7.4.6 self-QUIZ: Test Your Nonverbal Dominance Knowledge

Test Your Nonverbal Dominance Knowledge

Knowing which behaviors people perceive as dominant is an important part of being a competent nonverbal communicator (Carney et al., 2005). Review the following list of behaviors, identify and rank the top five nonverbal cues that you think communicate dominance, and check your answers.

(a) Using a loud voice while you talk

(b) Exhibiting confident and self-assured facial expressions

(c) Initiating the shaking of an interaction partner’s hand

(d) Having your arms crossed or folded on your chest during an encounter

(e) Displaying unresponsive facial expressions toward your conversational partner

(f) Using broad, large, and expansive hand gestures while you talk

(g) Showing facial disgust

(h) Paying attention to your conversational partner

(i) Manipulating objects during the conversation (such as playing with your pencil or fiddling with a piece of paper)

(j) Engaging in “invasive” behaviors with your conversational partner, such as standing too close, touching, and pointing


Note: Items in this Self-Quiz are derived from Table 1 of Carney et al. (2005).