Humans are very social creatures. In addition to verbal communication, we also use our bodies to help us better express our thoughts and feelings. This non-verbal communication is known as body language.
Body language includes things like facial expressions, eye contact and posture. It actually developed as a form of communication before humans could speak or write. We can tell a lot about what a person is thinking or feeling just by looking at them.
In fact, body language is so common that you may not even realize that you are communicating many messages to others every day without even using words. For example, you might move your head from side to side to express the word "no" instead of actually saying the word. Or, you might give a "thumbs (母指) up" to show that you like or agree with something.
But now that we are spending more time online, we may not have as many in-person interactions as before. Because of this, our means of non-verbal communication has changed, but is still an important way to express our thoughts.
Our "digital body language" is becoming increasingly important as we change how we communicate. Instead of using voice messages, we can video chat with our friends to show them our smiling face. Another way to express our emotions digitally is through emojis (表情符号). When we are communicating online, we are only revealing the content and leaving out tones and facial expressions. That's when emojis can help in communication.
Whether using video chat to show our expression or sending an emoji, don't forget the importance of digital body language and non-verbal communication.
