Key Component for Communicating across Cultures - Essay Example

Communication is the process of conveying as well as receiving messages (non-verbal and verbal). Communication is thought to be effectual only when it produces the desired reaction from the recipient. The key component for communicating across cultures is nonverbal communication (Burgoon, Guerrero & Floyd, 2011) and (Argyle, 2008). This refers to the communication process that involves sending as well as grasping wordless (mainly visual) cues among people (Bull 2007) and (Andersen, 2007). Non-verbal communication embodies two-thirds of the entire communication.

Nonverbal communication can depict an implication both verbally together with the appropriate body signals. Body signals include physical traits, unconscious and conscious gestures, as well as the facilitation of personal space (Andersen, 2004) and (Burgoon, Guerrero & Floyd, 2011). The incorrect message may be created if the body language expressed does not complement a verbal message (Brehove, 2011); (Argyle, 2008). Nonverbal communication fortifies the first impression in normal situations like fascinating a companion or within a business consultation: impersonations are regularly formed in the first 4 seconds of interaction(Burgoon, Guerrero & Floyd, 2011) and (Andersen, 2007).

First interactions or encounters with another individual intensely affect an individual's perception. As the other individual or crowd is taking in the communication they are absorbed in the whole environment around them, implicating that the other individual uses all 5 senses during the interaction: 83 percent sight, 11 percent hearing, 3 percent smell, 2 percent touch as well as 1 percent taste(Argyle, 2008) and (Andersen, 2007). Non-verbal communication, which makes implication with no word, permeates each part of human lives(Burgoon, Guerrero & Floyd, 2011).

Gestures, facial expressions, use of time as well as space—even vocal intonations and pauses—all convey anger or pleasure, distance or friendliness, status, and power (Argyle, 2008) and (Andersen, 2004). Non-verbal communication is antiquated and more influential than verbal language. Its symbols may be misunderstood just as simply as spoken symbols (words). Misinterpretations are much more common within communication across cultures because nonverbal signs are ethnically defined(Andersen, 2007) and (Andersen, 2004).

As it is genuine of any facet of communication that information is power: understanding about nonverbal signs gives a person the information he or she needs to envision the image they want and renders them more aware of the signs they are decoding (Andersen, 2007) and (Brehove, 2011). Since specialists claim that 93% of all communication is centered upon non-verbal signs, a person’s awareness, as well as the correct understanding of non-verbal interaction, is crucial to a person’s professional and personal development(Burgoon, Guerrero & Floyd, 2011) and (Argyle, 2008).