Posture and Gesture

by Peter Bull

This volume presents the results of a series of studies carried out by the author focusing on the role of posture and gesture in interpersonal communication. The first section of the book sets these studies in the general context of non-verbal communication research; in addition, previous research on posture and gesture is reviewed in order to highlight the particular issues which were chosen as the focus of research reported here. In Part II, six experiments are presented concerning the extent to which posture communicates information about listener emotions and attitudes. The seven studies reported in Part III are concerned with the relationship between posture, gesture and speech. The final section summarizes the main findings from the studies presented in this volume, discussing their theoretical and practical significance and considering their implications for the way in which research on non-verbal communication is carried out.

194 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1987