Demonstrative Communication Essay

Communication is a form of transferring information from one person to other or group of people. It starts with the sender and reaches the receiver successfully if the message is formatted correctly and clearly by the sender. There are different methods by which people can communicate with each other like written, visual, nonverbal, and verbal. Verbal and written communication can be carried through writing articles, emails, reports, or letters. Verbal communication includes both oral and written expression. However, nonverbal communication includes gestures, body language, facial expressions, and eye contact.
Demonstrative communication is the type of communication in which messages are sent and received without using words. It includes tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, and so on. Demonstrative communication reinforces or replaces verbal communication and is highly effective in certain scenarios like traffic signals, warning signs, and hands language for deaf and disabled people. As according to the research, facial expressions or other forms of body language accounts for about 55% of communication. This mode of communication is being used since the age of cave dwellers. Nonverbal communication exists even before the time when no words were spoken. It is used at home, workplace, and in every country, sometimes consciously and sometimes unconsciously. Nonverbal or demonstrative communication does not only include facial expression, tone, or body language, but it is perceived through clothing, touch, body ornaments, posture, walk, and hairstyles.
In nonverbal or demonstrative communication, facial expressions are the most important. It considers the individual’s use of eyebrows, eye movement, mouth expression, and forehead. Some of the facial expressions are quite prominent, while some are brief. They can be deliberately communicated or accidental; however, all expressions have some specific meaning that determine the relationships or situations. Similarly, gestures are the body actions that show up certain meanings. Gestures help in to support, substitute, or contradict verbal messages. These can be well communicated through hand movements or over body language. Hand movements can convey the message of happiness, or anger to the receiver.
Demonstrative communication plays an important role in the communication process. It is used in daily life, whether you are talking to friends, co-workers, or a group of people. It can be positive or negative, and effective or ineffective for both sender and receiver depending on how it is perceived. For example, wave or a smile by a sender signifies positive nonverbal communication. Receiver perceives it as a positive welcoming response. Similarly, negative nonverbal communication can be transmitted by a rapid hand gestures or frown. The receiver perceives as angry or negative response.
Demonstrative communication is used along with the verbal communication to make conversation more effective. For example, while giving a speech, it is important for the sender to keep the audience engaged and awaken; therefore, the speaker must act as if he has good knowledge of what he is talking. Ineffective cues of nonverbal communication can break the speech; like if one is frowning, shivering, or not making an eye contact with the viewers, then thy would lose their interest in the speech very soon. It is important for the speaker to make right facial expressions and body movement as according to the situation so to make an overall speech, effective.
The foremost thing for the speaker is the knowledge of the subject, but along with the subject knowledge, it is also important for him to have understanding of the moods and minds of audience. For example, some people perceive the crossed hands as the closed conversation or questions not welcomed. The speaker must be aware of such kinds of body language signs. There are different meanings of specific gestures, body language, appearances, and facial expressions in different cultures. Therefore, individuals must be careful while talking to people from different cultures or countries as the signals can be misread or misread by the receiver. In Turkey, people perceive the person with his hands in pockets as disrespectful for the receiver. Similarly, in US, crossed legs indicate different meanings, but in Turkey or Ghana, it is perceived as an offensive gesture.
Demonstrative communication has high importance in every field, whether it is daily life, business, or relationships. In business, positive nonverbal communication at the workplace can support positive relationships. In contrary, negative nonverbal communication can result in disconnection between colleagues and consequently, loss in business. To prosper the business, it is important to promote positive environment. Managers play a critical role in building a positive environment of the workplace and keeping the business on the track of success. For example, if the manager appears to be frowning, then they would not approach him for issues regarding the business projects or other problems. However, if manager smiles and give a positive body language expression, then employees would feel comfortable to share their points. Similarly, demonstrative communication is considered highly important while interviews, judging people, leaders, or suspects, and other fields of life like acting in dramas or movies .

References

Cheesebro, O'Connor, & Rios. (2010). Communicating in the Workplace. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.