Hamdard Institute of Management Sciences

Hamdard Institute of Management Sciences

Research Assignment
“Nonverbal Communication differences
between Cultures”

Submitted To:
Sir Mohammad Khurshid Khan

Submitted By:
Adeel Shafique Khawaja
G.R: 252072
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Nonverbal Communication in Different Cultures

Nonverbal Communication Carries More Meanings than Words

Culture variations can affect the way people communicate non-verbally. Actions that are
not seen as offensive in your home country may be deemed so in foreign business
ventures.

When we have words to express our thoughts; however, as it turns out, we still convey
most of the meaning via nonverbal methods. Many nonverbal expressions we consider to
be fine in our culture can get us into trouble in other parts of the world or when working
with people from other countries.

Nonverbal communication can be divided into several categories

 General Appearance and Dress

All cultures are concerned for how they look and make judgments based on looks and
dress. Americans, for instance, appear almost obsessed with dress and personal
attractiveness. Consider differing cultural standards on what is attractive in dress and on
what constitutes modesty. Dress is used as a sign of status.

 Facial Expressions

A smile is one of the most common examples of a facial expression in different cultures.
While Americans smile freely at strangers, in Russia this is considered strange and even
impolite. In Asian cultures a smile isn't necessarily an expression of joy and friendliness
but it can be used to convey pain and embarrassment. For many Scandinavians a smile or
any facial expression used to convey emotions is untypical because it is considered a
weakness to show emotions.

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 Head Movements

In many cultures in the Middle East and Bulgaria, the head movement for “Yes” is just
the opposite of the head movement for “Yes” in almost any other culture. You can
imagine how confusing it can be to see that somebody is all smiles but his or her head
movement means “No” to you. In such cases saying “Yes” or “No” with words is enough
to avoid confusion.

 Hand and Arm Gestures

Hand and arm gestures as a form of nonverbal communication also vary widely among
cultures. While in some cases a particular gesture means nothing to a representative of
another culture, in other cases--for instance the “thumbs up” gesture or the “OK sign”--
have vulgar meanings in Iran and Latin America, respectively, in other countries the
“OK" sign means just “zero”, which is not offensive.

 Physical Space

The acceptable physical distance is another major difference in the nonverbal

communication between cultures. In Latin America and the Middle East the acceptable
distance is much shorter than what most Europeans and Americans feel comfortable with.
This is why an American or a European might wonder why the other person is invading
his or her personal space by standing so close, while the other person might wonder why
the American/European is standing so far from him or her (are they trying to run away or
what?).

 Touching

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.

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 Eye Contact

Eye contact is one of the forms of nonverbal communication where the differences are
most striking. In America and Latin America not looking the other person in the eye is a
sign of disrespect and it might even look suspicious (“he or she doesn't dare to look me in
the eye, so he or she is hiding something”). In other cultures, i.e. Asian cultures,
prolonged eye contact is especially offensive, so you should avoid it at all costs.

 Physical Postures

Physical postures are also quite of a difference between cultures. The most common
example is the habit of many American executives to rest with their feet on their desk,
which in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe is considered highly offensive.

As you see, the differences in nonverbal communication between cultures are pretty
striking. This means that when you need to communicate with people from different
cultures, it makes sense to learn in advance about their nonverbal communication. This
can save you a lot of embarrassment and misunderstanding. Of course, cultural
stereotypes are just stereotypes, and you can't say that every single individual from a
different culture exhibits the same forms of nonverbal communication. Still, even
individuals with a lot of international experience continue to carry some or many of the
signs of their culture of origin.

Consider the following actions and note cultural differences:

• Bowing (not done, criticized, or affected in US; shows rank in Japan)

• Slouching (rude in most Northern European areas)
• Hands in pocket (disrespectful in Turkey)
• Sitting with legs crossed (offensive in Ghana, Turkey)
• Showing soles of feet. (Offensive in Thailand, Saudi Arabia)
• Even in US, there is a gender difference on acceptable posture?

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 Smell

USA — 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 (Pilipino, Malay, Indonesian, Thai, and Indian) stress frequent bathing —
and often criticize USA of not bathing often enough!

 High and low context

People in high context cultures tend to be more implicit in verbal codes, perceive highly
verbal persons less attractive, tend to be more reliant on and tuned into non-verbal
communication, and expect to have more non-verbal codes in communication.

 Power distance
high-power distance cultures tend to be more “untouchable,” tend to be tenser in
subordinates’ body movement, tend to smile more for subordinates to appease superiors
or to be polite, and tend to be more aware that vocal loudness may be offensive to others.

 Masculinity

Women in low-masculinity cultures show more synchrony in their movement than those
in high-masculinity cultures.

 Individualism vs. Collectivism

Individualistic cultures are more remote and display less non-verbal
communication. Collectivistic cultures stress cohesion as a group, and spend time in
close proximity to one another.

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 Immediacy and expressiveness

These demonstrate availability for communication. High immediacy cultures are called
contact cultures, and are mostly located in warm-temperature areas like Arab
countries. Low immediacy cultures are low-contact cultures, and are found in cool
climates (most North European countries).

 Paralanguage

• Vocal characterizers (laugh, cry, yell, moan, whine, belch, and yawn). These
send different messages in different cultures (Japan — giggling indicates
embarrassment; India – belch indicates satisfaction)

• Vocal qualifiers (volume, pitch, rhythm, tempo, and tone). Loudness indicates
strength in Arabic cultures and softness indicates weakness; indicates
confidence and authority to the Germans,; indicates impoliteness to the Thais;
indicates loss of control to the Japanese. (Generally, one learns not to “shout”
in Asia for nearly any reason!). Gender based as well: women tend to speak
higher and more softly than men.

• Vocal segregates (un-huh, shh, uh, ooh, mmmh, humm, eh, mah, lah).
Segregates indicate formality, acceptance, assent, uncertainty.

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Cultural Variations
 High-Context Culture

1. Implicitly embeds meanings at different levels of the sociocultural context.

2. Values group sense.

3. Tends to take time to cultivate and establish a permanent personal relationship.

4. Emphasizes spiral logic.

5. Values indirect verbal interaction and is more able to read nonverbal expressions.

6. Tends to use more "feeling" in expression.

7. Tends to give simple, ambiguous, noncontexting messages.

• Low-Context Culture

1. Overtly displays meanings through direct communication forms.

2. Values individualism.

3. Tends to develop transitory personal relationship.

4. Emphasizes linear logic.

5. Values direct verbal interaction and is less able to read nonverbal expressions.

6. Tends to use "logic" to present ideas.

7. Tends to emphasize highly structured messages, give details, and place great stress on words
and technical signs.

The End

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