Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is the expression of an idea without the use of words. Nonverbal communications include posture, clothes, gestures, distance, and eye contact. These nonverbal communication approaches provide crucial indicators in the communication process that are frequently lacking in verbal communication or are complimentary to verbal communication. Nonverbal communication frequently indicates what the speaker intends to say or what is unsaid. It is vital to mention from this perspective that nonverbal communication must be employed correctly in order to portray the message effectively and efficiently. Posture, movement, eye contact, and gestures are the most prevalent and visible manifestations of this type of communication. In his speech, President Nixon employed a variety of nonverbal communication skillfully to his advantage.
Posture and Gait
The first nonverbal communication cue that he used is posture or gait. This refers to his standing and general disposition of his body. This posture suggests a stance of the plea. Nixon clearly steered clear of the man spreading stand where his feet would be set aside and demonstrate his power rather, his right leg is straight while the left leg is slightly bent forwards resulting in his overall gait as a forward leaning stance. This is a persuasive position as it demonstrates that the candidate is willing to listen to the audience and ready to reply to the questions that arise. Readiness to listen is a sign of humility and consideration and thus psychologically prepares individuals to be persuaded. In a nutshell, the forward leaning stand is crucial in garnering concentration and attention from the audience since it shows that eh candidate is ready to listen and respond.
Eye Contact
The second aspect of nonverbal persuasion is eye contact. For example, whenever Nixon is taken a close-up shot, he is seen staring straight into the camera. This eye contact is a crucial element of persuasive nonverbal communication. The human eyes have the ability to communicate a plethora of emotions such as anger, mercy, sympathy, happiness and joy. The eyes do this by offering plenty of scenarios such as beaming, teary, wide open and squinted among others. In the debate, Nixon has kept a steady look on his face so that he can demonstrate his steadiness and confidence in what he is telling the citizens in a bid to convince them. His eyes are steadily open and party a firm nature that persuades the viewer that this is an individual who is focused and ready to undertake his duties seriously. Eye contact is critical in this case due to the fact that it portrays what is in the individual’s heart and can be a demonstration of bravery and determination. It is one of the things in the video that indicates what contributed to Nixon’s success.
Facial Expressions
Facial expressions are a critical part of persuasive nonverbal communication. They refer to one or more motions as well as positions of the various muscles beneath the skin on the face. There are numerous facial expressions that an individual can make with their facial muscles such as laughing, frowning, and sulking. In the video, the participants have used the facial expressions adequately to capture the audience’s attention and drive their agenda home. Both candidates have kept a calm face thus demonstrate their ability to lead calmly. This expression is crucial in convincing the audience of the composition of the candidate and their potential to deliver under stressful circumstances. This expression shows that the individual is composed and ready to perform under pressure. The pressure in this scenario is demonstrated by the media presence, the audience and the pundits that lie in waiting to criticize the speeches and pick out controversial points that they can exploit to boost the candidates ranking or water down their reputation. Their calm facial expressions have contributes largely to their influence on the clients.
Gestures
Gestures are the movements of parts of the body, especially the hands in order to convey an idea. They are often employed in nonverbal communication to complement the verbal discussions. The dominant gesture in this conversation is the waving of hands, especially by Richard Nixon. The gestures are crucial in capturing and maintaining the audience’s attention. Additionally, they add near diagrammatic illustrations to the conversation so that the audience can picture issues clearly. For example, when referring to Russia, a small wave of the hand is used while a large wave is used for reference to China which showed the audience that China is much bigger than Russia and thus investments are likely to have a bigger market in China rather than in Russia.
