Creating Immediacy
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Nonverbal communication can also create immediacy, a feeling of closeness, involvement, and warmth between people (Prager, 2000). Such behaviors include sitting or standing somewhat close to another person, turning and leaning toward the individual, smiling, making eye contact, and giving an appropriate touch. Even adding “smiley face” icons to your e-mail messages can be helpful: they have been found to increase perceptions of immediacy and liking (Yoo, 2007).
In addition to the classic immediacy behaviors just described, mimicry is sometimes used to enhance immediacy. Mimicry is the synchronized and usually unconscious pattern of imitating or matching gestures, body position, tone, and facial expressions to create social connections with others (Carey, 2008). To illustrate, if your younger brother is upset about his grade in algebra and tells you about it with downcast eyes, a frown, and a sober tone of voice, you would likely respond with similar nonverbal behavior to let him know that you care.
Ethics and You
When attempting to deceive others, are you aware of your nonverbal messages? Do you alter your tone of voice or change your eye contact? What types of nonverbal indications do you look for in others to figure out if they’re being honest with you?
Imagine how challenging it must be to create these close connections with others if you lack the ability to reproduce a range of nonverbal behaviors. This is precisely what Kathleen Bogart is experiencing. She suffers from Moebius syndrome, a rare congenital condition that causes facial paralysis. She can recognize others’ expressions, but she can’t produce them herself (Carey, 2010). She thus cannot express joy, sorrow, or frustration—nor can she mimic these important emotions to support her relational partners. Kathleen relies on eye contact, hand gestures, posture, and vocal tone to create the connection and warmth of immediacy.
Immediacy behaviors help you form and manage impressions, particularly if you want to have more social influence. The implications for interpersonal relationships are clear: physical contact, eye contact, smiling, and other gestures tell your romantic partner, family members, and close friends that you love and care for them and that you want to be near them. Regarding the professional world, one study found that physicians who engage in immediacy behaviors usually have patients who are less fearful of them and more satisfied with their medical care (Richmond, Smith, Heisel, & McCroskey, 2001).