Birdwhistell’s Theory of Kinesics Rachel Little
Origins of Theory Founded by Ray Birdwhistell in 1956 An American Anthropologist who founded kinesics as a field of inquiry and research Published two books about Kinesics, Introduction to Kinesics: An Annotation System for Analysis of Body Motion and Gesture (1956) and Kinesics and Context: Essays on Body Motion Communication (1970)
What Is Kinesics? Kinesics means “movement” The study of Communicating through body movement (hand, arm, body, and face movements) One of the most well-known forms of non-verbal communication Consists of three main features: Body Postures, Gestures, and Facial Signals (we will be getting to that)
Body Postures The way that the body is held can communicate many different messages An “open” body that takes up a lot of space can indicate comfort and domination, while a “closed-in” body that makes itself small can signal inferiority Copying of the other person’s body shows agreement, trust and liking
Body Posture as seen on… 0:11-2:14
Gestures Defined by communicating through the movement of body and arms Birdwhistell identified the smallest meaningful unit of behavior and labeled them as kinemes (gestures) Concluded that there are 50-60 kinemes that are culturally universal Cultural differences are due to variations within kinemes and not the use of different kinemes Use of kinemes also depends on context Combinations of kinemes demonstrate more meaning than one displaying one kineme alone Example: If a person is showing empathy to a friend, they might lean in, furrow their eyebrows
Gesture Example
Facial Signals When we communicate with others, we mostly look at their face Our faces are the most expressive part of our body and can communicate an array of different emotions When delivering something light- hearted or humorous, a smile, bright eyes, and slightly raised eyebrows will nonverbally enhance our verbal message When delivering something serious or somber, a furrowed brow, a tighter mouth, and even a slight head nod can enhance that message
Birdwhistell’s Theory States that human communication needs and uses all the senses and the information conveyed by human gestures and movements is coded and patterned differently in various cultures Birdwhistell pointed out that “human gestures differ from those of other animals in that they are polysemic, that they can be interpreted to have many different meanings depending on the communicative context in which they are produced He argued that all movements of the body have meaning (in other words, not accidental). These non-verbal forms of language (or paralanguage) have a grammar that can be analyzed in similar terms to spoken language
Six Key Assumptions 1. All body movements have meaning potential in communicative contexts. 2. Behavior can be analyzed because of patterns and repetitions. 3. Although body action has biological limits, the use of body motion in interaction is part of the social system. 4. People’s visual bodily activity can influence others. 5. Communicative functions of bodily activity can be studied. 6. A person’s use of bodily activity will have unique, individual aspects while also being part of a larger social system shared with others. -- R. Birdwhistell, Kinesics and Context, 1970
Additions to Theory Anthropologist Edward Hall developed proxemics in 1959 Proxemics refers to the study of how humans construct and manage “microspace”--the distance between people in the conduct of everyday transactions, the organization of space in their houses and buildings, and the design of their towns. -- Hall, The Silent Language, 1959; The Hidden Dimension, 1966.
• Intimate distance – 6 to 18 inches (15-45cm) This level of physical distance often indicates a closer relationship or greater comfort between individuals. It often occurs during intimate contact such as hugging, whispering, or touching. • Personal distance – 1.5 to 4 feet (45-120cm) Physical distance at this level usually occurs between people who are family members or close friends. The closer the people can comfortably stand while interacting can be an indicator of the intimacy of the relationship. • Social distance – 4 to 12 feet (1,20m-3,50m) This level of physical distance is often used with individuals who are acquaintances. With someone you know fairly well, such as a co-worker you see several times a week, you might feel more comfortable interacting at a closer distance. In cases where you do not know the other person well, such as a postal delivery driver you only see once a month, a distance of 10 to 12 feet may feel more comfortable. • Public distance – 12 to 25 feet (3,50-7,50m) Physical distance at this level is often used in public speaking situations. Talking in front of a class full of students or giving a presentation at work are good examples of such situations.
Addition to Gestures Paul Ekman and Friesen (1969) defined five types of gestures: Emblems: Direct replacement of words Have specific agreed-upon meaning depending on culture (ex: thumbs up in the United States means “I need a ride!” or “Okay!”) Illustrators: Shapes what is being said Used to illustrate the verbal message they accompany (ex: a hand gesture to indicate the size or shape of an object
Gestures Cont. Affect Displays: Unintentional movements of the body that reflect emotional states of being (Ex: happy, sad, angry, etc.) Regulators: Controls the flow of conversation (ex: head nods, breaking eye contact) Adaptors: Unintentional movements that are interpreted as signs of nervousness or arousal (ex: head scratches, hair twirling)
Questions Have you ever seen someone anywhere (in public, on campus, etc) and approached/not approached them based off their body posture? Birdwhistell mentions in his theory that all body movements have meaning. Have you ever been in a situation where you unintentionally sent the wrong message via body movement? Any other questions you may have about my topic/theory
References Birdwhistell, R. L. (1983). Background to Kinesics: A Review Of General Semantics, 40(3), 352-361 E. T. Hall – Proxemics (Understanding Personal Space) . (2014, February 02). Retrieved May 07, 2017, from https://laofutze.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/e-t-hall-proxemics- understanding-personal-space/ Hans, A. & Hans, E. (2015). Kinesics, Haptics and Proxemics: Aspects of Non -Verbal Communication. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science, 20(2).doi: 10.9790/0837-20244752 Kinesic Communication. (n.d.). Retrieved May 07, 2017, from http:// changingminds.org/explanations/behaviors/body_language/kinesic.htm Ray Birdwhistell. (n.d.). Retrieved May 07, 2017, from http://www.culturalequity.org/ alanlomax/ce_alanlomax_profile_birdwhistell.php Waiflein, Megan. (2013). The Progression of the Field of Kinesics. Retrieved May 6th, 2017 from http://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi? article=1002&context=sta Walker, G. (n.d.). Nonverbal Communication Theories . Retrieved May 07, 2017, from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/comm321/gwalker/nonverbal.htm
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