTANT TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. THE CONTEXT (THE PERCEIVED SITUATION IN WHICH THE INTERACTION OCCURS) STRUCTURES COMMUNICATION AND BEHAVIORS AND PRESCRIBES APPROPRIATE TRANSACTIONS. FOR INSTANCE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, TIME OF DAY, SPECIFIC LOCATION (CHURCH, BEDROOM, ETC.), AND INDIVIDUAL WILL ALL INFLUENCE AN OFFICER'S REACTIONS TO AND INTERPRETATIONS OF VERBAL MESSAGES. KINESICS, BODY MOVEMENTS SUCH AS GESTURES, POSTURES, FACIAL EXPRESSION, AND EYE CONTACT, SELF-IMAGE, RELATIONSHIP, OR EVEN OCCUPATION. AN OFFICER MAY BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A PROSTITUTE ON THE BASIS OF POSTURE, AND CONVERSELY CERTAIN GESTURES AND POSTURES MAY SIGNAL TO A SUSPECT THAT HE IS DEALING WITH AN UNDERCOVER OFFICER. PROXEMICS REFERS TO INTERPERSONAL DISTANCE BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS DURING A COMMUNICATION. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS SUGGESTS THE DEGREE OF INTIMACY. INVASION OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONAL SPACE (E.G. AN INTERPERSONAL DISTANCE OF 1.5 TO 4 FEET) INTENSIFIES THE COMMUNICATION AND ESTABLISHES POWER WHILE ALSO CREATING TENSION IN THE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE SPACE HAS BEEN INVADED. FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT ALSO AFFECTS COMMUNICATION BY MANIPULATING THE DEGREE OF INTERPERSONAL DISTANCE AND THE POSSIBILITY/DEGREE OF EYE CONTACT. FOR INSTANCE AN INTERROGATION MIGHT BEST BE CONDUCTED BY PLACING THE SUSPECT ON A CHAIR IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF THE INTERROGATOR AT CLOSE PROXIMITY, WHILE FREE-FLOWING CONVERSATION MIGHT BEST BE STIMULATED BY DIAGONAL SEATING AT THE CORNER OF A TABLE. PARALANGUAGE CONSISTS OF TONE OF VOICE INDICATING ATTITUDE, PITCH OF VOICE INDICATING EMOTION, AND STRESS AND VOLUME INDICATING EMOTIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CERTAIN WORDS OR PHRASES. FINALLY, CLOTHING SUGGESTS THE WEARER'S AGE, OCCUPATION, SEX, RACE, STATUS, AND PERSONALITY. NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR IS JUST AS IMPORTANT A MODALITY AS THE VERBAL SYSTEM IN THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO COMMUNICATE. IN ADDITION, NONVERBAL BEHAVIORS ARE BIOLOGICALLY AND CULTURALLY INFLUENCED AND ARE BEST ADAPTED FOR CONVEYING EMOTIONAL STATES, GENERATING RAPPORT, OR EXHIBITING AUTHORITY OR INFLUENCE. (JAP) CONVEYING EMOTIONAL STATES, GENERATING RAPPORT, OR EXHIBITING AUTHORITY OR INFLUENCE. (JAP)