Nonverbal communication plays a crucial role in social interaction and is conveyed through various channels, such as sensorimotor coordination, facial and bodily expressions, and eye contact. These nonverbal cues are essential to human communication and convey emotions, attitudes, and intentions. Extensive research has been conducted to investigate how nonverbal cues can facilitate accurate and seamless social interactions. However, studying nonverbal communication presents unique challenges, such as the trade-off between ecological validity and standardization. Researchers are working to strike a balance by combining the advantages of the lab and real-world paradigms.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the frequency and importance of virtual communication, creating a new platform for nonverbal communication research. New technologies have been utilized to bridge the gap between the lab and the real world, including but not limited to wearable neurophysiological measurement devices, motion capture, webcams, and virtual reality simulations, to name a few. This Methods Collection aims to explore research methods that can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of nonverbal communication in different environments.