Non-Verbal Communication in Different Cultures

RAYMART M.
COPIAR
BSA – 501
Non-verbal Communication in Different Cultures
Introduction:
Nonverbal communication can be divided into several categories are: facial

expressions, head movements, hand and arm gestures, physical space, touching, eye
contact, and physical postures. Non-verbal communication is communication that
occurs without words which is continuous. Cultural background defines their non-verbal
communication as many forms of non-verbal communications like signs and signals are
learned behavior.
Nonverbal communication or body language is an important part of how people

communicate and there are differences from culture to culture. Nonverbal
Communication is the communication and express feeling with no words the capability
to value and use nonverbal communication as powerful tool that help people
communicate with others, express what their emotion, experiences, and make better
relationships.
Some of the nonverbal communication differences in different countries are:
Eye Movements:
Western cultures mostly consider eye contact to be a good gesture. It shows

attentiveness, confidence and honesty. Other cultures such as Asian, Middle Eastern,
Hispanic and Native American do not take it as a good expression. It is taken as a rude
and offensive expression. On the one hand, the European customs of eye contact
especially in such countries as Spain, France and Germany tends to be Metro similar to
that in the United States. It is considered proper and polite to maintain almost constant
eye contact with another person during a business exchange or a conversation.
In a country like France, however, a stranger may feel quite free to look at
someone he is interested in and try to acknowledge his interest by making eye contact.
Therefore, it is important for a visitor to understand the full implications of what he or
she may be implying by returning the eye contact initiated by someone else. In many
Asian, African and Latin American cultures, extended eye contact can be taken as an
affront or a challenge of authority. It is often considered more polite to have only
sporadic or brief eye contact, especially between people of different social registers (like
a student and a teacher, or a child and his elder relatives).
Hand Movements
Hand movements and gestures such as thumbs up can be interpreted differently

in different cultures. It is taken as “Okay” sign in many cultures whereas is taken as a
vulgarism in others like Latin American cultures and in Japan some even take it as
money. Some cultures take snapping fingers to get the attention of a waiter as alright
whereas some take it as disrespect and very offensive. Some cultures take pointing
fingers as insulting too.
 Thumbs-up
This widely recognized sign of approval or agreement is actually used as an
insult in-Bangladesh. In certain parts of the Middle East, thumbs-up is definitely a
highly offensive.
 Come Here
This is used in the United States to ask a person to step forward, but in Asia this
gesture isn’t welcome It should only be used to beckon dogs…if you do it in the
Philippines you could be arrested.
Body Contact
Handshakes are usually acceptable almost everywhere, even between strangers;

however, kissing on the cheek, patting on the shoulder, embraces, or touching other
bodily parts aren't – for many people in Asia and other parts of the world such actions
are interpreted as an offense or even a violation of one's private space. This is why you
should avoid touching. Touches are taken as rudeness in most cultures. Shaking hands
is considered to be acceptable in many. Similarly, acceptability of kissing, hugs, and
many other touches are different in different cultures. People in Asia are more
conservative in these types of non-verbal communication. Patting head or shoulder also
has different meanings in different cultures. In some Asian cultures patting children’s
head is very bad signal as head is taken to be sacred. Middle Eastern countries take
touch between people from opposite genders is taken as bad character.
Appearance
Appearance is another form of non-verbal communication. People are judged

from their appearance. Racial differences as well as differences in clothing tell so much
about any individual. Grooming yourself to look good is taken as an important aspect of
personality in most cultures. But, what is considered to be a good appearance is
different again in different cultures. Modesty is also measured from appearance.
People are often judged or assessed based on their appearance. How one
dresses (clothing), grooms oneself (hair, makeup, etc.) and even modesty can convey
various messages in communication. Many cultures are offended by shoulders or legs
exposed even while visiting museums and places of worship. The variances are so
great on this topic that we would recommend dressing up or more conservatively is
always best when traveling.
In Southwestern Asia, the area often known as the Middle East, the rejection of
Western culture and beauty standards, along with the insurgence of Islamic traditions,
has seen the rise in more traditional, Arabic clothing. In contrast, the Suri people of
Ethiopia find beauty represented in women’s lip plates. When a girl reaches puberty, her
bottom teeth are removed to make way for a piercing in the lower lip. In contemporary
times, having large eyes is seen as a mark of beauty by some Asia
Indian cultures, in which eyes tend to be smaller in shape than European’s.

These east African tribal people focus on a tidy appearance and jewelry as adornment.
Bright white teeth, a clean appearance, and short cropped hair are easily attained with
brushing, washing, and cutting. Beaded jewelry is easy to find, make and wear. Proper
grooming demonstrates personal pride, a healthful outlook and adherence to cultural
norms.
Physical Space
Countries that are densely populated generally have much less need for personal
space than those that are not. The Japanese, for example, are less likely to react
strongly to an accidental touch by a stranger than Americans. Less personal space is
also needed in areas such as Latin America, and, in the context of one-on-one
conversations, the Middle East. Muslims also have strict cultural rules about touching.
Men and women cannot touch, even casually, in public. You will not see couples, even
married, walking down the street holding hands.
Personal distance refers to comfortable distance people maintain with each

other, but this differs from culture to culture. For example, in Romania, the average
personal distance kept with strangers is 4.6 feet, but the comfortable distance with
people you do not know in Argentina is 2.5 feet. Likewise, in Saudi Arabia, even with
closer friends or families, Arabs keep a distance of 3.2 feet, which is a suitable distance
with strangers in most countries, such as Mexico and Norway.
People in different cultures have various levels of tolerance for proxemics. In
many cultures, people are uncomfortable with close proximity (intimate and personal) to
others and prefer a more social distance (four to seven feet) when communicating.
Entering somebody’s personal space (1.5 – 2.5 feet) is normally an indication of
familiarity or intimacy. However, it can be problematic to maintain personal space when
in a crowded situations such as a train, elevator or street. Many people find such
physical proximity to be psychologically disturbing and uncomfortable, although it is
accepted as a fact of modern life. When in doubt, give more clearance than less until
you are invited in closer.
Facial Expressions
Winking is a facial expression particularly varied in meaning. In Latin America, for

example, the gesture is often considered a romantic or sexual invitation. The Yoruba
people in Nigeria wink at their children if they want them to leave the room. And the
Chinese consider the gesture rude.
When a person is laughing or smiling, it may not simply mean they are happy
when you consider broader cultural context. For example, in Japan, people smiling or
laughing might mean they are angry and are trying to conceal it. In many Asian cultures,
not revealing real feelings is a sign of maturity. However, in American culture and some
European cultures, people usually do not hide their real emotions, and are more
straightforward.
A smile may show affection, convey politeness, or disguise true feelings. For
example many people in Russia consider smiling at strangers in public to be unusual
and even suspicious behavior.
Posture
Posture can convey power structures, attitudes and levels of civility. Slouching in
Taiwan is considered disrespectful, while other parts of the world may not think much of
it one way or another. In America, standing with hands on the hips may suggest power
or pride, but in Argentina, it may suggest anger or a challenge.
Many cultures also frown upon showing the bottom of the shoe, something that is
considered dirty. Therefore, sitting with the foot resting on the opposite knee is strongly
discouraged in places such as many Arab countries.
Many American business executives enjoy relaxing with their feet up on their
desks. But to show a person from Saudi Arabia or Thailand the sole of one's foot is
extremely insulting, because the foot is considered the dirtiest part of the body.
Sounds and Way of Talking
“Paralanguage” refers to factors of speech such as accent, pitch range, volume

or articulation. In Britain, for example, people use volume to convey anger, while in
India, they use it to command attention. Japanese women make a point of raising the
pitch of their voices to differentiate themselves from men. In America, voice pitch
between genders remains comparably the same.
Speaking in a raised voice or shouting is generally seen as improper or

uncivilized behavior, particularly when women do so. However, this is generally
common behavior. The volume at which we speak conveys meaning that varies across
cultures; for example, British English speakers use volume to convey anger, but Indian
English speakers use loudness to command attention.
There are also cross-cultural differences in the normal baseline volume of

speech; for example, Asians and Europeans speak at lower volumes than do North
Americans.
The use of and attitude toward silence can also be considered a type of
paralanguage. The Greeks use silence as a way to refuse things, while Egyptians use it
to consent. Some cultures (such as those in Asia) are generally more comfortable with
long bouts of silence than others. Silence in Asian cultures can be a sign of respect. In
Africa, silence is seen as a way of enjoying someone’s company; it implies that you are
comfortable enough together not to need to fill every moment with noise.
Conversely, in countries like Italy and Spain, it is perfectly acceptable for

everybody to talk at once or to interrupt a speaker. Silence in a meeting would be
uncomfortable and awkward. Silence in response to a question would suggest not that
you were thinking, but that you didn’t know the answer
Head Movements
When a person is nodding the head, the worldwide perception would think the
person means yes. On the contrary, in India, nodding the head means “no”, and shaking
the head means “yes.”
Head movements can have very different meanings in different parts of the
world. For example, in India, a side-to-side head tilt is used to confirm something. In
Japan, a nod means that you have been heard, but not necessarily that there is
agreement.
Head movement is commonly used to communicate positive versus negative

response. However, whereas in US culture, vertical head movement denotes positivity
(nodding to say "yes") and horizontal head movement is associated with negativity
(shaking heads to say "no"), in Bulgaria, this response pattern is reversed, that is,
horizontal head movement means "yes" and vertical head movement means "no."

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RAYMART M.

Non-verbal Communication in Different Cultures

Nonverbal communication can be divided into several categories are: facial

Nonverbal communication or body language is an important part of how people

Some of the nonverbal communication differences in different countries are:

Western cultures mostly consider eye contact to be a good gesture. It shows

Hand movements and gestures such as thumbs up can be interpreted differently

Handshakes are usually acceptable almost everywhere, even between strangers;

Appearance is another form of non-verbal communication. People are judged

Indian cultures, in which eyes tend to be smaller in shape than European’s.

Personal distance refers to comfortable distance people maintain with each

Winking is a facial expression particularly varied in meaning. In Latin America, for

Sounds and Way of Talking

“Paralanguage” refers to factors of speech such as accent, pitch range, volume

Speaking in a raised voice or shouting is generally seen as improper or

There are also cross-cultural differences in the normal baseline volume of

Conversely, in countries like Italy and Spain, it is perfectly acceptable for

Head movement is commonly used to communicate positive versus negative

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