Nonverbal communication and culture. Identity, stereotypes and prejudices, страница 4

Because nonverbal communication is complex, multifaceted, and often misunderstood, we need to pause before pursuing the topic of nonverbal communication in any more detail and mention some potential problems associated with this important area of study.

Nonverbal Communication Is Often Ambiguous. We can never be sure that others understand the meanings we intended to express with our nonverbal behavior. (Wood, 1998:105). Not only are there cultural differences in what a specific action means (in the United States the number one is communicated with the forefinger, in Russian – with the little finger, and in parts of Europe it is the thumb that carries that message), but nonverbal communication is also contextual. The ambiguity of context is clearly seen if someone brushes your leg on an elevator – was it merely an accident or an aggressive sexual act? Our point should be obvious: When you use nonverbal communication, you need to be aware of the ambiguous nature of this form of interaction.

We Are More Than Our Culture. The next problem relates to individual differences. Simply stated, not all people engage in the same actions we will discuss in this lecture. You need to keep in mind that while there are general cultural characteristics, you are all more than your culture. People are the products of not only their culture, but also their regions, occupations, political affiliations, educational backgrounds, and countless other associations that have shaped their perceptions, values, attitudes, beliefs, and nonverbal communication.

Overstating Differences.Another potential problem in studying nonverbal communication stems from the fact that we often are guilty of making the differences more important than they really are. It might make witty and clever cocktail party chatter to know that in the Sung Dynasty, tongue protrusion indicated mock terror and the tongue stretched far out showed surprise, but this idiosyncrasy does help you understand intercultural communication in the twenty-first century.

Nonverbal Communication Seldom Operates in Isolation.Finally, there is the problem of forgetting that nonverbal behaviors seldom occur in isolation. As we noted earlier, you usually send many nonverbal cues simultaneously, and these cues are normally linked to both our verbal messages and the setting in which you find yourself.

Nonverbal Communication in the Context of Culture

It should be obvious by now that the study of nonverbal behavior is an important component to the study of intercultural communication. The importance of nonverbal communication, and its significance to the study of intercultural communication, is made even more apparent if you recall that culture is invisible, omnipresent, and learned. Nonverbal communication has these same qualities. Hall alerts us to the invisible aspect of culture and nonverbal communication by employing phrases such as silent language and hidden dimension. Andersen (2000:258) makes the same point by telling you that individuals are aware of little of their own nonverbal behavior, which is enacted mindlessly, spontaneously, and unconsciously. Both of these scholars are saying that much of your nonverbal behavior, like culture, tends to be elusive, spontaneous, and frequently beyond your awareness.

We remind you that culture is multidimensional and boundless; it is everywhere and in everything. The same is true of nonverbal behavior. Your clothes and jewelry, the countless expressions you can reflect with your face, the hundreds of movements you can make with your body, where and how you touch people, your gaze and eye contact, vocal behaviors such as laughter, and your use of time, space, and silence ate just some of the behaviors in which you engage that serve as messages. Hence, as with culture, examples of nonverbal behavior are limitless.