DEMONSTRATIVE COMMUNICATION

Demonstrative Communication Aneus L. McCall BCOM/275 August 15, 2011 Steve Boylan

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Demonstrative Communication Communication can be connotatively defined as the method by which information is sent and received. It is the foundation of the human experience and human interactions. Communication is verbal and nonverbal, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Each day we communicate through thought, word, and deed. Verbal communication can be in written form or by spoken word. Verbal communications key components are sound, words, speaking, and language. Nonverbal communication can take the form of gestures, body language, eye contact, and a host of other silent signals. Hearing impaired individuals are taught to communicate using sign language which is a form of non-verbal communication. Demonstrative communication includes nonverbal and unwritten communications. Demonstrative communication can be used to emphasize verbal communications (Nayab, 2011). Hand gestures and facial expressions are often used in this manner. For example, an angry person would generally be using wildly emotive hand gestures combined with pained facial expressions to emphasize just how upset they are. In contrast, a person demonstrating happiness or pleasure would have a relaxed face and calm movement of the hands and arms. These forms of nonverbal communication can have a great impact on our professional and personal lives. Human beings rely on these qualities to enhance our interactions with others. For example, when two individuals meet, one can usually tell if the other is approachable and friendly by their smile, their firm handshake, and their cheerful disposition. One can also tell how others feel about them based on nonverbal cues. Giving someone the cold shoulder is a term that, using nonverbal cues, connotes disrespect and contempt. The person receiving this message is made aware of the senders contempt by their unspoken disregard and condescension. An individual can also use nonverbal signals to their advantage by using them as

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a gauge to determine whether or not their message is being received. If they are receiving negative feedback, nonverbal cues give them the ability and option of adjusting the message itself, or the method in which the message is being sent. Demonstrative communication conveys many messages about a person to others. A business mans suit will convey messages of power and leadership capabilities. Likewise, a pediatric nurses uniform, with its teddy bears and rainbows, is designed to be comforting both to the child and to the parent. There are pros and cons to demonstrative, nonverbal communication. This is why it is important to be aware of them and the unassuming power they hold. As previously stated, watching nonverbal cues can give a speaker signals to help them determine whether or not their message is being received and how it is being received. Likewise, they can reinforce positive character traits such as integrity, friendliness, and compassion. Additionally, because demonstrative communication also includes attire, silent words indicating mood are spoken by what a person is wearing. Unfortunately, nonverbal communication can often be vague, misread, and therefore misunderstood. For example, it is possible to meet someone in the middle of the day, during the workweek, who is wearing shorts, a t-shirt and sandals or flip-flops, and assume that this person is unemployed. On the contrary, this person could be the president or CEO of a Fortune 500 company. A person with a serious demeanor could be taken as a mean or unpleasant individual. However, this person could be a very kind person with something serious on their mind that the time. Demonstrative communication has to be seen. Therefore, time and space limit its capabilities. It would not prove beneficial to smile at a person who is not close enough to you to

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see it. Nor is it possible to hug someone who is not in the room. Therefore, the intended message, while filled with good intentions, cannot be received. Another con is that demonstrative communication is deficient of the intricacies and subtle inflections language carries. Nonverbal communication cannot communicate complex facts or concepts (Sutton, 2011). Therefore, it would be quite difficult to explain the complexities of a dinner one is enjoying without some form of verbal communication. Verbal communication allows the messenger to be immensely more descriptive thereby engaging their intended audience all the more. Whatever the type, communication is a required element of interaction in the human experience. Truth be told, we can even find, and look forward to, demonstrative communication in the animal world. A puppy wagging its tail is a sign of happiness. A cat curled up in its owner lapped is a sign of contentment. The daily exchanges we encounter help to make life interesting, interactive, and intricate.

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References Cheesebro, T., OConnor, L., & Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the workplace. Upper SaddleRiver, NJ: Prentice Hall. Nayab, N. (2011, July 27). Comparing Various Forms of Communication. Retrieved August 14, 2011, from Bright Hub, Inc.: http://www.brighthub.com/office/projectmanagement/articles/79297.aspx Sutton, N. (2011, March 26). Pros and Cons of Nonverbal Communication. Retrieved August 15, 2011, from eHow Family: http://www.ehow.com/info_8117087_pros-cons-nonverbalcommunication.html