¶ … Communication
The color and style of a person's clothing can reveal much about their lifestyle, profession, or personality. For example, a man wearing a business suit would not be mistaken for a construction worker. Someone with a blue Mohawk declares his or her taste in music and attitudes toward authority.
Clothing is often event-specific. For example, the same woman might wear a jogging suit while at the gym but then changes into a skirt suit when she goes to the office. When in her jogging suit the woman sends nonverbal cues such as, "I care about my health so I exercise." If her jogging suit is from an expensive designer then she also sends a nonverbal message about her income level or what she values in general.
Regardless of what a person wears, their overall appearance also sends nonverbal communication cues. For example, a person's hair style and color can send nonverbal messages. Generally, grooming tends to send more cues than actual style. For example, a person with long hair can look unkempt and therefore signals a lack of self-respect or confidence; or a person with long hair that is beautifully brushed and coiffed may signal vanity. Whether or not a man shaves, and general grooming patterns including smells can reveal a lot about a person's lifestyle, the message they are trying to send about themselves, and the impression they are trying to make on others.
2. Office arrangements can have a direct bearing on the ways people interact and communicate. The office divided into cubicles with low walls allows coworkers to interact verbally and nonverbally, such as through eye contact, smiles, or waves. Such an office gives off a general impression of being social, encouraging interactions between employees during and after work. Other offices with regular walls dividing cubicles or with separate rooms promote a more independent working environment in which socializing or communicating with coworkers is discouraged. Especially when doors are kept closed, coworkers will not feel encouraged to socialize after work or even during the work day. However, favorable impressions with regard to professionalism and quality of service can be created with either, depending on the nature of the business. However, transparency tends to leave a more favorable impression on visitors than sectioned-off or segregated work spaces.
Works Cited
Exploring Nonverbal Communication." Retrieved Sept 29, 2006 at http://nonverbal.ucsc.edu
