Definitions of Verbal Communication & Non-Verbal Communication (AQA GCSE Psychology)
Revision Note
Written by: Claire Neeson
Reviewed by: Lucy Vinson
What is verbal communication?
Verbal communication is communication in the form of words, examples of which are:
The spoken word/speech, song (singing a song and reading song lyrics)
Texts, email, SMS, RCS, social media messaging channels
News articles, poetry, plays, blogs, print and online advertising
Sign language (signing is classed as forming words and is therefore verbal)
A example of verbal communication between two people may include:
Your friend sending you a text message to ask, ‘Have you done your Psychology homework?’
Asking you the same question face-to-face when they see you at school
Then writing you a note in class asking you to pretend not to have done your homework so that they are not the only one getting detention that day!
Communication can be verbal but doesn't just mean speech
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Be VERY careful to stress that verbal communication comes in the form of WORDS, NOT SPEECH! Examiners frequently comment that students often incorrectly state that the difference between verbal communication and nonverbal communication is the use of ‘speech’ rather than ‘words’. ‘Speech’ includes paralinguistics (tone, pitch, volume, and intonation etc) and is therefore a combination of verbal and non-verbal communication.
What is non-verbal communication?
Non-verbal communication (NVC) is any form of communication that does not involve the use of words
The saying, ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression’ is largely based on the NVC that is projected upon meeting someone for the first time:
How someone walks, stands, sits, moves, and dresses, are all (possibly) more meaningful and important than what they say
It is thought that 70-93% of all communication between humans is non-verbal (Mehrabian, 1981) and yet NVC is often overlooked and underestimated, with verbal communication being (generally) more highly regarded (Krauss, 2002)
A cross-cultural study found that university students preferred professors who used high levels of nonverbal expressiveness and who moved in a relaxed way, both in and out of the classroom environment (Georgakopoulos & Guerrero, 2010)
Non-verbal communication is important when forming impressions on people
Worked Example
Here is an example of a question you might be asked on this topic - for AO1 and AO2.
AO1: You need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
AO2: You need to apply your knowledge and understanding, usually referring to the ‘stem’ in order to do so (the stem is the example given before the question)
AO3: You need to analyse and evaluate key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
After each featured question there is a ‘model’ answer i.e. one which would achieve top marks in the exam.
Elsa was complaining about how cold it was that day. ‘I’m freezing!’ she said, ‘It feels like we live in the Arctic!’ Her sister Anna was so cold that all she could do was rub her arms, stamp her feet and shiver in an attempt to get warm.
Question: Outline the difference between non-verbal communication and verbal communication. Refer to both the conversation and the actions of Elsa and Anna in your answer. [3 ]
AO1 = 2 marks
AO2 = 1 mark
Model answer:
AO1:
Non-verbal communication is the part of communication that does not involve words – like body language, facial expressions, and paralinguistics (for example tone, pitch, volume, and intonation).
Verbal communication is sending and receiving messages using words.
AO2:
Elsa uses verbal communication in her spoken sentences; Anna uses non-verbal communication in her body language e.g. rubbing her arms.
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