As a system of communication, nonverbal communication is unique. It has several defining characteristics. As already suggested, it may be unintentional. Nonverbal messages often combine multiple codes. Nonverbal communication is relatively universal, although nonverbal acts can be conventionalized.
Nonverbal communication conveys certain kinds of messages particularly well.
It is immediate, continuous, and natural. Nonverbal communication is often used to make initial judgments when direct verbal questioning would be inappropriate. It gives us information about our relationships with others, particularly in regard to status, liking, and responsiveness. Nonverbal messages are particularly appropriate for conveying emotion. Nonverbal communication often accompanies and supplements verbal messages by repeating, contradicting, substituting for, complementing, accenting, and regulating them.