A Method for Teaching about Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Abstract

A method for teaching about verbal and nonverbal communication is described. The Interpersonal Perception Task (IPT) consists of a videotape of 30 brief scenes. Viewers answer interpretive questions by decoding the verbal and nonverbal cues in the scenes. Information is presented in all communication channels; several categories of interaction are represented; and for each scene, there is an objective criterion of accurate judgment. Instructional techniques using the IPT highlight the subtlety and complexity of communication cues, teach about specific cues to accuracy, demonstrate the relative importance of communication channels, and help students understand the process of interpretation.