Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal behavior and communication influences all human interactions, including those occurring in the workplace. While most advances in understanding nonverbal behavior have taken place in fields such as communication, social psychology, gender studies, and anthropology, organizational scholars have acknowledged that nonverbal behavior influences a number of organizational processes. Such processes include the interview, performance appraisals, and negotiation, to name a few. Nonverbal behaviors are also an important component in instances of aggression, perceptions of interpersonal (in)justice, and discrimination. Finally, [Page 1024]scholars have recognized the relevance of nonverbal behaviors in theories of transformational leadership, emotional labor, and emotional intelligence.