Bcom 275 - Demonstrative Communication

Demonstrative Communication

Shari L Kraus

BCOM/275

June 4, 2012

Donald Reinhart

Demonstrative Communication

The exchange of information between two or more people is called communication. Communication can be verbal or nonverbal. Demonstrative communication is nonverbal or unwritten communication and may include such things as facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, tone of voice, and body language.

Demonstrative communication is mostly used to back up verbal communication and can be effective or ineffective, positive or negative, or both for the sender and the receiver. Using hand gestures or walking back and forth in front of your audience is a good way to hold the attention of that audience; however, excessive gestures and pacing will become distracting and have a negative effect on the audience. The audience will most likely stop paying attention to what the speaker is saying and the message will not be received. Demonstrative communication is a huge part of the whole communication process. Studies show that most of our communication with each other is nonverbal. Nonverbal communication includes body language, eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, posture, and tone of voice (Segal, 2011).

During a presentation you not only communicate with gestures, you also communicate with words and the tone of your voice. The way that you speak, the tone of your voice and the speed at which you speak tells your audience how to respond to what you are saying. The audience will listen to how you speak and will make the appropriate responses. The nonverbal tones and the speed at which you speak will give your audience insight into what you are feeling about what you are saying and what you mean by what you are saying. The most important thing when making a presentation is to capture and hold the attention of the audience. When you are giving a presentation and you feel as if your audience is losing interest in what you are saying, a positive way to bring their attention back to you is to raise your voice when speaking