Demonstrative Communication

Demonstrative Communication

Demonstrative communication is crucial to the communication process. Demonstrative communication is sending and receiving messages verbally, nonverbally, written, and visually. Demonstrative communication is often used to emphasize a discussion and the importance of the discussion, and reinforces verbal communication. Using facial expressions, tone of voice, body movements, eye contact, etc. can enhance verbal communication. Rane, 2010, stated that communicating is built up of 55% body language, 38% vocal tone and only 7% of words or verbal communication. Forms of nonverbal communication make up an estimated 90% of a message, thus making demonstrative communication an important part of communication.

The use of verbal and nonverbal communication to send a message helps define what the issue is the person is addressing and helps both sender and receiver of a message understand the message.

Facial expressions, a nonverbal form of communication, are often used to reinforce a message. A receiver of a message can gather important information from the facial expressions from the sender. Imagine a teacher walking into her classroom first thing in the morning with a big smile on her face. This will relay positive signals to the students, this making the students more comfortable and relaxed, making it easier to listen and learn. A teachers facial expressions and behavior at the beginning of class can affect the students' reactions and the way they will respond to the teacher and material being taught. Depending on how this is conveyed, this form of nonverbal communication could have a positive and negative response and effective and ineffective responses for both sender and receiver.

Tone of voice is also a form of demonstrative communication. Variations in the tone of voice can send different messages. Back to the classroom, a teacher can be giving a lecture in a monotone voice, and the effect it will have on the students will most likely be negative or ineffective because of lack of interest. In the other hand, when a teacher is reading a story in class and changes her tone of voice to show excitement or suspense, changing with each book characters could make the book more interesting for both sender and receiver, causing a positive effect on the class. Another example is, if a teacher uses a forceful load tone of voice this demands attention and conveys that the teacher is serious.

How one is dressed also can be a form of demonstrative communication. Knowing consciously one should not judge a person based on appearance but the way one is dressed can convey many types of messages. A person wearing a business suit would likely communicates that he is confident and in charge.

Both sender and receiver can gather information about each other by observing the demonstrative communication each person is relaying. One can get more information