Demonstrative Communication

Demonstrative Communication

Demonstrative communication has always had a place in society. It is used in everyday communication, presentations, and performances. It can be a powerful form of communication. I can be seen as negative when certain facial or body language expressions are used at the wrong point of a conversation. Demonstrative communication can be used to emphasize a point in a presentation. All in all demonstrative communication plays a critical role in society. A prime example of using demonstrative communication in an effective way is when it is used during a presentation to add emphasis to an important point. I used to use hand gestures during training presentations at my job. I would firmly point toward the direction of the presentation to explain how important that point was. Along with the hand gesture my tone of voice would be forceful and adamant to express that I felt that point was worth noting down. This indicates that the individuals in the class should be listening. Demonstrative communication can also be seen as negative when used at the wrong time in a conversation or even a classroom lecture. The simple gesture of crossing ones arms give off the impression that the person is not interested in the topic of conversation or is bored with the material being presented. The rolling of the eyes is another that shows disinterest. It can be taken as negatively when used while talking with a loved one. I sometimes find myself rolling my eyes at some of the things my wife worries about. Unfortunately when she sees me do that she gets upset and thinks that I do not care about her problems. Another positive way to use demonstrative communication Is sign language. Sign language is crucial to people who are unable to communicate verbally. It is a language that uses hand gestures and body language to express what they cannot verbally. There are signs and symbols for words of the alphabet and many other common phrases. That form of communication gives individuals who are mute a voice so to speak. Looking for demonstrative communication in customer service fields is crucial. There are times that customers have a problem expressing themselves with words and instead they use body language to get their point across. Think about a customer waiting too long before being assisted by someone. You will start to see the disinterest and frustration. It starts with the crossing of the arms, then progresses to glaring with a mean looking face, rolls along to the sighing and constantly checking their watch to get their point across. Recognizing those forms of demonstrative communication can help avoid an upset customer and prevent that sale from walking out of the door. Another way that demonstrative communication is crucial is in the medical field. I worked security in a hospital for several years and I had to sometimes assist with patients who were mentally ill. Recognizing their body language was crucial to understanding their intentions. That body language ranged from the subtle eye gestures to hand gestures, to the raising of their tone of voice. Misjudging the communication signals they are giving off could mean an injury to either me or to themselves. Demonstrative communication can be used in a positive way as well. In comedy, hand gestures and something such as the rolling of one’s eyes can have a comedic effect. Hand gestures are used in many routines and they add to the humor of the act. Not just comedy though, other types of performers use only hand gestures for their routines and some can be considered quite funny, Mimes. Even though I am not the biggest fan of Mimes, they use their body language to express themselves and entertain people at the same time. One of the most difficult things when it comes to this topic though is responding to demonstrative communication. A wrong response can spark an argument, lead to a misunderstanding, or create an awkward moment. It is a key part to the communication process between the sender and the receiver. At times I have seen two people use subtle nonverbal communication in attempt to talk to each other. Using signals to maybe skip out of a party early or get out of a family gathering that they can’t stand. But if the communication is not understood it can lead to upsetting others or that awkward moment. In conclusion, I have demonstrated many ways in which demonstrative communication is used. I have described the use between sender and receiver. Both negative and positive, and used as a primary form of communication. It goes to show why demonstrative communication plays a critical role in society today.