Tutor profile: Sara A.

Which of these famous Greek writers penned the epic poem, The Odyssey? A) Antigone B) Homer C)Plato D) Aristotle

B) Homer

All the survivors have been ______ for. A) Accounted B) Dealt C) Found D) Reasoned

A) Accounted

How do individuals exchange messages interpersonally, and what are the consequences of language and nonverbal communication for social relationship?

When we think about communication, we most often focus on how we exchange information using words. While verbal communication is important, humans relied on nonverbal communication for thousands of years before we developed the capability to communicate with words. Nonverbal communication is a process of generating meaning using behavior other than words. Rather than thinking of nonverbal communication as the opposite of or as separate from verbal communication, it’s more accurate to view them as operating side by side—as part of the same system. Often, we put more weight on nonverbal communication when determining a person’s credibility. For example, if a classmate delivers a speech in class and her verbal content seems well-researched and unbiased, but her nonverbal communication is poor (her voice is monotone, she avoids eye contact, she fidgets), she will likely not be viewed as credible. Yet, in some situations, verbal communication might carry more meaning than nonverbal. In interactions where information exchange is the focus, at a briefing at work, for example, verbal communication likely accounts for much more of the meaning generated.