Title: Business Communication Instructors' Perception of Nonverbal Communication
Abstract: INTRODUCTION How is nonverbal communication? Studies suggest that 65 to 90 percent of our is transmitted nonverbally. If this is true, then business instructors should be placing emphases on nonverbal consists of the following: tone of voice, gestures, physical appearance, space/territory, expressions and the clothes we wear. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study was to determine which nonverbal topics and methods business instructors used in teaching nonverbal Specifically the objectives of this study are: * to determine the age and sex of the respondents. * to determine the value of nonverbal as perceived by business instructors. * to determine the number of assignments and materials used to teach nonverbal. * to determine the topics taught in nonverbal. * to determine the methods used in teaching nonverbal. METHODOLOGY A questionnaire was developed and mailed to members of the Association for Business Communication in the Southwest and West Regions. A total of 298 questionnaires were mailed. One hundred thirteen questionnaires were returned for 38 percent return rate. However, some respondents did not teach nonverbal and some were retired; thus, there were 74 usable questionnaires. RELATED LITERATURE is relatively new field of study and is defined as everything but the words used to communicate. Nonverbal communication is just one label. Others include body language, kinesics, and proxemics. Mary Ellen Guffey defines nonverbal as including written and unspoken messages, both intentional and unintentional.(Guffey, p. 50) Researchers have found that an astonishing 93 per cent of the meaning of message comes from nonverbal cues.(Guffey, p. 50) Only seven per cent ...of message comes from the words spoken.(Guffey, p. 50) A recently published book, Communications, Forms and Functions by Peter A. Anderson is based on current theory and research in the field of nonverbal communication. Anderson states that most researchers believe that nonverbal is considerably more important (Anderson, 1999, 1) than verbal Although researchers may disagree with the percentage of message that is carried nonverbally numerous studies show that all the various aspects of nonverbal communication-body movements, interpersonal distance, touch, expressions, and all other components ... of nonverbal ...are very important (Anderson, 1999, 2). Anderson defines nonverbal as all other than language. (Anderson, 1999, 2) is part of the broader category of Verbal and nonverbal communication...exist side by side as two human processes that are part of the same system (Anderson, 1999, 2). The coverage of nonverbal in the business textbooks has increased over the past two decades. Business Communications by Himstreet and Baty published in 1973 and used as text in business course devoted few lines to nonverbal They reported that facial expressions, gestures and other bodily actions can tell when person is pleased or upset. (Himstreet & Baty, 1973, 10) Also, listeners can recognize when a person's speech does not convey his true intentions. (Himstreet & Baty, 1973, 10) Recently published business books devote much more space to nonverbal A recently published book Lesikar's Basic Business Communication by Lesikar, Pettit and Flatley (1999) devoted approximately three and one-half pages to nonverbal and included the nature of nonverbal communication, types of nonverbal which includes space, time, paralanguage, and other types of nonverbal …
Publication Year: 1999
Publication Date: 1999-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 1
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot