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Every social interaction between men is dependent upon the processes whereby information is transmitted from one individual to another. These processes involve verbal and nonverbal communications. Every therapist is aware that although attitudes, moods and feelings may be conveyed not only through content but also through the tone of the words used in communication between therapist and patient (12), of even greater significance may be the communication of affects through some consciously or unconsciously perceived behavior (8), (24), (26). Whereas the processes of verbal communication have received a relatively large amount of attention, little is known concerning the mechanisms of nonverbal communication.
Many examples of nonverbal communication of feelings and attitudes between animals (2), (28), between men and animals (13), between mother and child (4), (7), (11), (20), and between men (21), (23) can be cited. Yet the mechanism whereby such communication is achieved is unknown. Undoubtedly one determinant in the nonverbal communication of any affect is the perception of subliminal as well as obvious behavioral cues associated with the expression of that affect. Another determinant in such communication must be the correct interpretation of the observed behavior,