Nonverbal Communication in Different Cultures
Nonverbal communication is communicating with other people without using any words whether they are written or spoken words (Ruesch & Kees, 1956). Anything nonverbal we do such as eye contact, facial expressions, touching, gestures, body movements, posture, general appearance and dress, our voice tone and smell send strong messages; it doesn’t matter if we were speaking or if we were being completely silent (Segal, Smith, Boose, Jaffe, n. d., para. 2). Usually when you are talking to a person, the person uses all five senses to receive your interaction with him: 83% sight, 11% hearing, 3% smell, 2% touch and 1% taste (The Definitive Book of Body Language, 2004). As Mark Twain said, “Actions speak louder than words” and what that quote basically means is that your behavior and actions count more than the words you are saying. Nonverbal communication speaks more than the words you say so you can say whatever you want to say but it is the nonverbal things like your tone and facial expression that tells what you really mean.
We, as humans, have the propensity to vary in how well we encode and decode messages that are both written and spoken. This is because people tend to range in a variety of highs and lows with regard to their verbal language abilities. This would a lot for differences in nonverbal communication as well. Nonverbal communication refers to the exchange of information between people and an explanation or establishment of the meaning of information by any means other than the use of spoken or written words. It includes message through a multitude of behaviors (expressive channels) such as facial expressions, bodily movements, vocal tone and pitch, and other channels that are comprised of a variety of cues related to the encoding and the decoding of messages. The communication and interpretation of nonverbal behavior draws on tacit, implicit knowledge that all human beings possess (Ambady and Rosenthal, 775).
Management consultant, educator, and author Peter F. Drucker said it best: “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn 't said”(Nonverbal Delivery). This quote illustrates just how significant body language and nonverbal communication really is. This study will cover the implications that nonverbal communication has in and outside of the workplace as well as people’s homes. This applies to every human being who would like to improve their communication skills.
Notably, the book Nonverbal Behavior in Interpersonal Relations expounds the significance of the essential nonverbal element of communication: “Generally, verbal messages express the literal content of messages, while nonverbal messages express the emotional meaning” (Richmond, McCroskey, & Hickson, III, 2008, p. 5). Equally important, knowledge of nonverbal communication is extremely advantageous, as it assists with improving conversation skills with others, including:
There are six functions of nonverbal communications. There are First Impressions and it is when people judge you. This function can be both helpful as it is way to try to understand how your personality might be and it can be bad when the other person can come to a conclusion that is not necessarily true about you. Messages Given are the second function and it can be explained with an example of flipping your middle finger to show anger in the United States. The next function is Affect, this function has to do with someone’s emotion; in which, someone can cry for sadness or smile for happiness. Then there is Self-Presentation; for example, going to an interview and they will notice the way you dress and how well you cleaned up. This function represents the cleanliness value orientation. Others can use nonverbal communication as a way to Manipulate Others; for example, a glare from your parents means you better listen to what they tell you to do or else you will get in trouble. This function is mainly used by politicians and lawyers as a way to get citizens on their side. Nonverbal, like verbal, communication a person unfortunely Cannot Take Back a certain gesture given that sometimes this gesture is subconsciously happening without you reali...
Nonverbal communication surrounds us all the time. “Nonverbal communication is all aspects of communication other than words” (Wood, 2016, p. 135). It is not communication with words, but we use nonverbal communication when we talk. We use nonverbal communication without even realizing it in every facet of our lives. This type of communication can be challenging depending on someone’s culture. Something that means one thing in America, can mean something totally different in another country. It is important to know this so that you don’t offend someone from another culture (Wood, 2016, p. 149).
For this research paper I will explore the topic of nonverbal communication. I plan to grasp a deeper understanding as to what all comes with nonverbal communication, the different types of nonverbal communication and how these concepts can be applied in daily life and specifically at my workplace. Focusing and learning about nonverbal communication and applying it in my workplace will hopefully leave me with the ability to understand the different types of nonverbal communication thrown at me on a daily basis.
Conflict in itself is not the problem. It is rather, our reactions to it that determines the impact, and thus cause us to characterize it as a negative experience. Conflict or divergence can be destructive or it can be constructive. (Porter, 2003, 1)
The path to conflict resolution is never an easy one, but is essential to our human condition and habitual nature. Conflict in its paradoxical nature can unite us and if approached properly, propel us forward. Essentially, conflict is the essence of experience and if used productively can lead to healthier outcomes and new
Hickson, M. I. and Stacks, D. W. (1989). Nonverbal Communication: Studies and Applications. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown, 1989.