Final answer:
Nonverbal communication or body language includes facial expressions, gestures, and posture and varies in meaning across cultures. It's critical for understanding the full message being communicated and is influenced by cultural norms and practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nonverbal communication, often referred to as body language, plays a critical role in how we convey and interpret messages in face-to-face interactions. This form of communication includes various methods such as facial expressions, gestures, posture, and the use of personal space. It can offer further insight into a communicator's true feelings and intentions beyond what is spoken.
Significantly, nonverbal cues can vary across different cultures, with certain gestures being universal, while others have different meanings in diverse settings. For example, a smile typically conveys joy, but a thumbs-up gesture may be seen as offensive in some countries. Furthermore, body language like a wave or a wink can have multiple interpretations depending on the context and relationship between individuals. Understanding these nonverbal signals is important for effective communication, especially when considering cultural norms and practices that dictate their appropriate use.