One reason nonverbal communication contains such rich information is that, during interpersonal encounters, we use many different aspects of our behavior, appearance, and surrounding environment simultaneously to communicate meaning. You can greatly strengthen your nonverbal communication skills by understanding nonverbal communication codes, the different means used for transmitting information nonverbally (Burgoon & Hoobler, 2002). Scholars distinguish eight different nonverbal communication codes, summarized in Table 8.1.
Table 8.1 The Eight Codes of Nonverbal Communication
| Code | Description |
| Kinesics | Visible body movements, including facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, and body postures |
| Vocalics | Vocal characteristics such as loudness, pitch, speech rate, and tone |
| Haptics | Duration, placement, and strength of touch |
| Proxemics | Use of physical distance |
| Chronemics | Organization and use of time |
| Physical appearance | Appearance of hair, clothing, body type, and other physical features |
| Artifacts | Personal possessions displayed to others |
| Environment | Structure of physical surroundings |