The Routledge Dictionary of Nonverbal Communication

Every day, the human awakes to a new world, a new dawn and a new cascade of nonverbal communication. It may be the pleasant scent of a rose, the soft touch of a loved one, the sight of sun rays on a bedroom floor or the excited chatter of a child. Whatever form it takes, your environment and all who inhabit it send nonverbal signals all day long - even while they sleep.

The Routledge Dictionary of Nonverbal Communication celebrates this communication, examining a very wide selection of nonverbal behaviors, actions and signals to provide the reader with an informed insight on the world around them and its messages. Compiled in the form of a dictionary, the book is presented as a series of chapters with alphabetical entries, ranging from attractiveness to zeitgeist. The book aims to provide the reader with a clear understanding of some of the relevant discourse on particular topics while also making it practical and easy to read. It draws on a wide selection of discourse from fields such as neuroscience, psychology, anthropology and psychiatry.

The dictionary will be an essential companion for anyone wishing to understand nonverbal communication. It will also be especially useful for those working in the field of nonverbal communication.

David B. Givens teaches in the School of Professional Studies at Gonzaga University, USA, and is the Director of the Center for Nonverbal Studies. He began studying body language for his Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA. He served as Anthropologist in Residence at the American Anthropological Association in Washington, D.C., from 1985-97 and has previously taught anthropology at the University of Washington. His expertise is in nonverbal communication, anthropology and the brain.

John White is Assistant Professor of Education in Dublin City University, Ireland. He has worked as a primary teacher, primary-school principal and primary-school inspector. His doctoral research examined nonverbal communication within the context of education. His research interests include human communication (with a specific focus on nonverbal communication), classroom communication, arts-based research, mathematics education, narrative inquiry, embodied cognition and primary-school leadership. He is the co-author of The Classroom X-Factor: The Power of Body Language and Nonverbal Communication in Teaching.