Topic > Differences in nonverbal communication between different cultures

Nonverbal communication can vary from person to person and from culture to culture. An example could be indicative. In the United States the index finger is used to point, in Germany the little finger is used, while the Japanese find the idea of ​​pointing with the index finger rude. Western and Arab cultures view direct eye contact as positive believing it shows a sign of interest. In Japanese, African, Latin American, and Caribbean cultures, eye contact is avoided to show respect. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Handshakes are a common gesture among people. While in the United States there isn't exactly a preference on which hand to use when approaching someone, in Islamic and Hindu cultures it's a big deal not to touch with your left hand because it is used for hygienic functions. In general, Muslims do not consider shaking hands between the sexes appropriate, but contact (hugging, holding hands) between people of the same sex is approved. (Knapp) All of these factors are important because people will have to interact with people from a different culture. Knowing this information can avoid insulting a person of a different culture. It is often the most important part of communication: the ability to convey feelings and meanings without the slightest expression. I can tell you that I really don't like such and such, but without my posture, body language and facial expression, you might not really understand. Nonverbal signals are very important since they constitute the majority of our total communication with others, and they are so effective that it is possible to obtain elementary concepts beyond the universal barrier of language. (J Nonverbal behavior;41(3).I don't have to know Mandarin to understand that a person feels sad. I don't have to know a single word in Russian to understand that a mother is happy with her child. At the same time, the signals of the body are so tied to our feelings and emotions that it is often impossible to mask them, regardless of what we actually say. Without nonverbal communication, words are just words. We use nonverbal communication to create impressions weigh heavily on this function, but kinesics, chronemics, and other cues can all contribute to how others form perceptions of competence and character. Additionally, nonverbal communication is used to manage facial expression, vocalization, and even proxemics are used to signal compliance. carried out in conversations and taking leave. Non-verbal communication can be divided into 5 categories a. paralinguistic and e. Touch, B). Body language C). The "how" someone said something rather than the "what" D). Related to time and E). Distance related. {(Meadors 38(2)}.An example of touch would be simply hugging your parents after opening a present on Christmas morning without saying anything, they know you are grateful/liked the present. Or a boy putting a arm around his girlfriend at the cinema (he likes it), giving the middle finger to someone (he is angry, even if he didn't say it) is a strong gesture in body language, as well as a sign of peace (promotes an ideology without say anything ). a job interview shows kindness without saying it. Being elegantly late to a party shows that you are important without saying itit shows that he is comfortable between them without saying it. Keeping a couple of feet of distance between you and a stranger shows that they don't know each other, without saying it. Body language is very important. This is how you decide if that person is telling the truth, open and honest, a good person, a person I wouldn't want to spend time with, etc. They usually look up and to the right if one is lying or his eyes start to glow dilate. But having dilated eyes can also mean that you find that person attractive, so your eyes dilate to see more of that person. People don't realize how much they give of themselves with a simple gesture. Example, arms folded and held close to the body, means, I hear you, but I'm not listening to you, you have nothing to say that I want to hear; I'm done talking to you. Never really look a person in the eye while speaking, lowering your gaze when asked a question means you are probably hiding something. Much of the message someone gives is often in their body language or tone of voice, not in what they are saying. (Janina,-0255-2). Many times nonverbal communication is more accurate in what the person is trying to say than verbal communication itself. If someone isn't telling the truth, you can usually tell by their body language before telling everything verbally. Non-verbal communication is very good on several occasions and requires a lot of observation and skill. An example would be when a surgeon communicates with a nurse using nonverbal communication. He never shouts or speaks asking me to give me that or to give me this. By seeing the expressions on the surgeon's masked face, the nurse in charge understands what the surgeon needs at each moment of the operation. Another example would be that a mother can communicate with her child non-verbally. For example, when visiting a neighbor's house, the mother can warn the child non-verbally, when the child tries to touch the TV remote control or a glass spilled on the teapot in the house without any sound, by looking into the child's eyes. With the non-verbal you can communicate things that would require many words to describe. You generally show your emotions while doing this. Some of them are faster and more noticeable than speaking. Pointing out something dangerous is an example of this. It would be obvious from your body language that something is alarming you and you want them to look in that direction. If you didn't point it out, it would take you a lot longer to get the person to look. We understand many gestures such as that of a policeman who stops you at an intersection by raising his hands. You can see that gesture when it might be impossible for him to verbally communicate with you. Plus, they generally overcome language barriers and allow you to communicate with anyone. We communicate more through non-verbal communication than through verbal communication. Posture is important to convey how you feel. If you want to convey that you feel good about yourself, you obviously don't want to hunch over or look at the ground. The body cannot lie, so if someone tries to tell you a false statement their mouth may say things that are not true but the body always states the truth because it unconsciously responds to our thoughts and not to our words. Gestures are movements of the body, usually the hands or weapons, which have a communicative value. Also called illustrators, emblems, and adapters. Adapters are usually unconscious and include personal touch behaviors that often indicate nervousness or self-consciousness (Adler). Physical appearance is perceived physical attractiveness and can influence interactions between people. Clothing, jewelry, metals, ornaments, etc. can influence how people react and/or.