1. Non-Verbal
Communication
Christina Ferrari

2. Purpose
• Identify non-verbal communication
• Understand how non-verbals are used to
communicate
• Apply this knowledge to communication/public
speaking.
Participate!
Answer the questions and email them
to me for grading-- 2 pointts per question.
Be creative: submit your answers using Padlet
Voki.com or Glogster for 10 bonus points!

3. Communication
What is communication? Here are some words we
often think of in regards to communication:
Transmit, pass on, verbal contact, discussion, words,
writing, language, Talk—all of these involve the
spoken or written word but what about non-verbal
communication?

4. • Visual images: paintings, sculpture, photographs, all
use non-verbal communication.
• A picture paints a thousand words: Non-verbals are
potent, highly effective ways to communicate.
Pablo Picasso: The Weeping Woman

5. • Every time you speak to another person, go for a
job interview, give an oral or spoken presentation,
you are communicating non-verbally.
• Non-verbals can enhance or even drown out your
spoken words.
August Renoir:
The Luncheon of
The Boating Party

6. Communication
Non-verbal communication is
powerful--It can change the way your
verbal communication is received.
Imagine the President giving a major
speech at the United Nations wearing
torn jeans, an old stained T-shirt and a
baseball cap.
No matter how good the speech is, the
message would be lost!

7. Understanding non-verbal communication is
necessary to improve your communication skills.
Detail from Da Vinci: The Last Supper

8. Kinesics
Kinesics: the study of body movements, gestures,
facial expressions, etc., as a means of
communication.
John Singer Sargent: Lady Agnew

9. Eye-Contact
Lack of Eye-Contact Directly looking at each other
Rembrandt: Two Scholars Disputing.
These men are actively involved in
discussion.
No eye-contact: they may be
strangers, or they just wish not
to engage in conversation.
Avoiding eye contact says
leave me alone!
De Erderly: a soup kitchen, late 1930’s

10. Use Eye-Contact to Engage
• Look at the audience to engage and stimulate
interest.
Johannes Vermeer: The Girl with a Pearl Earring
It looks as though she is about
to speak to us. With direct eye-
contact she has our attention.
Focus on your audience to
connect with them.

11. Body
Movements/Gestures
Holding your head and shoulders up shows that you
want to communicate.
Hunched shoulders, stooping forward and holding
your head down tells others to back off.
Q1. I don’t think
the guy
in the red shirt is in
a chatty mood.
What do you think?
Why?

12. Facial Expression
John Brack: Collins Street
Q2. From his facial
expression do you
think this man is
feeling relaxed and
ready to listen to
what you have to
say?

13. • Q3. The facial expression of a speaker effects how
the audience receives their message. Y/N
Detail from Jan Van Eyck: The Marriage of Arnolfini

14. Use Kinesics to your advantage:
• Make direct eye-contact.
• Use gestures that invite others to pay attention to
what you are saying rather than shut them out.
• Use facial expressions to add interest and
demonstrate your willingness to engage with the
audience.

15. Environment
• Environment creates an impression and sets the
scene.
Claude Monet: Water Lilies
The painting of
water lilies
in calming blue
can make us feel cool
and relaxed as we
contemplate the
beautiful garden.

16. • The dull, drab cityscape creates an impression of
boredom, blandness and uniformity.

17. Backdrop
• If you film yourself giving any type of speech, consider
the background--the environment around you.
• Avoid distractions. A pile of washing behind you, a
collection of knick knacks, your dogs, anything that
makes the audience focus too much on the
environment or creates a strong impression that does not
match your words.
• Film outside, in front of a bare wall or an appropriate
picture. Get the audience to focus on you not the
surroundings.

18. Artifacts/Physical appearance
Artifact: An object made by humans.
• The way we look and the objects around us
such as clothes, jewelry, furniture, sporting
equipment etc., convey information about to
others.

19. Q4. Which of these women do you think is wealthy? Why?

20. Jean Ingres: Princess de Borgile
Abraham Solomon : Old Woman
Frying Eggs
Artifacts: gold necklace, jewel bracelets,
expensive looking dress, hair ornaments, gold fabric
on the chair, delicate fine lace netting in hair
Artifacts: drab clothing, thick heavy material, no jewelry
or other fine objects, humble kitchen utensils

21. Audiences take note of the way you
look and are dressed
• Present the image you want people to receive.
• Use props: books, glasses, clothes, accessories.
• Dress appropriately: If you are presenting a speech
on business for example wear a suit rather than
jeans and a T-Shirt.

22. Practice
• View the following artworks and apply your
knowledge of non-verbal communication to answer
the questions.

23. Napoleon on His Imperial Throne
Jean Ingres
Q5. Examine the
Artifacts
What do they tell
us?

24. Vincent Van Gogh
The Bedroom at Arles
Q6. What clues
can you find
that
communicate
details about
the artist?

25. Rembrandt
The Nightwatch
Q7.
Examine the kinesics
in this picture.
What do the movements
facial expressions
tell you about what is
happening?
Which man do you think is in
charge?
Why?

26. Photograph: Bill Henson
The Paris Opera
Q8. Where are
they
both
looking?
Do you think
the man in the
suit wants to
communicate
with the
person behind?

27. Claude Monet
Garden at Sante Adresse
Q9 I am presenting an
Informative speech
on the invention of
the semi-colon (trust
me it is riveting).
Would this be a good
background for my
speech?
Why/Why not?

28. Domenico Fetti
Melancholy
Q10
This man is depicted in a state of
melancholy.
There are some clues that reveal
this.
a) How does Fetti use
kinesics to depict
the melancholy state
of mind?
b) Identify one artifact
Which gives us a clue
That the man is
melancholy

29. Summary
• Non-Verbal Communication sends strong messages
to the audience.
• Enhance communication skills by being aware of
how non-verbal communication works.
To send the message you want the audience to
receive use:
• Kinesics (body movement, facial expressions, eye-
contact)
• Environment
• Artifacts/Physical Appearance