Final answer:
Verbal messages include spoken or written words, while nonverbal messages include gestures and facial expressions. Nonverbal messages provide additional context and meaning to verbal communication.
Step-by-step explanation:
Verbal messages include spoken or written words, while nonverbal messages include gestures and facial expressions. Nonverbal messages often convey emotions and attitudes. For example, a smile can represent joy, and crying can represent sadness. On the other hand, a thumbs-up may indicate positive reinforcement in the United States, but it is an offensive curse in Russia and Australia.
Nonverbal messages are special because they provide additional context and meaning to verbal communication. They can enhance or contradict the spoken words, allowing people to better understand the speaker's emotions, intentions, and attitudes. For example, someone saying they are happy while frowning may indicate that they are actually feeling upset. Nonverbal messages can also be more reliable than verbal messages, as they can be harder to control and therefore more reflective of the speaker's true feelings.