Abstract
The relationship between family norms and practices of emotional expression and nonverbal communication skill was investigated in two studies and a meta-analysis. Based on the general socialization hypothesis presented in the literature, specific predictions were for (a) better non-verbal judging skill in individuals whose families inhibit expressiveness, relative to individuals whose families value expressiveness, and (b) better nonverbal sending skill in individuals whose families value expressiveness, relative to individuals whose families inhibit expressiveness. In the two studies, family expressiveness styles, measured by college students' retrospective self-reports, was related to the skills of sending and judging emotional communications via voice tone and judging emotional communications via facial expression.
Similar content being viewed by others
Reference Notes
Fidell, L. Unpublished manuscript, Harvard University, 1976.
Hall, J. A. Unpublished data, Johns Hopkns University, 1978.
Taylor, M. C. Unpublished data, Pennsylvania State University, 1979.
Zuckerman, M. Unpublished data, University of Rochester, 1979.
References
Buck, R. Individual differences in nonverbal sending accuracy and electrodermal responding: The externalizing-internalizing dimension. In R. Rosenthal (Ed.)Skill in nonverbal communication: Individual differences. Cambridge, Mass: Oelgeschlager, Gunn, & Hain, 1979.
Buck, R., Miller, R. E., & Caul, W. F. Sex, personality and physiological variables in the communication of effect via facial expression.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1974,30 587–596.
Buck, R. W., Savin, V. J., Miller, R. E., & Caul, W. F. Communication of affect in humans.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1972,23 362–371.
DePaulo, B. and Rosenthal, R. Ambivalence, discrepancy, and deception in nonverbal communication. In R. Rosenthal (Ed.)Skill in nonverbal communication: Individual differences. Cambridge, Mass: Oelgeschlager, Gunn, & Hain, 1979.
Halberstadt, A. G.The relationship between family expressiveness and nonverbal communicative behavior. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. The Johns Hopkins University, 1981.
Hall, J. A. Voice tone and persuasion,Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1980,38 924–934.
Izard, C. E.The face of emotion. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1971.
Jones, H. E. The study of patterns of emotional expression. In M. L. Reymert (Ed.)Feelings & Emotions NY: McGraw Hill, 1950.
Jones, H. E. The longitudinal method in the study of personality. In I. Iscoe & H. W. Stevenson (Eds.)Personality development in children. Austin Texas: University of Texas Press, 1960.
Lanzetta, J. T. & Kleck, R. E. Encoding and decoding of nonverbal affect in humans.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1970, 16, 12–19.
McNemar, Q.Psychological statistics. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1969.
Rogers, P. L., Scherer, K. R. & Rosenthal, R. Content-filtering human speech: A simple electronic system.Behavior Research Methods and Instrument 1971,3 16–18.
Rosenthal, R. Combining results from independent studies.Psychological Bulletin 1978,85 185–194.
Rosenthal, R., Hall, J. A., DiMatteo, M. R., Rogers, P. L., & Archer, D.Sensitivity to nonverbal communication: The PONS test. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979.
Zuckerman, M., Hall, J. A., DeFrank, R. S., & Rosenthal, R. Encoding and decoding of spontaneous and posed facial expressions.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1976,34 966–977.
Zuckerman, M., Lipets, M. S., Koivumaki, J. H., & Rosenthal, R. Encoding and decoding nonverbal cues of emotion.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1975,32 1068–1076.
Additional information
This research was conducted while the author was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship at the John Hopkins University. Portions of this paper were presented at the meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Baltimore, MD 1982. Many thanks are due to Judith A. Hall, Cynthia Rand, Marylee Taylor, and Miron Zuckerman, who shared their unpublished data. Additionally, the helpful suggestions of Judith Hall and the reviewers are gratefully acknowledged.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Halberstadt, A.G. Family expressiveness styles and nonverbal communication skills. J Nonverbal Behav 8, 14–26 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986327
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986327