Non-Verbal Communications: Differences Between Cultures - Research Paper Example

? Non-Verbal Communications: Differences Between Cultures In an increasingly interconnected age of global communications and cross-cultural exchange,it is essential to supplement our awareness of the behaviors of other cultures with a broader comprehension of the ways in which communication techniques differ. It is not enough to simply become familiar with a few words in the local language of the culture in question, if a face-to-face meeting is scheduled then it becomes essential to cultivate an understanding of all the ways in which information can be transmitted between individuals in a particular culture. It is necessary not only to become familiar with ways in which the international traveler can effectively communicate intent, but a high priority should be devoted to avoiding confusion or offense. Without consideration of nonverbal cues and assumptions, the meaning intended by the words an international traveler attempts to learn will be obscured by misinterpretation. Certain common gestures that are taken for granted in the Western world maybe completely misunderstood, meaningless, or might prove to be potentially offensive based on the expectations and baseline assumptions of a different culture. As much as language is influenced by the legacy of history and its effect on the collective consciousness of a society, so too must the communicator become aware of subtle methods by which the context of an encounter are imparted outside of strictly verbal interpretation. An individual that intends to make a career involving international travel must develop an awareness of the differences in these behaviors from culture to culture. There are certain hand gestures that may prove relevant. Between societies the rules on when it is or is not appropriate to touch another individual may differ markedly. Some circumstances – especially between members of the opposite sex will prohibit such contact, and invite offense even if the intent of the foreigner is strictly professional. This is a common prohibition in the Middle East. In addition, there are considerable rules governing the circumstances of eye contact. Possibilities may exist for differences in communication methods based upon the relative position of one individual in the same culture when speaking to another individual of different social standing within that culture (Mast, 2002). The international traveler must cultivate such an awareness, and attain an appropriate understanding of how his or her own status is likely to be perceived, and the communication rules governing that position. This study will list certain common methods of nonverbal communication and indications of when they may or may not be appropriate depending upon the society in question. Specific dimensions of social interaction with the potential to affect verbal speech will be described, with examples given for the ways in which various cultures may interpret – or misinterpret nonverbal actions which the business traveler may communicate innocently, but which have the potential to produce both confusion and hostility under certain circumstances to be discussed below. Touch. In certain Asian cultures, touching it may not be strictly forbidden, but the manner in which an individual is touched – and that part of the body where contact occurs may be significant. Some Asian societies consider it highly inappropriate to touch another individual on the head except during the most intimate, familial circumstances. This is due to historical and/or religious assumptions that the head represents a sacred section of the body. The Westerner might view such contact as assigned of genuine affection, but which is likely to be misinterpreted. Alternatively, in Middle Eastern cultures the perception of the head as being sacred may not exist, but great sensitivity may be expressed in regards to how another individual initiates touch. Specifically, the left-hand in Middle Eastern societies is considered unclean, due to the habit of utilizing it as a matter of bodily hygiene. Therefore it is inappropriate to use the left-hand to touch any object or individual that merits respect under most circumstances. It would therefore be considered highly inappropriate to initiate a handshake using the left-hand with a person of Arabic descent or most other Middle Eastern ethnicities. As stated above, most forms of physical contact between members of the opposite sex will be considered inappropriate in Middle Eastern cultures except under the most intimate circumstances not likely to occur for the professional business traveler. Light touching may be common in various societies, where it may be customary to issue a greeting with a light kiss on the cheek. In Western cultures such as the United States, this is invariably interpreted as a romantic overture – in other cultures the implication is more platonic. This form of light kissing is very probable in Latin American cultures, and may also be encountered in eastern Europe. It is also not uncommon to deliver a light touch on the arm. This form of contact is to be expected among close friends, but in Latin America it is possible to receive this sort of contact even between casual acquaintances. Americans and Asians are likely to be highly uncomfortable with this sort of touch among people they have just met, or people that intends to engage in business. Chinese in particular are much more likely to interpret any physical contact among a business acquaintance or those they have not known intimately for a long period of time as inappropriate. In the business world, it is not unusual for Chinese to greet a Western guest or client with a handshake – but this is likely to be the limit to the personal contact they will be comfortable with. A business traveler engaged with a Chinese individual in a position of authority, or one of senior age should be mindful of these preferences and keep a respectful physical distance (ERC, 2013). Appearance. The simple facts about an individual's personal appearance form the first impression in the minds of the viewer. In many cultures, first impressions formed by general appearance may have an influence on credibility (Richmond & McCroskey, 2004). An individual offering an unknown product claiming astounding health benefits but who appears visibly ill will lack credibility. As will an individual wearing rags who promises a strategy that will enable customers to get rich quickly. There are many other nonverbal cues with highly specific cultural connotations. Eye contact. The respect and attentiveness implied in a Western culture through direct eye contact could be misinterpreted by members of other societies. In Western countries, if an individual looks down while speaking it may be construed as an implication of guilt. It is therefore more appropriate to look someone directly in the eye during conversation. This is not the case in all societies. In many instances, women should avoid direct eye contact with men for prolonged intervals as it could be interpreted or misinterpreted as a sign of attraction or sexual invitation. For the male business traveler, inappropriate eye contact may be considered a sign of hostility. There are other societies in Asia, the Middle East, as well as Latin America where direct eye contact could be interpreted as a sign of confrontation or rude disrespect. The assumption that an individual is not paying attention by not looking at the eyes of someone else is not presumed in many cultures around the world. Nor is it necessarily a sign of guilt in all societies to look down or away. Hand gestures. In the Western world, there are certain common hand gestures that might be deemed rude or insulting by an individual from another culture. A 'come hither' gesture with a cupped hand or he curled finger may be viewed as offensive by Asians as it is similar to a gesture used to summon a pet dog to its owners side. Another seemingly innocent gesture that could be construed by Asians as offensive or hostile could be the pointed finger. Directly pointing an individual's finger at someone else might be considered rude or domineering by many Asians. If it is necessary to refer to another object or individual, it is more common in these societies to use the entire hand to designate an object or area. A similar prohibition exists in India, where it is also acceptable to point to an object using the entire hand – but on the Subcontinent it is improper to point with a single finger. In Latin America, while pointing with a single finger is also considered impolite – particularly in Venezuela individuals may attempt to point with their lips in order to avoid giving offense. Another cautionary note when gesturing with the hands should be mentioned in reference to Iranian people, where the thumbs-up gesture common in the United States has a vulgar implication (ERC, 2013). There is a subset of this category with the potential to influence any other information conveyed by the speaker, the issue of personal space or proxemics. Certain gestures may be viewed as impolite, and the sensation of confrontation or physical threat could be enhanced if a speaker initiates inappropriate touch, as listed above – or moves too close (Argyle, 1988). It is well-known that in Arabic and Islamic cultures women are expected to walk behind the men, as an example of the way proxemics can be used to transmit nonverbal information through confirmation to traditions and social values. Not adhering to these habits by itself communicates a message which could be interpreted with hostility under certain circumstances – such as a Western woman attempting to do business in the Muslim world. It is also worthwhile to go over many specific variants of hand gestures that may be popular in certain Western countries but which have analogs in other societies of drastically different intent. In the United States, making a circle with the thumb and index finger is often interpreted as analogous to the word 'okay'. This same gesture, if seen in Japan is typically understood as signifying money or currency, due to the round shape of a coin. While not likely to give offense, if these cultural differences are not well understood before hand, the business traveler could be very much misunderstood during verbal communication. This same gesture of making a circle with the thumb and index finger is interpreted by some countries in the South of Europe as being an indicator of nothingness, or analogous to the number zero. This is often the case in Greece, or Italy. While these cultures might regard such a gesture with confusion, there are other countries in Eastern Europe where the same gesture signifies an unclean bodily orifice and will be interpreted as a lewd or offensive gesture, and the business traveler will have inadvertently shown a sign of hostility. Another gesture popular in the West and the United States would be to hold up crossed middle and index fingers as a sign that you wish the other person good fortune. The meaning is similar but inverted in certain Latin American cultures, where these crossed fingers are actually understood as preventing bad luck. As such it is unlikely to cause offense or be severely misinterpreted in these cultures, which would also include Spain. However, in China this gesture is actually used to represent the number 10, and would result in considerable confusion if this gesture were given casually within inappropriate comprehension of the cultural context. As the world grows smaller and increasingly interconnected, rules concerning nonverbal communication for the international traveler becomes simultaneously more relevant, and less important. The world traveler with an interest in meeting with a wide range of individuals from many different cultures must learn to familiarize him or herself in with the fundamental expectations of that society, and take great pains in order to prevent the violation of social norms. Without a consideration of the value of nonverbal communication, the most brilliant discourse may be overshadowed by the norms that have been violated. Alternatively, as greater numbers of individuals engage in international travel and regularly communicate with others from different walks of life and different societies greater tolerance for the communication practices of other countries will be understood. As a consequence, while the inept international traveler is likely to give offense through ignorance of these social norms, in an increasingly interconnected world the degree of offense will diminish. This trend should continue as various societies come to appreciate the different worlds each of us comes from, and how those worlds are growing increasingly interconnected. References Argyle, M. (1988). Bodily Communication, 2nd ed. New York, NY: Methuen. ERC, 2013. Electronic Resource Center. The Provider's Guide to Quality & Culture. Non-Verbal Communication. Management Sciences for Health. http://erc.msh.org/mainpage.cfm?file=4.6.0.htm&module=provider&language=English. Accessed: 10/1/2013. Knapp, M. L., & Hall, J. A. (2002). Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction. Crawfordsville, IN: Thomson Learning. Mast, M. S. (2002). Dominance as expressed and inferred through speaking time: A meta-analysis. Human Communication Research, 28, 420–450. Richmond, V. P., & McCroskey, J. C. (2004). Nonverbal Behavior in Interpersonal Relations. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon/Pearson Education. Read More