Nonverbal communication and culture. Identity, stereotypes and prejudices, страница 7

Gestures are both innate and learned. They are used in all cultures, tend to be tied to speech processes, and are usually automatic. Let us consider a few examples of how gestures can communicate different meanings from culture to culture. We begin with the simple act of pointing. In most countries of Europe and America, people point to objects and even at people with the index finger. Germans point with the little finger, and the Japanese point with the entire hand, palms up. In much of Asia, pointing with the index finger is considered rude.

In Argentina, one twists an imaginary mustache to signify that everything is "okay." In the United States, "making a circle with one's thumb and index finger while extending the others is emblematic of the word 'OK'; in Japan and Korea it signifies 'money' (okane); and among Arabs this gesture is usually accompanied by a baring of teeth, and together they signify extreme hostility." This same gesture has a vulgar connotation in Mexico and Germany, and to the Tunisian it means "I'll kill you."

Facial Expressions.At one time or another, most people have been intrigued by how the looks on other people's faces have influenced their reactions to them. The early Greek playwrights and the Kabuki actors of Japan were keenly aware of the shifts in mood and meaning that facial expressions conveyed. Both forms of drama used masks and extensive makeup to demonstrate differences in each actor's character and attitude. People in every culture have been keenly aware of the manner in which the face offers insight into the character of a person. Whether it be the Mexican saying that "One's face is the mirror of one's soul," or the Jewish proverb that states "The face tells the secret," people everywhere have been captivated by the face.

The importance of facial expressions in communication is well established; however, the intercultural implications of these expressions are difficult to assess. At the core of a lingering academic debate lies this question: Is there a nearly universal language of facial expressions?                       The majority opinion is that there are universal facial expressions for which people have similar meanings. A basic set of at least six facial expressions that are universal and carry the same basic meaning throughout the world are happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, and surprise.

Despite the biological-based nature of facial expressions, there seem to be clear cultural expectations as to how cultural norms often dictate when, how, and to whom facial expressions are displayed. Different cultures recognize the power of the face and produce many rules to regulate not only what kinds of facial behavior are permitted in social interaction, but also how it may be even to attend to the faces of others during interaction. A few specific examples will illustrate the role of culture in the production and interpretation of facial expressions.

In many Mediterranean cultures, people exaggerate signs of grief or sadness. It is not uncommon in this region of the world to see men crying in public. Yet in many countries men suppress the desire to show these emotions. Japanese men even go so far as to hide expressions of anger, sorrow, or disgust by laughing or smiling. The Chinese also do not readily show emotion for reasons that are rooted deeply in their culture — the Chinese concept of saving face being one of the most important. For the Chinese, displaying too much emotion violates face-saving norms by disrupting harmony and causing conflict.

The smile is yet another emotional display that is rooted in one's culture. The whole world smiles, but the amount of smiling, the stimulus that produces the smile, and even what the smile is communicating often shifts from culture to culture. In America, a smile can be a sign of happiness or friendly affirmation. Although these same meanings are found in the Japanese culture, the smile can also mask an emotion or be used to avoid answering a question. People of lower status in Japan may also use the smile to denote acceptance of a command or order by a person of higher status when in fact they feel anger or contempt for the order or the person giving the order. In Korean culture, too much smiling is often perceived as the sign of a shallow person. Thais, on the other hand, smile much of the time. In fact, Thailand has been called the "Land of Smiles."