Olfactic communication is a channel of nonverbal communication referring to the various ways people and animals communicate and engage in social interaction through their sense of smell. Our human olfactory sense is one of the most phylogenetically primitive and emotionally intimate of the five senses; the sensation of smell is thought to be the most matured and developed human sense.
Sharing the sense of smell
A tigress rubbing her head on a tree
A gray wolf scent-marking his territory
Flehmen response in an African buffalo
Nonverbal communication (NVC) is the transmission of messages or signals through a nonverbal platform such as eye contact (oculesics), body language (kinesics), social distance (proxemics), touch (haptics), voice (paralanguage), physical environments/appearance, and use of objects. When communicating, we utilize nonverbal channels as means to convey different messages or signals, whereas others can interpret these message. The study of nonverbal communication started in 1872 with the publication of The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin. Darwin began to study nonverbal communication as he noticed the interactions between animals such as lions, tigers, dogs etc. and realized they also communicated by gestures and expressions. For the first time, nonverbal communication was studied and its relevance questioned. Today, scholars argue that nonverbal communication can convey more meaning than verbal communication.
Understanding each other through hand and eye expression; seen in a street near the bell tower of Xi'an, China
Charles Darwin wrote The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals in 1872.
Policeman directing traffic by gesture
Information about the relationship and affect of these two skaters is communicated by their body posture, eye gaze and physical contact.