Question

Ron talked of his excitement about his company's upcoming products; however, he was standing very stiff, his voice sounded dejected, and he made no eye contact with his audience. This is an example of which of the functions of gestures?

Answer 1

Ron's stiff posture, dejected voice, and lack of eye contact are indicative of nonverbal communication, specifically gestural mode, which conflicts with his verbal expression of excitement. Gestures are part of body language that can either enhance or contradict the spoken message, and the incongruence in Ron's case can send mixed signals to the audience.

Step-by-step explanation:

Ron's behavior exemplifies a mismatch between verbal and nonverbal communication. In this scenario, his stiff posture, dejected voice, and lack of eye contact do not align with his spoken message of excitement. This discordance is part of nonverbal communication, more specifically, it relates to the gestural mode of communication, which includes body language such as facial expressions, gestures, and movement. When there is a contradiction between someone's words and their body language, it can confuse the message conveyed to the audience, as nonverbal cues often speak louder than words.

Effective speakers practice their speech delivery to ensure a harmonious message, as gestural communication can greatly influence the audience's perception. As elements of physical delivery, these gestures can significantly augment or undermine the speaker's intended message, depending on their appropriateness and congruence with spoken words.