ABSTRACT
In the age of social media, the need, desire, and opportunities to engage in face-to-face interactions have been steadily declining. Along with this changing landscape comes the continuing challenge of finding communication modalities that can achieve the most essential functions of nonverbal cues: signaling one’s identity, expressing emotions and attitudes, establishing relationships, and delivering verbal messages. This chapter addresses the nature and consequences of this challenge. First, it considers the unique role of nonverbal signaling; specifically, physical appearance, personal space, eye contact, touch, facial expressions, vocal cues, and gestures in accomplishing each of the essential functions. Second, it examines the emergence of social media in relation to face-to-face interaction; that is, how face-to-face interaction compares and contrasts with the use of social media. Finally, it discusses the suitability of new media technology as both a substitute for and a complement to the exchange of nonverbal communication in everyday face-to-face interactions
