Nonverbal Cues

Abstract

Nonverbal cues consist of those elements of expression that convey social rather than factual information and serve as rich communicative signals carried in all forms of visual or aural media. In media effects research, nonverbal cues have been primarily associated with emotional expression, particularly facial displays, bodily gestures, and voice tone, but they can take other forms of physical appearance or interaction. As research into nonverbal communication has advanced, so has the sophistication of the concepts used to frame these studies. Theories of nonverbal influence are drawn from diverse academic traditions, such as cognitive, evolutionary, and social psychology, media studies, and interpersonal communication. Conceptual frameworks employed to study nonverbal cues include appearance‐based inferences, nonverbal expectancy violations theory, stereotype activation, affective socialization, and visual framing. While impactful, nonverbal cues do not have uniform effects; several intervening variables can moderate the way nonverbal cues are received and interpreted.

The First Nature of Language

“…In today's world of linguistic relativity, the mainstream view is that human's thoughts determine language, and that language is extremely counterproductive to thoughts. In this regard, the author must clarify that human being has many forms of thoughts that are nonlinguistic, such as the direct presentation of images, sounds, and colors in the brain [5], which are nonlinguistic thoughts. This does not mean, however, that the thinking function of language does not have an overwhelmingly dominant position.…”