Because nonverbal messages can be ambiguous, they are open to misinterpretation. Have you ever been wrong about the meaning of someones nonverbal message? Describe what happened. How can people increase the accuracy with which they interpret nonverbal message?
Non-verbal communications can some times lead to messages being completely different then you originally thought it was. One thing that I continually get mixed up is when someone doesnt feel good and when they are mad.
When I get mad I don't talk, I cross, my arms and I tend to roll my eyes, slam doors, act disinterested, ect. But I tend to always assume this is the case for others. This actally happened to me just last weekend. My best friend and I always get together every week to hang out. Last week she was pretty stressed out from work and school, plus she was having problems with another friend. All of this was taking a weight on her.
She had her arms crossed most of the night when we were hanging out, and she was pretty quiet do to the fact she was thinking about all of her stresses. She also wasnt smiling as much as she normally does. By the end of the night I had t ask "Did I do something to make you mad?". She was confused as to why I would even ask her that. I told her all of my reasoning and this is when she explained her situation.
The best way to interpret non-verbal communications is to clarify before assuming the meaning. Because one persons non-verbal communication may have a different interpretation then another persons.
Have a great week!
ImaginePeace
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when i read your post i immediately thought about your friend's baseline behavior? was her arm crossing and quiet demeanor typical or atypical? i think that provides some insight into whether her non verbal communication is somehow directed towards you or if there is something else at play. the other day i was spending time with my husband, lost in my thoughts and he thought i upset with him, which i wasn't. initially i didn't know why he would ask me that until i thought about my body language and overall silent demeanor and then understood why he could have misunderstood things. i do agree that if the non verbal communication seems atypical, ask the person what is going on before assuming the worse.
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