Body Movement (Kinesics)

All living creatures move, and humans are no exception. The ways in which meaning is made of the movements of one’s own body and the bodies of others and the ways in which the movements of one’s own body and the bodies of others affect the individual is the purview of the nonverbal communication code of kinesics. Of course, kinesics includes the specialized body movements of people involved in sports, dance, or acting, but research in the field of communication concerning body movement is usually confined to those movements that accompany verbal interpersonal communication. This entry divides body movements into posture, head movements, and gestures, examining kinesics in the context of intercultural communication.