Body language - Gestures

body language Gestures1 and Gestures2

Almost 93% of our communication is taken up by body language yet most of it we do it unconsciously, so it no wonder that you come by a quote or phrase that say's "actions are stronger than words".

So what is body language? Where do the gestures we use come from? What can affect your body language or when you are trying judge others on their own body language? What part does culture play in? How can we avoid or lessen the misunderstanding and confusion that comes with body language and different cultures?

First: What is body language?

It is almost everything we do non-verbally such as how we greet others, our posture from how we sit or stand, our facial expressions, our clothes, hair styles, tone of voice, eye movements, how we listen, how we breathe, how close we stand to others, and how we touch others.

(The gestures, postures, and facial expressions by which a person manifests various physical, mental, or emotional states and communicates nonverbally with others.)

In addition when we are emotional it is usually when our body language is most pronounced and it prevails over words.

Second: Where do the gestures we use come from?

Gestures may come from two parts, some that come inborn and passed down genetically while others are from growing in respective cultures.

Third: What can affect your body language or when you are trying judge others on their own body language?

Profession (a pianist may give a weak handshake to protect his hand), health, disability, trauma, clothing (if the clothes that are worn are tight it might restrict movement). If a gesture is taken out of contexts, take for example, you see someone with their arms crossed in front of their chest, this is seen as a defensive action yet now think of this same person doing this while the weather is cold outside, now you would come to realize this person is just trying to stay warm.

Fourth: What part does culture play in?

Every person has their own personal space and comfort distances yet our culture influences our expectations. According to Argyle (1978) there are about 700,000 forms of body language that humans use and not one of them could be considered universal. So it would be wise to remember that body languages used can mean very different things in different cultures. Here are a few examples of how body parts, from head to toes, are used for communicating in different parts of the world.

Head; In most societies, a nodding head signifies agreement or approval. But in some cultures, like parts of Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Turkey, a nodding head means "no." In most Asian cultures, head is where spirit resides and one should not touch another's head.

An example for this a new teacher went to teach at a preschool in United States and was given a very brief orientation and she was to teach colours and parts of the body, she had outlines of the body and she would say colour the hand orange, colour the feet purple, colour the colures green, put brown eye on the face the children would not do it, put a red mouth the children would not do it, everything the teacher asked them to do, every feature to put on this blank face the children would refuse to do, she just could not understand what was going on, then after class was over another teacher said "oh we forgot to tell you the Mong have a belief that the spirit resides in the head and that the head is almost sacred you do not touch it or colour anything on their head either as it is a very powerful belief", and it really important because had the teacher not known the belief she would of gone on believing that the children were ignorant, they were rebellious and that they refuse to fallow orders but once that was explained to her it become cleared up.

Face; Facial expressions reflect emotions, feelings, and attitudes. While expressing "true" feeling and emotion is valued in the West, it is prohibited in the East. The Asians, who are taught to practice self-control, are often labelled as "emotionless" and of possessing "mixed-up emotions." Smiling in the East is not necessarily a sign of happiness; rather it signifies "yes," "I don't understand what you said," or can be a cover-up for embarrassment.

Eyes; While good eye contact is praised and expected in the West, it is seen as a sign of disrespect and challenge in other cultures, including Asian and African. The less eye contact these groups have with an individual, the more respect they show.

Closing eyes; In 1975, former Vice President Walter Mondale was invited to speak to the Japanese Diet. He became irritated when he noticed that more than half of the audience closed their eyes. When the talk was over, Mondale snapped at the U.S. ambassador, "Why did I bother to come and talk to them?" "Why, Sir?" the ambassador asked. "They didn't care to hear what I had to say; they were sleeping." "No, Sir," the ambassador replied, "They closed their eyes to close out everything else in order to digest your speech."

Nose; Tapping the nose is more common in Europe than in the United States. It means "confidential" in England but "watch out!" in Italy. Blowing the nose on public streets, while seen as an impolite gesture in North America, is a common practice in most Asian countries. This rids the body of waste and; therefore, it is seen as healthy. At the same time the Asians do not understand why the Americans blow their noses onto a Kleenex that is put back in their pocket and carried with them throughout the day.

Lips and Mouth; Kissing is a sign of love or affection in the West. People kiss when they meet or when they say goodbye. But kissing is viewed as an intimate act in Asia and is not permissible in public. In some cultures, such as Filipino, Native American, Puerto Rican, and several Latin American, people use their lips to point, instead of a finger. Moreover there are 50 or so different types of smiles, for example some people from Asian cultures tend to cover their mouth with their hand because they believe to show your teeth is rude.

Arms; Some cultures, like the Italians, use their arms freely. Others, like the Japanese, are more reserved; in Japan it is considered impolite to gesture with broad movements of the arms.

Hands; Of all the body parts, the hands probably are used most for communicating non-verbally. Hand waves are used for greeting, beckoning, or farewell. The American "goodbye" wave can be interpreted in many parts of Europe and Latin America as the signal for "no." The Italian "goodbye" wave can be interpreted by Americans as the gesture of "come here." The American "come here" gesture can be seen as an insult in most Asian countries where they use it for calling an animal. Asians call others with a similar hand movement but with their palm downward.

Handshaking is the common form of greeting and leave taking in the Western culture. While it is being accepted in Asia, the Asians still prefer a different form of greeting: a bow in East Asia, a "wai" (joining the two hands together like in prayer) for some Southern and South-eastern Asian countries. Asians and Middle Easterners prefer a soft handshake. Strong grips are interpreted as a sign of aggression.

While both right and left hands have equal status in the West, the right hand has special significance and the left hand is "dirty" in the Middle Eastern and some Asian countries. It is best to accept or offer cards or gifts with the right hand or both. The "O.K." sign (the thumb and the forefinger form a circle) means "fine" or "O.K." in most cultures. However, it means "zero" or "worthless" in France and many European countries. The same signal is an insult in Greece, Brazil, Italy, Turkey, and Russia. A "thumb-up" sign indicates an "O.K." or "good job" in most cultures but it is an insult in Australia, New Zealand, and in most African countries.

Some examples

In 1992, then President George H.W. Bush made a state visit to Australia. People lined up along the roadside to welcome the American President who greeted them with raised fingers in the form of "V" with the back of his hand toward the onlookers. The following morning a headline in a local newspaper proclaimed that the "American President insulted the Australians."

In 1998, a newly married American couple went to New Zealand for their honeymoon. They rented a car and toured until they missed a stop sign. A police officer pulled them over. They explained that they were new in town and didn't know about the local traffic so were given a warning instead of a ticket. As a "thank you" gesture, the husband gave the "thumb up" sign. The police officer called for back up and hand cuffed the American man. (A "thump up" is seen as a rude gesture in New Zealand.)

Legs and Feet; Sitting cross-legged is common in North America and some European countries but it is viewed as disrespectful in Asia and the Middle East where a solid and balanced sitting posture is the prevailing custom. In Asia and the Middle East, resting the ankle over the other knee risks pointing the sole of your shoe at another person, which is considered a very rude gesture. One should never point or move an object with their feet in these cultures.

An example for this is

In 1988, two Laotian men walked into a Los Angeles bar where a singer, who was also from an Asian country, was entertaining patrons. The men sat at empty spaces near the front with their feet pointed straight to the singer. After the bar was closed, the singer followed the two men to a parking lot where they got into an argument about how the men pointed their feet at the singer's face. The argument became fierce when the singer pulled out a gun and killed one of the men.

Fifth: How can we avoid or lessen the misunderstanding and confusion that comes with body language and different cultures?

The best way to learn different body languages and cultures is by observation. Some people may even go as far as to call it" people watching", try sitting in an area that people gather in like a park or a shop center and watch the people around you and take notice of these following things:-

Focus on how people of your own gender act or how they may interact with others of the opposite sex.

get a sense of the typical personal space, like how far apart people are standing from each other, for example when talking to each other when waiting in line or on public transportations.

-notice what gesture and body language accompanying certain emotions, for instance how they hold themselves, and how people react to these emotions and behavior of others.

What kind of gestures are used when giving directions like "come here", "bring me that", how people hail taxis, getting attention in shops or when indicating when they want something (like when they point with there finger or snap there fingers to gain attention) would this be considered rude?

What gestures native speakers use or have when expressing complete thought like "I don’t know", "that’s crazy" or " I don’t want to talk about it".(Think about the way English speakers draw a circle around one ear to indicate "crazy")

In conclusion I think the best way to face this is to stay open minded, do not judge others to quickly and to remember that culture dose have an effects on our body language so it is best to gain knowledge about other cultures.

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Resources

http://www.ehow.com/how_2129585_learn-body-language-foreign-culture.html

http://www.bodylanguageexpert.co.uk/BodyLanguageAcrossCultures.html

http://anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_6.htm

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/22546/the_culture_of_body_language.html?cat=4

http://dating.lovetoknow.com/Cultural_Body_Language

http://www.indoindians.com/index.php/200901201038/Culture/body-language

http://www.answers.com/topic/body-language

http://www.medhunters.com/articles/bodyLanguageAcrossCultures.html

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/body-speaks.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_language

Body language across cultures

Forms of Greeting
Handshakes:

United States and Canada: Firm handshake.
France: Soft, quick handshake.
Japan: Handshake with arm fully extended, accompanied by a bow.
Germany: Firm handshake. Men traditionally accompany the handshake with a slight bow.
Middle East: Handshake with the free hand placed on the forearm of the other person.
Bowing: Many people from Asian cultures bow in greeting. In Japan, people bow with their hands at their sides, and the depth of the bow is related to the level of respect due to the other person. Thais bow with their palms together and fingers outstretched, while people from Cambodia and Laos bow with their hands in front of their chests. Pakistanis use the salaam, and bow with the palm of the right hand on their foreheads.

Hugging and Kissing: Native Hawaiians hug and exchange breaths in a custom called "aha." Mexicans will usually hug upon greeting (the abrazo). Men in many parts of the world exchange kisses on the cheek, and places where this is a common practice include Cuba, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
For the Maori of New Zealand, a traditional greeting includes the pressing together the noses (the hongi), and a cry of welcome (the karanga).

Other Body Language
Eye Contact: In Western cultures, people make intermittent eye contact while speaking to demonstrate interest and trustworthiness. People in the Middle East use very intense and prolonged eye contact to gauge someone else's intentions, and will move in very close to see the other person's eyes better. However, in Japan direct eye contact is interpreted as an invasion of a person's privacy and an act of rudeness.
Smiling: North Americans usually smile automatically when greeting others, while people from other cultures may interpret this as insincere. Asian people smile less than Westerners, and in Korea it is considered inappropriate for adults to smile in public. For Koreans, a smile usually indicates embarrassment, and not pleasure.
Head Shaking: Although usually shaking one's head from side to side is used to indicate "no," even this simple gesture doesn't have a universal meaning! Bulgarians shake their head to indicate agreement, and people from southern India and Pakistan move their head from side to side to express a variety of meanings. Depending on context, this headshake could mean "you're welcome," "goodbye," enjoyment, the equivalent of a shrug, or that the person acknowledges what another person has said.
Posture: In the Middle East, it is extremely offensive to point the bottom of one's foot in another person's direction – so sitting cross-legged might be a bad idea!
Personal Space: The amount of personal space North Americans require is about the length of an arm. The French, Latin Americans, and Arabs need less personal space, while Germans and Japanese need more. The size of one's personal space may also be influenced by social status, gender, age, and other factors.

body language

it is said that women are better at reading body language then men, do you think this is true? and why?

gender

How does ones gender effect who we speak to and how we speak to them?
Which part does culture come in to play? Any ideas?
try to give an example or a situation where this shows.

contradictions

Try to find an example for a word, phrase or gesture, (maybe a habit )that may mean something different from culture to culture:

Belief
Believing that some numbers could bring you good or bad luck.
For some eastern countries like Japan or China they believe that the number 4 is a bad omen and it’s meaning relates to death, so they would not have a room (apartment, hospital room, hotel room, street...est.) with that number.
Furthermore have you ever seen a Japanese elevator?
You may find that some of its numbers are missing or replaced and the elevator's numbers may even start from -1.
For us in the Islamic communities we believe that the 1 and 7 may give us good luck (1 refering to only one Allah and 7 refering to the seven heavens).

not using electronics
There is a culture that dose not believe in using anything electronically related, yet they still want to use modern means, so they have an elevator that runs on solar power (sunlight).
in addition when entering the elevator they would not press any of the elevator’s buttons they just get in to the elevator and wait for it to reach their floor (the elevator stops on each floor automatically).

Colours

When receiving a red letter
In China and Japan receiving a red letter on New Years, it is a great omen because it means they have been given some money.
In England to receive a red letter it means you still have some bills to pay and that this is the final notice (warning).
But i think to receive a red letter in America is the worst because it mostly means that someone you hold close to you or know has just died in the Forces and this is the letter to inform you of their death.

Giving flowers
Most people would love to receive flower or have someone put flowers on their desk. but if you were from Japan it would be considered an insult because in their culture it means that you are telling them to go and die.

Words

The word (date)
If you were to tell someone that you have a date later on today, most would think that you meant it as a social date yet in some countries when you say this it means it has somthing to do with work and that you have a meeting later on.
also for us in the arab communities date means the fruit that is eaten with arabian coffee.

Can you think of anything to add to this?

Dubai 101

Hey who had the chance to watch the show Dubai 101 (it is a show about the emirate culture on channel “Dubai one”)

Here are some of the examples on what they talked about

What you need to know before going to emirates

The way you dress (not to show your shoulders and not to have any clothes shorter then knee length for women)
Most women are found wearing a black habib or something similar
How to greet
Some men greet each other with something called a nose kiss, in other word the men touch their noses with each other and they do it three times it is a sign of deep respect and a greeting
Instead of shaking hands with each other they but one hand over their heart (so that the arm comes across the body) as a sign of greeting it is especially used between different genders that are not closely family related.(there are NO handshakes)
Some of the gestures used in other situations:
Like shaking your cup as a sign that you have finished with your drink instead of actually saying that you had enough.
It is considered an insult to show the soles of your feet or the bottom of your shoes in public.
There were many more but that’s all I could remember.
(I think that most of the ] gestures could almost be found in most Islamic cultures)
Which of these do you think is most commonly found here in Kuwait or that is similar?

Phases of culture shock

found this on wikipedia it was pretty interesting and i think it has a really good explanation on the Phases, stages and symptomsof culture shock:

Enthusiastic welcome offered to the first Indian student to arrive in Dresden, Germany (1951)

The shock (of moving to a foreign country) often consists of distinct phases, though not everyone passes through these phases and not everyone is in the new culture long enough to pass through all three^[1]:

• Honeymoon Phase - During this period the differences between the old and new culture are seen in a romantic light, wonderful and new. For example, in moving to a new country, an individual might love the new foods, the pace of the life, the people's habits, the buildings and so on. During the first few weeks most people are fascinated by the new culture. They associate with the nationals that speak their language and are polite to the foreigners. This period is full of observations and new discoveries. Like many honeymoons this stage eventually ends.^[2]
• Negotiation Phase - After some time (usually weeks), differences between the old and new culture become apparent and may create anxiety. One may long for food the way it is prepared in one's native country, may find the pace of life too fast or slow, may find the people's habits annoying, disgusting, and irritating etc. This phase is often marked by mood swings caused by minor issues or without apparent reason. This is where excitement turns to disappointment and more and more differences start to occur.^[3] Depression is not uncommon.
• Adjustment Phase - Again, after some time (usually 6 – 12 months), one grows accustomed to the new culture and develops routines. One knows what to expect in most situations and the host country no longer feels all that new. One becomes concerned with basic living again, and things become more "normal".One starts to develop problem-solving skills for dealing with the culture, and begins to accept the culture ways with a positive attitude. The culture begins to make sense, and negative reactions and responses to the culture are reduced. Reaching this stage requires a constructive response to culture shock with effective means of adaption.^[4]

Also, Reverse Culture Shock (a.k.a. Re-entry Shock) may take place — returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produce the same effects as described above. This results from the psychosomatic and psychological consequences of the readjustment process to the primary culture.^[5] The affected person often finds this more surprising and difficult to deal with than the original culture shock.

There are three basic outcomes of the Adjustment Phase:

• Some people find it impossible to accept the foreign culture and integrate. They isolate themselves from the host country's environment, which they come to perceive as hostile, withdraw into a ghetto and see return to their own culture as the only way out. These Rejectors also have the greatest problems re-integrating back home after return. Approximately 60% of expatriates behave in this way.
• Some people integrate fully and take on all parts of the host culture while losing their original identity. They normally remain in the host country forever. Approximately 10% of expatriates belong to this group of Adopters.
• Some people manage to adapt the aspects of the host culture they see as positive, while keeping some of their own and creating their unique blend. They have no major problems returning home or relocating elsewhere. Approximately 30% of expatriates are these so-called Cosmopolitans.

The process of cultural adjustment, which is also known as the U-shaped curve of cultural adjustment, encompasses five distinct stages:

• Stage 1: The feeling of excitement and eagerness. This stage occurs before leaving to go to the new culture.
• Stage 2: The feeling that everything in the new culture is great. This stage occurs upon arrival to the new culture.
• Stage 3: The feeling of everything in the new culture is terrible.
• Stage 4: The feeling of adjustment. The stage where the visitor begins to feel comfortable and takes steps to become more familiar with the culture.
• Stage 5: The feeling that everything is fine. The stage where the visitor has adapted to the culture and in some ways is embracing it as their own.

Culture shock is a state of dis-ease, just like a disease. It has many different effects, time spans, and degrees of severity^[6]. Many people are handicapped by its presence and don't recognize what is bothering them. Culture shock symptoms are really hard to seclude.

Culture shock is a subcategory of a more universal construct called transition shock. Transition shock is a state of loss and disorientation predicated by a change in one's familiar environment which requires adjustment. There are many symptoms of transition shock, some which include:

• excessive concern over cleanliness and health
• feelings of helplessness and withdrawal
• irritability
• glazed stare
• desire for home and old friends
• physiological stress reactions

There are no fixed symptoms ascribed to culture shock as each person is affected differently.

Sociocultural Influences on Learning and Teaching

Speaking of culture, as we are studying to become teachers this might be interesting for us future teachers to know.
The child’s earlier experiences and what he had already learned is very important, as the child had picked up his community’s rules and family’s cultural beliefs. He has learned what is considered appropriate and what isn’t in his community.
Teaching styles also differ accordingly to cultural differences. There is no proof that teachers of a similar cultural background to the students’ will perform better at their job than a teacher of a different cultural background. Although it is for certain, that all teachers benefit from greater tolerance to differences and an open mind towards other cultures.
So look at the bright side girls, differences aren't always a bad thing as we can learn new things from them!

Culture shock is temporary.

How to describe a culture shock? It's simply a common term to describe the misunderstanding and nervous feelings a person may have after leaving his own culture to live in a new and different one. When you move to a new place, you're forced to face a lot of changes and sometimes difficulties. That can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. You may feel sad, anxious, frustrated, and want to go home.

It's natural to have difficulty to get used to a new culture. People from other cultures (whom you'll be hanging out with and going to school with) may have grown up with values and beliefs that differ from yours. Because of these differences, the things they talk about, the ways they express themselves, and the importance of various ideas may be very different from what you are used to. But the good news is that culture shock is temporary.

Culture Shock.. what is it exactly?

I've collected some points concerning culture shock, please feel free to comment:

• Culture shock exactly means the impact you may feel when you enter a culture very different from one to which you are accustomed.
• Culture shock is common among immigrants and foreign students. No matter how well you are prepared, there are many things in a culture that you cannot find in books. This is not simply about meeting new and unexpected things, but also failing to meet what you would never have believed would be missing from any culture. Differences in nonverbal communication and unwritten rules play a large part.

If one has been living in another country for a long time - noted the obvious differences, felt comfortable, then begun to realize there are other more fundamental, but subtle differences - finally they will learn that people have different ways of solving the same challenges.

Culture shock can also happen when you take a culture for granted, and can occur when you return from someplace quite foreign, to what should be home, but isn't. You have changed over the course of your stay in the other culture, and now your home culture seems out of place. It is much harder to adjust to, and can have greater impact on relationships and life outlook.

The result of culture shock is an impaired ability to adapt or function in the target culture. Culture shock is a barrier to socializing, learning, and generally functioning in the target culture.

There is no solution to culture shock except to try to learn the culture, and the way to do that is to watch and listen while withholding judgment for a while. Be careful of what you say and do, because it is easy for others, not knowing your culture, to misunderstand you. In time, you will learn the other culture and then you can participate at ease, so what do you think ?

Culture Shock .. ( week's discussion )

What is culture shock ? how does it affects a person ? have you ever been in a situation that involves culture shock ?

Spanish culture

In Spain we are known for our diversity and our joyful outlook on life, although it is not so well-known that we like to enjoy life in many different ways. This is reflected in such customs as the running of the bulls (one week of the year in the northern central town of Pamplona), and bullfighting (mostly celebrated in southern Spain).This also has a lot to do with the way we express ourselves. As a result we have several languages, all of them official, which demonstrate our diversity and our rich heritage (in case that you were not aware of this, Spanish's real name is Castilian, and therefore, when referring to the other languages you will read about Castilian). Learning a language is more than just knowing the grammar and its vocabulary. It is knowing the people and their way of life: their customs, traditions, celebrations and other aspects that may be typical, and sometimes particular, to the culture. The relaxed pace of life in Spain and the hospitability Latin America is known for, are qualities visitors and students find charming.

As you speak therefore you are

Language is a double edge weapon; they can bring masses of people together or tear them apart. The moment in which we start speaking we are judged and stereotyped based on the language we speak and how we speak it.

Furthermore language is the most noticeable thing about us right after our appearance, it allows our culture for generation to come, and it identifies us and shapes us into whom we are. Many people use languages as a divider to show their prestige, place in society, relationships with others or the power they may have. Also the best way to describe this is the form of politeness that people may use when speaking to each other.

These cultural values system exist in the world between different cultures. The best example for this is how some of the Japanese people may speak their language. They use a honorifics - suffix to determine the type of relationship they may have with each other while maintaining a respectful polite approach. Moreover, it may change based on location, need, and the culture of the people who use the language.

There are many studies based on this and the people who study it are known as sociolinguists , whom are more concerned with the assertion of belonging and identity rather than with a transactional content of the language it self.