Effective Nonverbal Communication Research Articles

Semantic Gesticulator: Semantics-Aware Co-Speech Gesture Synthesis

In this work, we present Semantic Gesticulator , a novel framework designed to synthesize realistic gestures accompanying speech with strong semantic correspondence. Semantically meaningful gestures are crucial for effective non-verbal communication, but such gestures often fall within the long tail of the distribution of natural human motion. The sparsity of these movements makes it challenging for deep learning-based systems, trained on moderately sized datasets, to capture the relationship between the movements and the corresponding speech semantics. To address this challenge, we develop a generative retrieval framework based on a large language model. This framework efficiently retrieves suitable semantic gesture candidates from a motion library in response to the input speech. To construct this motion library, we summarize a comprehensive list of commonly used semantic gestures based on findings in linguistics, and we collect a high-quality motion dataset encompassing both body and hand movements. We also design a novel GPT-based model with strong generalization capabilities to audio, capable of generating high-quality gestures that match the rhythm of speech. Furthermore, we propose a semantic alignment mechanism to efficiently align the retrieved semantic gestures with the GPT's output, ensuring the naturalness of the final animation. Our system demonstrates robustness in generating gestures that are rhythmically coherent and semantically explicit, as evidenced by a comprehensive collection of examples. User studies confirm the quality and human-likeness of our results, and show that our system outperforms state-of-the-art systems in terms of semantic appropriateness by a clear margin. We will release the code and dataset for academic research.

Examining the efficacy of online learning in nurturing students' learning: an analysis of students' experiences

PurposeThis research aims to understand how satisfied students were with their online learning experience and how actively engaged they were in their studies.Design/methodology/approachTo study the breadth and depth of students' experiences and fully address the research aims, the researchers utilized a mixed method. Through a survey questionnaire with both closed-ended and open-ended questions, student responses were gathered. On a five-point Likert scale, the closed-ended questions were co-constructed. The research participants included students attending Pakistan's private university in Karachi. Participants from all programs were the authors' focus (i.e. undergraduate and graduate). A total of 552 students completed the survey questionnaire.FindingsThe study reveals students' level of satisfaction with their online encounters. Contextual restrictions, such as power outages, bad internet, a lack of a private place and administrative problems, make it difficult to access and connect during learning sessions. Additionally, the student's perception of online learning as being more secure and safe in terms of their physical safety was an intriguing finding. They also see the integration of online and in-person learning as advantageous because it might reduce travel expenses and time while also giving them access to independent study resources. Given its many benefits, this research supports the use of online learning in higher education. Online education promotes a healthy mix of teacher- and student-centered instruction.Research limitations/implicationsMoreover, the findings indicate that effective non-verbal communication occurs when students interact with a teacher and colleague face-to-face. In a face-to-face teaching situation, good body language may inspire, engage and motivate students. Better learning outcomes result from being able to interpret people's body language, whether it be eye contact or posture, and alter the topic and approach. Keeping in view the recent nature of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, no research has been carried out on this topic to date or on such a wide-scale transition to online learning, specifically in the context of higher education in Pakistan (Dincer, 2018). This research is unique in its kind as it focuses on the impact of online learning on the affective domain as well.Practical implicationsGiven the contextual concerns, teachers must find alternative educational insights that will enable students to reduce listening demands, improve self-learning and promote engagement.Social implicationsTherefore, in the authors' context, it is a unique finding that students felt socially isolated. While numerous studies have examined anxiety, still there is still a dearth of literature regarding stress factors (Dincer, 2018). The current study provided substantial information on the impact of online learning on students' stress levels, and the consequence is that they were strained out because they felt socially isolated. Additionally, these findings are in alignment with the qualitative data showing a problem of student isolation and a lack of engagement. Since the face-to-face mode had provided them with the time and space, they were able to engage in educational socialization outside the boundaries of the classroom, such as casual conversations during breaks, gatherings at coffee shops and working on group projects at the library.Originality/valueThis research was conducted in the context of Pakistan.

Prenatal Care Utilization Challenges and Facilitators for a Growing Latino Community in the Midwest.

Latina women are less likely to start prenatal care in the first trimester and to attend the recommended amount of prenatal visits compared to their non-Latina white counterparts. This study aimed to assess challenges and facilitators to first-trimester prenatal care (FTPNC) and prenatal care utilization (PNCU) in a Midwestern urban area with a growing immigrant Latino community. This study used a mixed-method approach based on the Theoretical Domains Framework. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals that worked in birth centers, clinics, or hospitals that provided prenatal care (PNC) services for Latina women. Eight focus groups and quantitative surveys were conducted with Latina women and their supporters in Kansas City metropolitan area. FTPNC was challenged by women's immigrant status, lack of healthcare coverage due to immigrant status, and complexity of Medicaid application. PNCU was challenged by the cost of PNC when diagnosed with gestational diabetes, lack of healthcare coverage, PNC literacy, late access to gynecologists/obstetricians, inadequate interpretation services, transportation, and mental health distress. Meanwhile, FTPNC was facilitated by social support and connectedness. PNCU was facilitated by Spanish-proficient providers and interpreters, effective nonverbal communication and education techniques, and pregnancy prevention access and education. Results from this study highlight important targets to improve PNC for Latina women. Participants called for various types of support to address identified challenges, ranging from information on social media about PNC services to broader efforts such as building trust from the community toward PNC providers and making PNC services affordable for women with gestational diabetes.

A Model for Effective Nonverbal Communication between Nurses and Older Patients: A Grounded Theory Inquiry.

Nonverbal communication is an inevitable art to be effectively mastered by nurses. Nurse nonverbal communication has many benefits when it is effective. For instance, nonverbal communication is important to convey affective and emotional information, and demonstrate respect for and build therapeutic relationships with older patients. As the older population is growing fast worldwide, effective nonverbal communication with older patients is an essential skill for nurses and will improve patients' satisfaction and the quality of care. Therefore, this article presents a model to guide effective nonverbal communication between nurses and older patients. A Grounded Theory approach guided the study. Data were collected between July 2018 and January 2020 through overt participant observations and individual interviews. Purposive and theoretical sampling were used to select 13 clinically experienced nurses, 4 nursing students, and 8 older adults. Data analysis encompassed open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The results showed that effective nonverbal communication emerged as the co-phenomenon hinged within context and/or environment and is influenced by certain factors. This model, which is in support of person-centered communication and care, advocates for effective nonverbal communication between nurses and older patients.

Assisted Living Facilities: Benefits, Challenges, and the Importance of Culture

Assisted Living Facilities: Benefits, Challenges, and the Importance of Culture

Management of gummy smile with an interdisciplinary approach

In this extremely competitive society, esthetic appearance plays an important role in the acceptance and self-esteem of individuals. Facial expressions and smile are the primary constituents of fast and effective nonverbal communication. Gummy smile is a frequent finding that can occur because of various intraoral or extraoral etiologies. Gummy smile is considered unattractive and a major cause of embarrassment. Lip repositioning was first described in 1973 by Rubinstein and Kostianovsky as a conservative surgical method for correcting a gummy smile. This procedure minimizes the gingival display by limiting the retraction of the elevator smile muscles. This case report describes the management of gummy smile using an interdisciplinary approach. Despite other possible alternatives, the present case was treated with minimally invasive perioplastic surgery (crown lengthening and lip repositioning) and cosmetic restorations of maxillary anterior teeth. Surgical lip repositioning is a safe, predictable procedure with minimal risks or side effects.

Conditions Influencing Effective Nurse Nonverbal Communication With Hospitalized Older Adults in Cameroon

Effective communication between nurses and patients is an important factor to quality nursing care but ineffective nonverbal communication could take a toll on health care. Therefore, understanding the factors that influence nonverbal communication between nurses and hospitalized older adults could help solve communication problems, thus improve nursing care. A sample of 13 nurses and 4 student nurses from two hospitals in Cameroon participated in the study. Data were collected using participant observations and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using open coding and constant comparative analysis. Three categories were identified as influencing factors: nurse views of hospitalized older adults, hospitalized older adult-related factors, and nurse intrinsic factors. Effective nurses’ nonverbal communication with hospitalized older adults relies mostly on nurses’ intrinsic factors. Identification and nurturing of the positive nurse intrinsic factors are important to develop effective nonverbal communication skills among nurses.

Non-Verbal Communication in the Context of Social Presence in Virtual Space

Studies related to non-verbal communication in virtual space need to be explored as a result of changes in communication processes that largely rely on online interaction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Undoubtedly, it has extended the scope of understanding an individual’s virtual presence and the effectiveness of non-verbal communication practices. In this study, non-verbal communication is explored in the process of online teaching and learning. Social Presence Theory has been used in understanding the practice of lecturers to establish relationships through their virtual presence and build closeness with students during online teaching and learning. In-depth interviews were conducted with a total of ten students of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). This study has found that lecturers can establish relationships and closeness with students through non-verbal communication cues such as kinesic, proxemic, chronemic, and paralinguistic. Lecturers who practice effective non-verbal communication enable a positive effect on students in terms of motivation to learn, focus in learning sessions, create interest in understanding topics, and feel at ease in learning. However, the lecturers' non-verbal communication has had a negative effect if the lecturer is unable to build a good relationship especially in terms of chronemic and facial expressions cues. It will cause students to be unmotivated and experience emotional stress. In conclusion, non-verbal communication is still vital in the process of establishing a social presence and building relationships even online. The practice of non-verbal communication during the individual social presence in virtual space needs to be explored in other contexts such as in organisations. Keywords: Non-verbal communication, online learning, qualitative, Social Presence Theory, Covid-19.

The Impact of Face Masks on the Emotional Reading Abilities of Children-A Lesson From a Joint School-University Project.

Wearing face masks has become a usual practice in acute infection events inducing the problem of misinterpreting the emotions of others. Empirical evidence about face masks mainly relies on adult data, neglecting, for example, school kids who firmly are dependent on effective nonverbal communication. Here we offer insights from a joint school–university project. Data indicate that emotional reading of 9 to 10 years old pupils (N = 57) was similarly impaired as adults on an overall performance level, but that their selective performance on specific emotions was quite different. Kids showed extreme problems in reading the emotion disgust, strong effects on fear and sadness, and only mild effects on happiness, but also even better performances for emotional states anger and neutral when faces were masked. This project did gain not only relevant data about children’s perception but also made clear how fruitful seriously conducted school projects can be to encourage the interest and commitment for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-relevant topics.

Effective communication in the nurse-patient relationship in the light of Transcultural Interprofessional Practice model

Objective: to analyze the use of elements of effective nurse-patient communication in the light of the Transcultural Interprofessional Practice model. Methods: an integrative literature review was carried out in the CINAHL, LILACS, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases, without a time limit. Results: 12 studies were analyzed, most of them published in the English language, in 2017. Two categories were elaborated: effective verbal and non-verbal communication between nurses and patients. The elements of effective verbal communication were presented as speech and language; non-verbal ones presented as signals, distance, eye contact, time, touch, listening, empathy, and patience. Technology-assisted communication was part of both. Less frequently, the verbal communication process was hindered by language and non-verbal communication due to a lack of time availability. Conclusion: effective communication favors the establishment of trust, interaction, and the nurse-patient relationship.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Facial expression recognition based on computer deep learning algorithm: taking cognitive acceptance of college students as an example

Because facial expressions are the most effective non-verbal communication method and can express emotions, mentalities and intentions well, their recognition and detection technologies have gradually attracted the attention of academia and industry. However, the recognition accuracy and robustness of traditional facial expression recognition algorithms are low, and the change of facial expressions is a dynamic process. Traditional algorithms are not effective in real-time facial expression recognition. This paper is based on the recognition and detection method of convolutional neural network algorithm. Consider applying convolutional neural networks to facial expression recognition and detection. Although there are many existing convolutional network models, none of them is suitable for the recognition of images in various fields. The recognition of facial expressions requires the creation of a network model suitable for expression recognition. This article is based on the LeNet-5 network and the network structure and the internal structure has been optimized and improved. Add batch normalization to solve the problem of network model over fitting caused by different features. Select maximum overlap pooling and average overlap pooling to reduce the amount of data while fully extracting expression features. Effectively improve the accuracy and robustness of recognition, and increase the tolerance to light, posture, and obstructions.

Being Vulnerable: A Qualitative Inquiry of Physician Touch in Medical Education

Effective nonverbal communication is associated with empathic behavior and improved patient outcomes. Touch, as a form of nonverbal communication, is relatively unexplored in medical education. This study sought to gain in-depth insights into physicians' experiences communicating with touch and to examine how these insights could inform communication skills curricula. Collaborative inquiry, a form of action research, was used. Six experienced physician-educators from the University of Calgary met 8 times between 2015 and 2018 to critically reflect on their experiences of touch in clinical practice, teaching, and learning. Data comprised meeting transcripts, individual narrative accounts, and digital recordings of role-plays. Interpretative phenomenology, the study of lived experience, guided analysis. Two themes were identified-touch as presence and touch as risk. Participants used touch to demonstrate presence and a shared humanity with patients, to express "being with" a patient. Risk was not associated with the physical experience of touch but, rather, with its social meaning, interpreted through gender, culture, relationships, and context. Individual experiences were open to many interpretations. Participants expressed tension between their personal experience communicating with touch to express empathy and formal curricular structures. Reflection, role-modeling, and clinical debriefs were suggested as ways to encourage situational awareness and sensitive use of touch. Touch is a powerful means to communicate with patients but is highly subjective. Rather than avoiding touch for fear of misinterpretation, encouraging dialogue about its complexity could promote a more balanced understanding of touch and its potential to convey empathy and help physicians more effectively manage risk when using touch.

생활체육현장에서의 비언어적 커뮤니케이션과 감정반응의 관계

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for seeking ways to maintain a reciprocal relationship between sports leaders and sports participants by investigating a causal relationship between nonverbal communication of sports leaders and emotional response on sports participants.BR To secure basic data of this study, participants who have received sports instruction were set as the sample. This study collected total 450 copies and analyzed 414 survey data excluding 36 copies with unfaithful response using a statistical program SPSS 23.0 Version. Specific research findings derived through the research process are as follows.BR Nonverbal communication of sports leaders makes a significant effect on subfactors of emotional response as positive response and negative response. To be specific, body language, physical appearance, and paralanguage make a positive effect on emotional response. Meaning, it is considered that nonverbal communication makes effect on emotional response of sports participants and works as a link in maintaining reciprocal relationship. This signifies that effective nonverbal communication of sports leaders increases long-term relationship intention by eliciting positive response from participants. Therefore, it is considered that virtuous process that everyone can be satisfied with will be formed if sports leaders deliver happiness and wellness of sports by attaching great importance to nonverbal communication behavior to form a good relationship with sports participants.BR Lastly, this study was insufficient to measure emotional response in various situations because this study only conducted research through quantitative approach. Therefore, further studies as qualitative research as direct in-depth interview and observation method of sports participants are needed.

"It Matters What I Think, Not What You Say": Scientific Evidence for a Medical Error Disclosure Competence (MEDC) Model.

This study sought to validate the ability of a "Medical Error Disclosure Competence" (MEDC) model to predict the effects of physicians' communication skills on error disclosure outcomes in a simulated context. A random sample of 721 respondents was assigned to 16 experimental disclosure conditions that tested the MEDC model's constructs across 2 severity conditions (i.e., minor error and sentinel event). Severity did not affect survey respondents' perceptions of the physician's disclosure style. Respondents who viewed the nonverbally skilled disclosure perceived the disclosure as more adequate compared to respondents in the "low nonverbal skill" disclosure condition. Interpersonal adaptability did not affect respondents' adequacy ratings. Consistent with the MEDC model, those who viewed the physician's error disclosure as inadequate indicated that they would be more prone to engage in relational distancing behaviors, while those who rated the disclosure as adequate were more likely to reinvest into their relationship with their physician. These respondents also had higher resilience scores. In the context of a sentinel event, perceived adequacy significantly predicted endorsing legal redress or remedies (e.g., lawsuit). Verbal apology (e.g., "I'm sorry," "I apologize") did not predict any significant variance in the model beyond the physician's nonverbal skill. In a simulated disclosure setting, physicians' communicative skills-particularly effective nonverbal communication during a disclosure-trigger outcomes that affect the patient, the physician, and the provider-patient relationship. Findings from this study suggest that MEDC guidelines may be helpful in reducing financial and reputational risks to individual providers and institutions, particularly in the context of a sentinel event.

The Manifestation of Physician's Nonverbal Communication towards Patient's Satisfaction

The use of effective nonverbal communication between physician and patient has proven to be significantly affecting the level of patient’s satisfaction to the optimum process of patient's recovery. Among six nonverbal communications i.e., artifact, haptic, chronemics, proxemics, kinesics, and vocalic; haptic is the most influence dominant variable. This study explored the manifestation of haptic, vocalic, and kinesics in patients with different demographics characteristics. The results indicate that there are significant differences in the manifestation of these three variables on different demographic characteristics of patients that can be further used as a model of nonverbal communication between physicians and patients.

Does demography matter in nonverbal communication between physician and patient

Previous studies show that the effective nonverbal communication in therapeutic communication plays important role to influence the optimal level of patient’s healthiness through patient’s satisfaction due to asymmetry information between physician and patients. However, which variables of nonverbal communicationsthat are suitable to meet the need of different demography characteristics is still poorly understood. This research analyze the significances of each non-verbal communication variables consisting of artifact, haptic, kinesics, chronemics, proxemics, and vocalic to satisfy patients with different demography classification based on age, gender, ward type, ethnic, education, and occupation. The result shows that demography characteristics are really matter in explaining the influence of nonverbal communication variables to patients’ satisfaction. Keywords : Nonverbal communication, demography characteristics, patient’s satisfaction. JEL Classification: D82, M30, M31

The Role of Demography in Moderation the Influence of Nonverbal Communication to Patient’s Satisfaction

Effective nonverbal communication affects patient satisfaction and also affects the optimal level of patient’s healthiness. This is primarily caused by asymmetry information between doctor and patient since in most cases patients heavily rely on nonverbal communication as a tool to get information they need. Patient’s sensitivity to the nonverbal communication is generally varied in according to their demography characteristics. This research is aimed at analyzing the effect of non-verbal communication to the patient satisfaction with respect to different demographic perspectives. The research was carried out in the inpatient of selected hospitals in the Makassar city of Indonesia involving 420 respondents taken using proportional stratified random sampling technique. The research design is quantitative research using a cross sectional study design with questionnaires as the instrument to collect the data. The result of the study showed that the sixth variables of nonverbal communication (artifact, haptic, kinesics, chronemics, proxemics, and vocalic) significantly influence patient’s satisfaction. However, the result of the partial test showed different effects of each nonverbal communication variable to the patients based on the age categorize, gender, ward, ethnics, education level, and occupation.

Real-time feedback on nonverbal clinical communication. Theoretical framework and clinician acceptance of ambient visual design.

This article is part of the focus theme of Methods of Information in Medicine on "Pervasive Intelligent Technologies for Health". Effective nonverbal communication between patients and clinicians fosters both the delivery of empathic patient-centered care and positive patient outcomes. Although nonverbal skill training is a recognized need, few efforts to enhance patient-clinician communication provide visual feedback on nonverbal aspects of the clinical encounter. We describe a novel approach that uses social signal processing technology (SSP) to capture nonverbal cues in real time and to display ambient visual feedback on control and affiliation--two primary, yet distinct dimensions of interpersonal nonverbal communication. To examine the design and clinician acceptance of ambient visual feedback on nonverbal communication, we 1) formulated a model of relational communication to ground SSP and 2) conducted a formative user study using mixed methods to explore the design of visual feedback. Based on a model of relational communication, we reviewed interpersonal communication research to map nonverbal cues to signals of affiliation and control evidenced in patient-clinician interaction. Corresponding with our formulation of this theoretical framework, we designed ambient real-time visualizations that reflect variations of affiliation and control. To explore clinicians' acceptance of this visual feedback, we conducted a lab study using the Wizard-of-Oz technique to simulate system use with 16 healthcare professionals. We followed up with seven of those participants through interviews to iterate on the design with a revised visualization that addressed emergent design considerations. Ambient visual feedback on non- verbal communication provides a theoretically grounded and acceptable way to provide clinicians with awareness of their nonverbal communication style. We provide implications for the design of such visual feedback that encourages empathic patient-centered communication and include considerations of metaphor, color, size, position, and timing of feedback. Ambient visual feedback from SSP holds promise as an acceptable means for facilitating empathic patient-centered nonverbal communication.

An Analysis of a Communication Training Program for Chinese Managers

This research is based on an analysis of a management communication training program used by one large US international hotel company to train newly promoted supervisors and managers in Hong Kong and mainland China. The key communication competencies emphasized in the training materials were listening effectively, giving and receiving feedback, using verbal language correctly, using effective nonverbal communication, and displaying empathy. Implications of this study indicate that planning and executing any communication training program must be done mindfully, which includes comprehensive follow-up through reassessment and coaching by the upper managers in order to support employees' transfer of training.

From SOLER to SURETY for effective non-verbal communication

Background This paper critiques the model for non-verbal communication referred to as SOLER (which stands for: “Sit squarely”; “Open posture”; “Lean towards the other”; “Eye contact; “Relax”). It has been approximately thirty years since Egan (1975) introduced his acronym SOLER as an aid for teaching and learning about non-verbal communication. Aim There is evidence that the SOLER framework has been widely used in nurse education with little published critical appraisal. A new acronym that might be appropriate for non-verbal communication skills training and education is proposed and this is SURETY (which stands for “Sit at an angle”; “Uncross legs and arms”; “Relax”; “Eye contact”; “Touch”; “Your intuition”). The new model The proposed model advances the SOLER model by including the use of touch and the importance of individual intuition is emphasised. The model encourages student nurse educators to also think about therapeutic space when they teach skills of non-verbal communication.