First published in 1987

An attractive feature of nonverbal communication as a research area is that it has captured the interest of scholars of different disciplinary backgrounds: psychologists, linguists, anthropologists, psychiatrists, and sociologists. Each discipline brings to the area its peculiar theoretical and methodological perspectives and biases.

Each of these disciplines also tend to have a favorite topic or problem area within the general domain of nonverbal communication. Along with the varying yet overlapping topical concerns that the different disciplines bring to the area of nonverbal communication are major differences in methodology.

The sections into which the book is divided roughly organize the chapters in terms of their concerns with the bodily structures and zones that are involved in nonverbal behavior.