The 9 core social cues, often categorized as types of nonverbal communication, include facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice, body language (posture/proxemics), eye contact, touch (haptics), appearance, use of space (proxemics), and objects/artifacts, all working together to convey meaning beyond words, helping us understand emotions, intentions, and social context, though interpretation varies culturally and individually.
Learn about the four types of social cues.
There are various types of nonverbal communication, including facial expressions (like smiles and frowns), gestures (such as waving or pointing), posture and body language, eye contact, tone of voice, communication by touch, use of personal space, appearance, and artifacts (objects that convey messages).
Difficulty Reading Social Cues
Facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice are all essential components of effective communication. Some people with ADHD may miss or misinterpret these cues, which can lead to awkward or confusing social exchanges.
The 10 Types of Nonverbal Communication
Facial expressions that give clues to a person's mood, including happiness, surprise, contempt, sadness, fear, disgust, and anger.
Children should learn at least 16 gestures by 16 months
The 20-minute rule for ADHD is a productivity strategy to overcome task paralysis by committing to work on a task for just 20 minutes, leveraging the brain's need for dopamine and short bursts of focus, making it easier to start and build momentum, with the option to stop or continue after the timer goes off, and it's a variation of the Pomodoro Technique, adapted for ADHD's unique challenges like time blindness. It helps by reducing overwhelm, providing a clear starting point, and creating a dopamine-boosting win, even if you only work for that short period.
They might be living with Silent ADHD, also known as high-functioning ADHD —a condition that hides behind ambition, productivity, and achievement. These individuals seem perfectly organized on the outside but often battle scattered focus, racing thoughts, and emotional fatigue beneath the surface.
The ADHD "30% Rule" is a guideline suggesting that executive functions (like self-regulation, planning, and emotional control) in people with ADHD develop about 30% slower than in neurotypical individuals, meaning a 10-year-old might function more like a 7-year-old in these areas, requiring adjusted expectations for maturity, task management, and behavior. It's a tool for caregivers and adults with ADHD to set realistic goals, not a strict scientific law, helping to reduce frustration by matching demands to the person's actual developmental level (executive age) rather than just their chronological age.
The document outlines the 9 C's of effective business communication: Completeness, Conciseness, Consideration, Concreteness, Clarity, Courtesy, Correctness, Confidence, and Conversational Tone.
Eye Contact and Facial Expressions
Your face and eyes can say a thousand words before your mouth says one. In the nonverbal communication workplace context, these cues help shape perceptions and drive emotional understanding, especially in one-on-one conversations, team settings, and customer interactions.
Haptic communication is nonverbal communication and interaction via the sense of touch. Touch can come in many different forms, some can promote physical and psychological well-being. A warm, loving touch can lead to positive outcomes while a violent touch can ultimately lead to a negative outcome.
People with Asperger's can miss social cues that can be obvious to someone that doesn't have the disorder, like understanding what body language is, or even understanding facial expressions.
Social cues are the unspoken rules of interaction—things like gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, or body language. Most people pick them up without thinking. For those on the autism spectrum, they can feel like a hidden code.
The many different types of nonverbal communication or body language include:
Inattentive ADHD is a type of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) where you have difficulty concentrating, focusing on a task and staying organized. You may have few or no symptoms of hyperactivity (can't sit still or frequent physical movements).
Symptoms
Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive is the rarest type of ADHD. But people with this type of ADHD are very likely to seek treatment, especially when compared with people who have predominantly inattentive ADHD. People who have this type of ADHD tend to have more trouble in social situations, work, and school.
Increase stress relief by exercising outdoors—people with ADHD often benefit from sunshine and green surroundings. Try relaxing forms of exercise, such as mindful walking, yoga, or tai chi. In addition to relieving stress, they can teach you to better control your attention and impulses.
What is the Five-Second Rule? The Five-Second Rule is a technique to get things done the moment they cross your mind. The rule is once you get an instinct or gut feeling to do something that you know you should be doing, start it immediately.
For adults, 7-8 hours is recommended. Try to avoid napping during the day. Optimise your sleep environment. Make sure your environment is quiet, calm and comfortable.
The gesture was devised by Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy as a salute for the alien Vulcan species, and is popular within the science fiction fandom and nerd culture. The blessing phrase "live long and prosper" (written by Theodore Sturgeon) is frequently spoken alongside it.
If your child consistently struggles to understand what you're saying, it might be a red flag. Speech Difficulties: If your child's speech is unclear or difficult to understand by age 3, it could be a sign of a speech delay.
Represents love, affection, or a positive, upbeat gesture. Commonly used to show affection or to convey a positive, loving sentiment. Emoji Example: “Sending you all my love 🤟”