Unit 6Culture and Nonverbal CommunicationThose who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know.---Lao ZiThere’s language in her eye, her cheek, her lip, Nay, her foot speaks”---William Shakespeare, Troilus and CressidaSpeech is silver; silence is golden.---English proverbACTIONS SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS!!1. An Overview of Nonverbal Communication (p.191-199)We communicate with more than the words we speak.Psychologist Albert Mehrabian has come up with the following formula:Total communication = 7% verbal + 38% oral + 55% facial.Studies show that over half of your message is carried through nonverbal elements:Your appearanceYour body languageThe tone andthe pace of your voice.In face-to-face communication 65% of the information is communicated through nonverbal means (Samovar, 1981; Ross, 1974; Ray L. Birdwhistel, 1970)Support 1: Charlie Chaplin swept the world with his silent films. (Modern Times)Support 2: Robinson Crusoe “talked” with Friday without knowing his servant’s language.In the communication of attitudes, 93% of the message is transmitted by the tone of the voice and facial expressions, whereas only 7% of the speaker’s attitude w as transmitted by words (Levine, 1981, Mehranbian, 1968)Support: Lovers express emotions with sparkling eyes and blushing faces or touching, hugging and kissing.Words are too pale for them!The quality of a voice can communicate as much as the words. The same words can be tender, mocking, sarcastic or angry, depending on how they are said. e.g. Steven!; Steven?; Steven. (more p.191-192)When you speak, you communicate. When you don’t speak, you may still be communicating.A person who truly knows two languages uses both body languages too.A good example of this is New York's famous mayor, Fiorello La Guardia (p193), who communicated in English, Italian and Yiddish.When films of his speeches are run without sound, it's not too difficult to tell from his gestures the language being spoken.Class observationIn class, how can the teacher identify the concentrated students?They may show an interested look, wear a smile, make some notes or keep their eyes on the teacher.On the other hand, how can the teacher know the students are not interested in her class? They may consciously or unconsciously twist the body, bury the head, avoid the teacher’s eyes, wear a blank expression, knit the eyebrows or bite the pen.2. What is nonverbal communication?Nonverbal communication involves all nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source (speaker) and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver (listener). --- (Larry A. Samovar, 1998)In other words, it is communication without words.2. What is nonverbal communication?It refers to communication through a whole variety of different types of signal come into play, including:the way we move,the gestures we employ,the posture we adopt,the facial expression we wear,the direction of our gaze,to the extent to which we touchand the distance we stand from each other.ClassificationBody language/Kinesics(体态语/身势语):posture, head movement, facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures, handshaking, arm movement, leg movement, kiss, hug, touch etc.Paralanguage( 副语言): sound, pitch, tempo of speech, tone, volume, pause, silence, turn-taking etc.ClassificationObject language ( 客体语、物体语) :clothing, personal artifacts (adornment, jewelry, perfume, personal gear etc.) , hair, furniture,vehicle etc.Environmental language(环境语):time language/chronemics , spatial language/ proxemics (interpersonal distance), space, seating, territoriality, color, light, signs and symbols, architecture etc.Body language/KinesicsThe study of how movement communicates is called Kinesics.Kinesic behavior refers to communication through body movements like posture, head movement, facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures, handshaking, arm movement, leg movement etc.Posture---bowPosture and sitting habits offer insight into a culture’s deep structure.In many Asian cultures, the bow is much more than a greeting. It signifies that culture’s concern with status and rank.In Japan, for example, low posture is an indicator of respect. Although it appears simple to the outsider, the bowing ritual is actually rather complicated.---Bow in JapanThe person who occupies the lower station begins the bow, and his or her bow must be deeper than the other person’s.The superior, on the other hand, determines when the bowing is to end.When the participants are of equal rank, they begin the bow in the same manner and end at the same time.---Wai in ThailandThe Thai people use a similar movement called the wai.The wai movement---which is made by pressing both hands close together in front of one’s body, with the fingertips reaching to about neck level---is used to show respect.The lower the head comes to the hands, the more respect is shown.---Crossing legs (1)The manner in which we sit also can communicate a message.In U.S.: normal to cross legs while seated; women cross at the angle while men cross with angle on the knee;Middle East: crossing the leg with angle on the knee is inappropriate;---Crossing legs (2)In Ghana and in Turkey, sitting with one’s legs crossed is extremely offensive;People in Thailand believe that because the bottoms of the feet are the lowest part of the body, they should never be pointed in the direction of another person; In fact, for the Thai, the feet take on so much significance that people avoid stomping with them.---SlouchingIn US, where being casual and friendly is valued, people often fall into chairs or slouch when they stand.In many countries, such as Germany and Sweden, where lifestyles tend to be more formal, slouching is considered a sign of rudeness and poor manners.---Feet on deskIn U.S. and Britain: lean back in the chair and put feet on the desk to convey a relaxed andinformal attitude.Middle East, Swiss and Germany: putting feet on the desk is rude.---Hands in pocketEverywhere in Europe, it is rude to talk with your hands in pocket. It’s something only a guilty child would do.In Turkey, putting one’s hands in one’s pockets is a sign of disrespect.In Germany, “it is impolite to shake someone's hand with your other hand in your pocket. This is seen as a sign of disrespect”In China & Japan, it’s rude to stand with hands thrust into the pocket.---Hands on hipsIn Mexico, it signals hostility.In Malaysia, it shows anger.In U.S., it means impatience.In Argentina, it indicates a challenge.Gestures (p204, p214)Gestures are an important component of non-verbal communication.This is mainly a matter of how we use our hands to convey a message.The language of the hands differs from country to country and a gesture which means one thing in one country may well mean something quite different to those living in another.Let’s look at the examples of how gestures communicate.GesturesThousands of cross-cultural examples prove that messages and meanings shift from culture to culture.An Arabic specialist once cataloged 247 separate gestures that Arabs use while speaking.And in a large study involving forty different cultures, Morris and his associates isolated twenty common hand gestures that had a different meaning in each culture.The ring gesture/OK signIn US &UK, it means OK. It’s great. Everything is fine and going well;In Japan and Korea, it means money;In France, it means zero or worthless;In Russia, it means zero/rudeness;In Brazil, Turkey, Venezuela, it means insult/vulgar;In Tunisia “I’ll kill you.”In Malta, it is an invitation to have a homosexual sex.Among Arabs this gesture is usually accompanied by a baring of teeth, and together they signify extreme hostility.In Mexico and Germany, it has a vulgar connotation.In Argentina, one twists an imaginary mustache to signify that everything is okay.The single finger beckon signIn U.S. & Britain: it simply means “come here” . (just waiving the index finger)In Yugoslavia & Malaysia: it is only used for beckoning animals.In Philippines: it is used for beckoning dogs and it’s considered very rude.In Indonesia & Australia: it is used for beckoning prostitutes. i.e. ladies for the night.In Singapore & Japan: it is a sign for death.Most often than not, in the U.S., when a person wants to signal a friend to come, he or she makes the gesture with one hand, palm up, fingers more or less together and moving toward his or her body.Koreans express this same idea by cupping “the hand with the palm down and drawing the fingers toward the palm.” When seeing this gesture, many Americans think the other person is waving good-bye. (palm not facing people, it is for beckoning the dog in Korea)In China, beckoning gesture: the hand is extended towards the person, palm open and facing down, with all fingers crooked in a beckoning motion.In the Middle East, the beckoning gesture is made by waving the hand with the palm down.In Portugal, it is made by waving the hand with the palm up.In Tonga, it is made by downward waving of the arm.In parts of Burma(缅甸), the summoning gesture is made palm down, with the fingers moving as though playing the piano.Filipinos often summon someone with a quick downward nod of the head.In Germany & much of Scandinavia, a beckoning motion is made by tossing the head back.For many Arabs, nonverbally asking someone to “come here” is performed by holding the right hand out, palm upward, and opening and closing the hand.The thumb-up signIn Britain: OK, good, great, well done; also used as a sign for hitch-hiking.To Chinese: excellent, number one.To Japanese: boss, father, husband.To Persian: discontent.To people in the Middle East: obscene gesture.In Greece it is an insult.In France, it means to show approval.In Afghanistan, Iran, Greece and most part of Italy: get out.Yet, to show approval, it is by raising one’s eyebrows in Tonga,by tilting one’s head in France,and by having two thumbs up in Kenya.The thumb-down signTo most Asian countries: Bad, dislikeU.S. & Canada: DisapprovalIn U.S. also for hitch-hikingGreece: a rude signThe ear-tug signIn Spain it means someone is a sponger, i.e. using other people’s money and never spending his own.In Greece it is a warning .In Italy it is used to call someone a homosexual.In Portugal it is used to express something wonderful.In Scotland it shows somebody doubts what you are saying.In Malta, it says someone is a sneak.The eyelid-pull signPulling down the lower lid of your eye with one finger is usually to indicate alertness.In France, England and Greece, it means: you can’t full me.In Spain and Italy, it means that you should be alert.In South America, it means he finds a woman very attractive.The V-signpalm to observer (palm upward):the number 2;Victory, peace or friend (around the world by peace and counter-culture groups)a gesture used in photographs (by many others, especially in Japan)In Greece: hold up the palm to so meone’s face means insult.palm to yourself(palm inward):the number 2offensive gesture, meaning insult, is often compared to the offensive gesture known as "the finger". (This usage is restricted largely to Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK)is equivalent to “the finger” (in countries where Spanish, Portuguese, or French are spoken, and especially in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, France, and also Italy, Poland, and countries under the influence of Russian culture, such as Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, but the majority of young people in these countries use the finger as an insult.the finger (the middle finger)In U.S. & most of Europe: a highly offensive gesture.In Western culture, the finger (as in “giving someone the finger”or “the bird” or “flipping someone off”) is an obscene hand gesture.It communicates moderate to extreme contempt, and is roughly equivalent in meaning to "fuck off", "fuck you", "shove it up your ass", "up yours" or "go fuck yourself."The cross-fingers/good luck signIn Italy, it means: “insulting”In Arab world, it means: “wait” or “slowlyIn Vietnam, it’s very rude as this gesture symbolize part of the female body.Anglo-American culture: to wish someone good luck.Germans wish others good luck by making two fists with thumbs inside and pounding them on an imaginary table.To wish some one good luck in Portugal, one would place the thumb between the index and third fingers.Moutza in Greece(all five digits with the palm facing forward)In Greece where the five fingers are spread wide and the palm is pushed towards the recipient: obscene gesture meaning "you have five fathers", thus calling someone a bastard私生子. While originally referring to the custom of punishing criminals by tying them to the backs of donkeys, this gesture has more recently take on a sexual connotation. The Moutza has many variations.The vertical horn gesture/Satanic salute/two-fingered saluteA positive connotation associated with the University of Texas Longhorn Football Team.In Norway: a salute to Satan. According to CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 加拿大广播公司) news, Norwegians were shocked by a gesture made by President Bush and his family during the inauguration.In Italy, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Colombia: an insulting connotation, meaning one’s wife is cheating on him;Venezuela, good luck;U.S. subculture: devil’s horn;In China, means number 6.Clasped-hands-over-the-head gestureused by Former Soviet Premier Khrushchev when visiting the US in the 1960s.---for Russians is a sign of international brotherhood;---for Americans it is an arrogant gestures usually used by prize-fighters after defeating an opponent.Left-handers---be carefulThe left hand is not used for eating, (even if you are left-handed) this is considered offensive and unclean in Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Bangladesh because left hand is for toilet functions.Mannerly in India to break your bread only with your right hand (sometimes difficult fornon-Indians) .PointingIn the U.S. by extending the index finger;Germany with little finger;Japanese with entire hand (in fact most Asians consider pointing with index finger to be rude)In Mongolia, by pointing with the lips.In India, by pointing with the chins.In Guinea-Bissau几内亚比绍共和国, by pointing with the tongue.CountingThumb = 1 in Germany, 5 in Japan, middle finger for 1 in Indonesia.Chinese 8 gesture means 2 in Japan.Chinese 9 gesture means pick-pocket in Japan.Head movementsHead movements denoting acceptance and rejection take opposite forms in Thailand and the U.S.Greeks express “yes” with a nod similar to the one used in the U.S. ,but when communicating “no”, they jerk their he ads back and raise their faces. Lifting one or both hands up to the shoulders strongly emphasizes the “no”.To Nepalese, Sri Lankans, some Indians and some Eskimos, nodding the head means not “yes”, but “no”.The Indians have a habit of shaking their heads slightly when they talk to somebody. It doesn't mean "No", but "Yes".Facial Expressions (p194-199)In a very real sense, when it comes to using our faces, we are all actors because we all wear a variety of masks. To quote the poet T.S. Eliot, we “put on a face to meet the faces that we meet.”Cultural norms often dictate how, when, and to whom facial expressions are displayed.In many Mediterranean cultures, people exaggerate signs of grief or sadness. It is not uncommon in this region of the world to see men crying in public.Yet in the U.S., white males suppress the desire to show these emotions.Japanese men even go so far as to hide expressions of anger, sorrow, or disgust by laughing or smiling. In one study, Japanese and American subjects revealed the same facial expressions when viewing a stress-inducing film while they were alone. However, when viewing the film in the presence of others, the Japanese manifested only neutral facial expressions.The Chinese also do not readily show emotion for reasons that are rooted deeply in their culture---the Chinese concept of saving face being one of the most important. For the Chinese, displaying too much emotion violates face-saving norms by disrupting harmony and causing conflict.The smile is yet another emotional display that is rooted in one’s culture.In Korean culture, too much smiling is often perceived as the sign of a shallow person. Dressers notes that this “lack of smiling by Koreans has often been misinterpreted as a sign of hostility”. Thais, on the other hand, smile much of the time. In fact, Thailand has been called the “ Land ofSmiles.”Eye ContactEye contact is an important aspect of body language. One could draw up quite rules about eye contact: to look or not to look, when to look and how long to look, who to look at and who not to look at, etc. And these rules vary from culture to culture.Cultural Differences in Eye BehaviorIn English speaking world/Western cultures — see direct eye to eye contact as positive (advise children to look a person in the eyes) , if you fail to meet other people’s gaze, you can be interpreted as being dece ptive, weak, bored, or angry. ( Don’t trust anyone who don’t look you in the eye.)But within USA, African-Americans use more eye contact when talking and less when listening.A prolonged gaze is often seen as a sign of sexual interest.Arabic cultures make prolonged eye-contact— believe it shows interest and helps them understand truthfulness of the other person. (A person who doesn’t reciprocat e is seen as untrustworthy).Japan, Africa, Latin American, Caribbean avoid eye contact to show respect.Respect and attention is shown by looking away from the speakers in Latin America.Answer questions 5 &6 on p196.Touch (p.198-)Touch is culturally determined and each culture has a clear concept of what parts of the body one may not touch.In Western culture, handshake is common (even for strangers), hugs, kisses for those of opposite gender or of family (usually) on an increasingly more intimate basis.U.S.— Note differences between African-Americans and Anglos in U.S. Most African Americans touch on greeting but are annoyed if touched on the head (good boy, good girl overtones). Islamic and Hindu: typically don’t touch with the left hand. To do so is a social insult.Islamic cultures generally don’t approve of any touching between genders (even hand shakes). But consider such touching (including hand holding, hugs) between same-sex to be appropriate.Many Asians don’t touch the head, especially in Thailand (Head houses the soul and a touch puts it in jeopardy).Paralanguage (p.223-224)Paralanguage refers to how something is said rather than the content.Most classifications divide paralanguage into three kinds of vocalizations:(1) vocal characterizers (laughing, crying, yelling, moaning, whining, belching, yawning);(2) vocal qualifiers (volume, pitch, rhythm, tempo, resonance, tone);(3) vocal segregates (“un-huh,” “shh,” “uh,” “oooh,” “mmmh,” “humm”).For Israelis, increased volume reflects strong beliefs toward the issue under discussion.The Germans conduct their business with a “commanding tone that projects authority andself-confident.For Thai people, “a loud voice is perceived as being impolite.”In Japan, raising one’s voice often implies a lack of self-control. For them, a gentle and soft voice reflects good manners and helps maintain social harmony---two important values in Japanese culture.When interacting with Americans, people from cultures that speak softly often believe that Americans are angry or upset because of their relatively loud speech.Silence p.225-226Silence is a powerful communicator. It can communicate–Agreement.–Disagreement.–Confusion.–Respect.–Sadness.–Thoughtfulness, or any number of meanings.“Silence in Asia has commonly been entirely acceptable whereas in the West silence has generally been considered socially disagreeable.” – Oliver(1971)Examples---p.225-226Object LanguageObject language refers to communication through material artifacts, e.g. office design, furniture, clothing ,cars, flowers, tie, knife and fork etc.Furniture arrangement within the home communicates something about the culture.For example, people from France, Italy, and Mexico who visit the U.S. are often surprised to see that the furniture in the living room is pointed toward the television set. For them, conversation is important, and facing chairs toward a television screen stifles conversation. In their countries, furniture is positioned to encourage interaction.The Battle of the Ties:Romney’s Red VS Obama’s Blu e(posted on October 4,2012/blog/the-battle-of-the-ties-romneys-red-vs-obamas-blue/. ) Fashion in Politics:Obama “Out-Styles” Romney 4:2“Dress for Success” should have been on both candidates mind while getting dressed for las t night’s first Presidential debate.Overall both did a good job, but a closer look does indeed show some minor differences. After looking at how their suits fitted, what tie they chose to wear, how the ties were tied, how the shirt cut complemented the rest of the outfit, as well as a few other key points, I give the slight edge to President Obama – winning 4:2 over his opponent Governor Romney.In other words: Obama was the better dressed of the two.Hair Cut: Point Goes to RomneyObama showed up in his usually short buzz-cut while Romney impressed with his well manicured coif. Without doubt, Romney’s more “high maintenance” hair took at least 20 minutes to style –time that was, at least from my point of view, well spent.The Suit: Obama Takes This OneBoth men wore the classic charcoal gray, American cut suit (2 button, notch lapels, double vented, and pleated pants).While both men wore pants that were slightly too long, it was Obama’s suit that fit a b it better around the shoulders.It was a close call, but point goes to Obama.The Tie: Romney’s Red “Power Tie” Takes itConsistent with their parties colors, Obama wore a royal blue tie while Romney decided to dress up with a bold red striped piece.While I personally prefer the color and fine textu re of Obama’s tie, Romney did a better job choosing a bolder and more attention-grabbing color. Romney’s red “power tie” exudes confidence without being overly flashy. The stripes on the tie also added a more “business professional” look that is consistent with Romney’s persona. While Romney’s red tie was bold and attention grabbing it did not distract from his face. The clear winner here: Governor Mitt Romne.The Tie Knot: Obama Takes itObama tied his royal blue tie with a perfectly dimpled Four in Hand while Romney tied a slightly sloppy half Windsor.The shape of Obama’s tie knot perfectly complemented the collar style and the dimple gave the tie a nice textured look and better drape. Romney’s knot on the other hand appeared a bit sloppy. The knot was a tad too large for the collar, and the lack of the dimple certainly was an eyesore for every tie aficionado. Thus, the clear winner here is President Obama.The Dress Shirt: Points to ObamaIt should come to no surprise that both men wore the classic white dress shirt featuring classic medium spread collars and traditional barrel cuffs.While both shirts initially looks the same, a closer look shows Romney’s shirt having shorter collar points. While shorter collar points are more modern, it is a style that requires to be worn with the right suit and tie: a slim fit narrow lapeled suit and slightly narrower necktie – something Romney failed to do. Thus, points to Obama.Accessories: Romney Wins HereAs already seen on the campaign trail, both men keep accessories at a bare minimum. Neither man wears cufflinks, tie bars, or pocket squares (something JFK would have done), but instead opted for a simple and sleep look of wedding ring, wrist watch, and American flag pin.Because Romney chose a slightly larger and more visible flag pin, he deserves to win this point.Accessories: Obama Takes This One(Democratic Fashion: Obama vs. Biden)Unfortunately, politicians tend to dress in a somewhat boring fashion these days. Gone are the days when the president (think JFK) dressed in 3-piece suit, decorated with an elegant white pocket square and paired with a dapper skinny tie and matching tie bar.Instead outfits are conservative and, what some m ay call, even boring. Obama’s and Biden’s outfits are the perfect example. Both keep their accessories at an absolute minimum: No cufflinks, no tie bars, no pocket square, and Joe Biden doesn’t even appear to be wearing a wristwatch. The simple fact that Obama wore a sleek black leather band wrist watch gives him the lead when it comes to accessorizing.Object LanguageIn Germany, where privacy is stressed, office furniture is spread throughout the office.In Japan, where group participation is encouraged, many desks are arranged hierarchically in the center of a large, common room absent of walls or partitions.The supervisors and managers are positioned nearest the windows. This organization encourages the exchanges of information, facilitates multitask accomplishments, and promotes the Confucian concept of learning through silent observation.CLOTHINGSClothing can reflect subgroup identity.•Example:–US Army Combat Uniform（ACU）美国陆军作战服–Traditional clothing of Gambia and the minority groups in ChinaSmellUSA — fear of offensive natural smells (billion dollar industry to mask objectionable odors with what is perceived to be pleasant ) — again connected with “attractiveness” concept.Many other cultures consider natural body odors as normal (Arabic).Asian cultures (Filipino, Malay, Indonesian, Thai, Indian) stress frequent bathing — and often criticize USA of not bathing often enough!Environmental Language“Time talks. It speaks more plainly than words. The message it conveys comes through loud and clear.” (E. T. Hall)The study of how people use, structure, interpret and understand the passage of time is called chronemics.Space--differences in comfortable distance between people. “Space talks.” (E. T. Hall) Proxemics deals with how space influences the communication process.Cultures differ substantially in their use of perso nal space“ – Edward Hall(1959).Low-context cultures -- place relatively less emphasis on nonverbal cues; prefer much less sensory involvement, standing farther apart and touching lessHigh-context cultures -- place relatively more emphasis on nonverbal cues; preferring to stand close, touch, and experience a close sensory involvementChronemics–the study of our use of time.–ancient cultures have established their own system in measuring time which differs from one to another.–Example :•Muslims use moon-based calendar system–The usage of time varies from culture to culture.•Example :–Arabs engage in up to half an hour of informalconversation before turning to business.ExerciseMatching TaskThink over the following and make a proper match between cultures and gestures or the meanings they convey. (p.200)。
