Communicating Affect: The Role of Verbal and Nonverbal Content

Abstract

The role of nonverbal signals in communicating affect is not well understood. Recent research has both emphasised and played down the importance of the nonverbal signals relative to what is said. A careful examination of the evidence shows that the data in favour of and against nonverbal dominance come from two different empirical approaches. It is argued that both approaches are methodologically unsound. A new approach to the question is developed based on the assumption that the communication channel which maintains the affective tone of the interaction is the primary channel by which affect is being communicated. The affective tone of the interaction can be established by examining the communicational context for any given message. This assumption allows mixed messages, in which the verbal and nonverbal channels are conveying opposed affective tones, to be analysed for channel dominance. Sixteen segments from interviews televised live were examined. In twelve of the sixteen segments the nonverbal channels carried the affective tone. A detailed analysis of subject explanations for the remaining four segments revealed that affective messages are sometimes complex combinations of cues in which the roles of the verbal and nonverbal channels are interwoven to communicate several messages simultaneously.