This book is intended to accomplish several goals. First, it is designed to provide a broad overview of the major areas of application of theory and research relating to nonverbal behavior. Second, individual chapters emphasize how the applications have been drawn from underlying theories and empirical bases, thereby making the link between theory, research, and applications apparent. Finally, the volume links individual chapter contributions, demonstrating how theoretical progress over the last few decades has led to important applied advances.
The contributors to this book consider a wide variety of settings and topics. Their common thread, however, is a shared conviction that an understanding of nonverbal behavior can bring about an improvement in the human condition. Each of the authors has made suggestions regarding future directions for both research and practice — and their ideas offer real promise.