While often defined by conversations and verbal actions, social interaction, or interpersonal relationships between two or more persons, depends on nonverbal communication as a silent but powerful language. Words convey explicit meanings, but silent actions also shape how messages are interpreted and relationships are formed in social settings. According to Albert Mehrabian, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, communication can be assigned to a 55/38/7 formula, meaning that it is 55 percent nonverbal, 38 percent vocal, and 7 percent words. Nonverbal communication encompasses a wide range of behaviors, including gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, posture, and touch.
The social context, or the environment of the interaction, heavily influences how nonverbal communication is perceived and understood. For example, a friendly smile during a job interview conveys openness and warmth, whereas the same smile in a heated argument might be interpreted as sarcasm or insincerity. This is also central to feeling rules, norms about which emotions are appropriate to display in a given situation. While both are large gatherings, the somber attitudes expected at a funeral would not be appropriate at a wedding celebration. Understanding the nuances of nonverbal cues allows individuals to navigate social situations effectively and appropriately. As children, we first learn many of our nonverbal cues from school as a social institution, organizational systems that link individuals to the larger society. One of the more straightforward cues includes raising your hand to signify to the students and teachers around you that you have a question.
Nonverbal communication is integral to social roles as well, defining expected behaviors and interactions within specific contexts. Whether in professional settings, where a firm handshake and direct gaze convey professionalism, or in personal relationships, where a gentle touch or nod of understanding fosters intimacy, nonverbal cues shape how roles are performed and perceived.
Social status, an individual’s position within a social hierarchy, is also reflected in nonverbal communication. The term “fake it till you make it” particularly applies to nonverbal communication, where you can impart false confidence on yourself to influence how others perceive you. High-status individuals often exhibit confident body language through assertive gestures and controlled expressions. Reaching back to Mahrabian’s 55/38/7 communication formula, since nearly 40 percent of a person’s attitude is conveyed vocally through tone and inflection, you can also try speaking in a deeper voice to establish confidence, Those with a lower pitch are perceived as more authoritative than those who speak with a higher pitch. It’s important to acknowledge how perceptions of nonverbal cues have been influenced by ascribed status, assigned social status based on characteristics such as sex, race, and age. When men dominate positions of authority, their lower pitches and other mannerisms then become linked to conceptions of confidence.
