Body language is a form of mental and physical ability of
human non-verbal communication, consisting of body posture, gestures, facial
expressions, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals almost
entirely subconsciously. (Body language in this sense should be distinguished
from sign language.)
James Borg states that human communication consists of 93
percent body language and paralinguistic cues, while only 7% of communication
consists of words themselves.
Body language may provide clues as to the attitude or state
of mind of a person. For example, it may indicate aggression, attentiveness,
boredom, relaxed state, pleasure, amusement, and intoxication.
Body language is significant to communication and
relationships. It is relevant to management and leadership in business and in
places where many people can observe it. It can also be relevant to some
outside of the workplace. It is commonly helpful in dating, mating, in family
settings, and parenting. Although body language is non-verbal or non-spoken, it
can reveal a lot about your feelings and meaning to others. How others reveal
their feelings towards you. Body language signals happen on a conscious and
unconscious level.
Purpose of activity:
To understand how we send messages using our body and without
using words.
Skills: communication, self-awareness, critical
thinking
Materials: Pieces of
paper/card
Steps:
Divide participants into pairs.
Each pair should think of a discussion that one of them has
had with someone else, which became an argument or a conflict.
The participants then act out the argument using their bodies
and faces only. They must not speak and should only mime. After a few minutes of practising the mime,
choose two pairs whose scenes look the clearest. Ask the first pair to act
their scene. Ask the group what they
think is happening. Point out that it is often easy to know more or less what
is going on from our body movement and facial expressions.
Repeat the exercise with the second pair.
Brainstorm the different parts of the body we can use to
communicate with (eyes, arms, mouth, whole body, fingers, legs, shoulders,
etc.) and the emotions we can communicate though our bodies (pleasure, anger,
weakness, disappointment, etc.). Write
or draw symbols for emotions on paper/card.
Give each participant a paper showing one of the emotions
(you can also do this in pairs). Ask them to model the emotion with their body.
Go through the group guessing what the emotion each participant or pair is modelling.
Final discussion:
Which is more effective in sending a message, body language
or words? Why?
What are some of the body language messages that are
particularly positive or Negative?
