Social cues are how we communicate without using words.
Verywell / Zoe Hansen
What Are Social Cues?
Social cues are ways we communicate without words or in addition to verbal communication.
Verywell / Zoe Hansen
It’s estimated that 60%65% of the way we communicate with others is through nonverbal behaviors.
Social cues are part of the overall way humans communicate.
Social cues and words work together and depend on context.
Are Social Cues Universal?
Overall, the way people perform most social cues is similar.
However, social cues are not universal.
Some people express and interpret social cues differently.
Physical (Body Language)
Posture
Posture is how aperson holds their body.
It can express how someone feels or what message they are trying to convey.
Remember that physical comfort is also a factor in posture.
Someone may have their arms crossed or sit in an open stance because it feels better.
Similarly, leaning in towards the person can also show interest.
Gestures are a jot down of nonverbal expression.
A wave of the hand from side to side, for instance, can mean hello or goodbye.
An upright hand with palm out usually means stop.
An index finger extended towards something means to look or go there.
Sometimes, gestures are used to emphasize what a person is saying.
For example, a person telling an exciting story may wave their hands around as they speak.
Gestures can also be culturally based.
Be careful of your gestures when traveling.
Is Sign Language Gesturing?
Sign languageis a group of languages with grammatical rules just as spoken language has.
Gesturing itself is not sign language.
These are examples of mirroring.
Mirroring can be a sign of attentiveness or engagement.
Touching
Touchingcan convey a wide variety of meanings, from intimacy to establishing dominance.
Touch can have multiple meanings and depends on the context or situation in which it is used.
Paying attention to how others respond to touch is also essential.
Not everyone likes to be touched, in general, by certain people or in specific ways.
Touching someone else, regardless of intentions, requires consent.
This cue needs to be taken in context.
The eyes and mouth are typically what a person scans most when someone is speaking to them.
Prolonged eye contact or staring can feel intimidating or threatening.
Vocal
The way we say things can determine the meaning of the words we use.
It can also affect persuasion and how people are perceived.
Varying your pitch (the highness and lowness of your voice) can make listening more enjoyable.
Emphasis in the Voice
Where the emphasis is placed on words also matters.
Youwent to the store?
implies surprise that that individual was the person who went there.
You went to thestore?
suggests that the location is the source of surprise, not the person.
Volume also makes a difference.
Mumbling may suggest nervousness.
Yelling may suggest enthusiasm or anger.
Nonverbal
Proxemics
Proxemicsrefers to how close a person is standing to another.
It often indicates a level of comfort or intimacy between them.
Proxemic norms vary significantly among cultures.
Clothing
Clothing can tell a lot about a person.
A person wearing a military uniform likely is a soldier.
A person in a white lab coat likely is in the medical or science field.
“Formal” versus “casual” clothes are deemed appropriate in different controls.
Difficulty Reading Social Cues
Not everyone is adept at reading typical social cues.
Some health conditions affect how a person performs and interprets familiar social cues.
Social anxiety can affect how a person expresses and interprets social cues.
How Common Is Social Anxiety?
The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 7% of Americans are affected by social anxiety.
These behaviors can be misunderstood by others, too.
For instance, interrupting may be interpreted as rude, or fidgeting may be misconstrued as dull or anxious.
What Is Nonverbal Learning Disorder?
Nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD) is also known as nonverbal learning disability.
Difficulties may include:
These relate to recognizing patterns or concepts and then applying them to new situations.
Because social cues are a pattern, these kids can have difficulty interpreting them.
One option is atest byPsychology Today.
This test gives a complimentary summary of results but requires payment for the full results.
These tests are not a substitution for a professional exam.
How to Build Your Social Skills
How people communicate varies.
Social skills and cues tend to be evaluated based on typical or common social behavior.
However, not everyone uses or interprets social cues in the same way.
Social cues can be performed with the hands, body, face, or even nonverbal vocal cues.
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