CHAPTER 7
What Are the Different Ways to Communicate Nonverbally Across Cultures?
CHAPTER 7 OBJECTIVES AND OUTLINE
Chapter 7 Objectives:
As a result of reading Chapter 7, and participating in related class discussions and activities, you
should be able to:
(1) Develop a sense of intercultural alertness to the multiple interpretations that are attached to a
single nonverbal gesture;
(2) Identify the different functions and forms of intercultural nonverbal behavior;
(3) Monitor your own use of paralanguage or tone of voice as it reflects your intercultural or
intergroup attitudes;
(4) Realize the diverse richness in decoding intercultural hand gestures, touch, space, and time;
(5) Develop deeper observation and attending skills and move beyond surface-level nonverbal
impression formation of culturally different others; and
(6) Cultivate a heightened awareness of how your nonverbal behavior can be misconstrued in
different cross-cultural situations.
Chapter 7 Outline:
I. The Impact of Nonverbal Communication
Introduction section:
About 65 percent of message is inferred via nonverbal channels
A. Making Sense of Nonverbal Communication
1. Nonverbal communication: message exchange process involving use of
nonlinguistic and paralinguistic cues (NOTE: This is a brief description;
see textbook for complete definitions.)
2. Multiple channels: facial expressions, hand and body gestures, etc.
B. One Code, Many Interpretations: same cue can have different meanings
C. Verbal and Nonverbal Similarities: nonverbal cues can:
1. Repeat the verbal message
2. Contradict the verbal message
3. Substitute for the verbal message (no words needed)
4. Complement or accompany the verbal message and underscore it
5. Accent or emphasize the verbal message
II. Forms of Nonverbal Communication:
The seven forms of nonverbal communication are: physical appearance, paralanguage,
facial expressions, kinesics, haptics (touch), oculesics (eye contact), and
proxemics
A. Physical Appearance
1. Includes body type, height, weight, hair, and skin color.
2. Artifacts: ornaments or adornments
3. Impression management: example is body alteration techniques
C. Paralanguage
1. Paralanguage: how something is said, not what is said
2. Paralinguistic features:
a. Accent: how your words are pronounced together
b. Pitch range: from high to low
c. Pitch intensity: how high or low your voice carries
d. Volume: how loudly or softly you speak
e. Articulation: precision or slurring of words
f. Rate: how quickly or slowly you speak
D. Facial Expressions
1. Kinesics: study of posture, body movement, gestures, facial expressions
2. 7 universal facial expressions (SADFISH): sadness, anger, disgust, fear,
interest, surprise, and happiness
3. Cultural display rules: procedures for the way we express emotions
E. Gestures
1. Gestures: culturally specific, significant forms of nonverbal comm.
2. Four categories of hand gestures and body movements:
a. Emblems: substitute for words and phrases (no words)
b. Illustrators: hand gestures that illustrate spoken words
c. Regulators: used to regulate flow of conversation
d. Adaptors: unintentional habits to fulfill need (scratching)
F. Haptics
1. Haptics: study of perceptions and meanings of touch behavior
2. High-contact cultures: direct eye contact, direct facing, touching, kissing, loud
voices
3. Low-contact cultures: indirect eye contact, little touching, softer voices
4. Moderate-contact cultures: blend of both (includes U.S.)
III. Boundary regulations
A. Regulating Interpersonal Boundaries
1. Proxemics: study of space between persons
2. In the United States, four spatial zones exist:
a. Intimate zone: 0–18 inches, for those closest to us
b. Personal zone: 18–48 inches, for closer friends, some acquaintances,
colleagues
c. Social zone: 48 inches to 12 feet, for larger events
d. Public zone: 12 feet or more
3. Personal space: unconscious protective territory that we carry around with us
and deem sacred, nonviolable, and nonnegotiable
B. Environmental Boundaries
1. Claimed sense of space and emotional attachment we share with others in our
community
2. Neighborhood layout, home design, etc. influence how people behave
3. Lewin’s f ormula: B = f (P,E). Behavior is a function of persons in the
environment and the environment
C. Psychological Boundaries
1. Intrapersonal space: the need for information privacy or psychological silence
between the self and others
2. Privacy regulation: important in individualistic cultures and not perceived as
critical in collectivistic cultures
3. Feng Shui means “air” and “water” in Chinese; the philosophy of combining
elements to attain good energy within an area
D. Regulating Time
1. Temporal regulation: the attitudes we have about time
2. Chronemics: how people structure, interpret and understand time
3. Two patterns of time which are opposite and govern different cultures:
a. Monochronic-time schedule (MT): schedule time so as to concentrate
on one thing at a time; individualistic cultures tend to use this
pattern
b. Polychronic-time schedule (PT): completing human transactions
prioritized over time schedules; collectivistic cultures tend to use
this pattern
IV. Intercultural Reality Check: Do-Ables
Nonverbal checkpoints to consider in communicating across cultures:
A. Flexibly observe and identify nonverbal display rules
B. Attempt a deeper than surface explanation for the behavior
C. Monitor your own nonverbal behavior
D. Be sensitive to nonverbal display rules for emotions in a particular culture
E. Be less judgmental and more tentative in interpreting others’ nonverbal signals
CHAPTER 7 CHECK-UP
Check out the following cultural literacy questions and self-assessment questions:
Hit-or-Miss Quiz: Use this quiz to assess your cultural literacy of one set of cultural display
rules: emoticons. Can you identify the following emoticons?
1. :-D
2. :-[
3. :-/
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. Laughing
2. Angry
3. Skeptical
Check out Hit or Miss 7.1 in the text on page 140 to quiz yourself on popular ways to say
“LOL” in other countries! :-o
Self-Assessment Quiz: Use this quiz to assess your interpersonal space orientation.
1. In a conversation with a stranger, how far away would you stand from him or her?
2. In a conversation with a same-sex friend, how far away would you stand from him or
her?
POP-UP INTERPRETATION:
You may be surprised to learn that the answers will vary according to culture. Proxemic
studies reveal that different cultures regulate personal distance differently. So the
next time you find yourself standing uncomfortably close to a stranger, remember that
it may be due to cultural variation. (Of course, it may be because they like you .)
Check out my.blog 7.1 in the text on page 146 to do a full assessment of your
interpersonal space orientation.
Self-Assessment Quiz: Use this quiz to assess your need for privacy or intrapersonal space.
Choose the answer that best reflects your tendencies:
1. How irritated or stressed out do you get when someone enters your room without knocking?
a. Not very irritated
b. Very irritated
2. How irritated or stressed out do you get when someone interrupts you?
a. Not very irritated
b. Very irritated
POP-UP INTERPRETATION:
You may be surprised to learn that the answers will vary according to culture.
Psychological boundaries are regulated differently; privacy regulation is considered
more important in many Western social environments and not as important in
collectivistic cultures.
Check out my.blog 7.2 in the text on page 148 to take a full poll of your privacy needs.
Self-Assessment Quiz: Use this self-assessment to learn about your monochronic and
polychronic time tendencies. Choose whether you tend to agree or disagree with the following
statements. Can you identify the time orientations reflected in these statements?
1. Meeting deadlines is very important to me.
a. Agree
b. Disagree
2. It’s okay to be late when you’re having a wonderful conversation with someone.
a. Agree
b. Disagree
POP-UP INTERPRETATION:
1a. Agreement on this item reflects a tendency toward a monochronic time orientation.
Check out my.blog 7.3 in the text on page 150 to take a full assessment of your time
orientation tendencies.
POP-UP INTERPRETATION:
1b. Disagreement on this item reflects a tendency away from a monochronic time
orientation.
Check out my.blog 7.3 in the text on page 150 to take a full assessment of your time
orientation tendencies.
POP-UP INTERPRETATION:
2a. Agreement on this item reflects a tendency toward a polychronic time orientation.
Check out my.blog 7.3 in the text on page 150 to take a full assessment of your time
orientation tendencies.
POP-UP INTERPRETATION:
2b. Disagreement on this item reflects a tendency away from a polychronic time
orientation.
Check out my.blog 7.3 in the text on page 150 to take a full assessment of your time
orientation tendencies.
Self-Assessment Quiz: Take this quiz to learn how MT and PT orientations affect lateness
apologies:
You arrive to class late. What will you say to your instructor if you are:
1. Thirty seconds late
2. Three minutes late
3. Fifteen minutes late
POP-UP ANSWER:
The answer is that you are never to be late to class! :0 Actually, research has shown that
in the United States, the type of apology expected depends on the amount of time late.
Check out my.blog 7.4 and the discussion in the text on page 152 for more assessments
and information about lateness and apologies in U.S. culture. (It could save a
relationship for you!)
CHAPTER 7 GLOSSARY-MATCHING QUIZ
Match the following five terms with their respective definitions:
a. Artifacts
b. Proxemics
c. Paralanguage
d. Haptics
e. Nonverbal communication
___ 1. Study of the perceptions and meanings of touch behavior.
___ 2. Ornaments or adornments that we use to communicate just by wearing.
___ 3. Communicating without words through multiple communication channels.
___ 4. Nonword sounds and characteristics of speech.
___ 5. Study of space between persons, physical contact, and the inner anxiety we have when
people violate our space.
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. d
2. a
3. e
4. c
5. b
Match the following five terms with their respective definitions or examples:
a. Adaptor
b. Cultural display rule
c. Illustrator
d. Regulator
e. Emblem
___ 1. The “thumbs up” sign without saying words.
___ 2. Nodding your head rapidly to speed up a speaker during a conversation.
___ 3. Your personal habit of covering your mouth when you yawn.
___ 4. As you tell a hairstylist that you want only one inch of your hair cut, using your fingers to
show a space of one inch.
___ 5. Knowing that it is appropriate to display disgust or anger in public in Thai culture.
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. e
2. d
3. a
4. c
5. b
CHAPTER 7 REVIEW QUIZ
Multiple Choice: Select and click the BEST ANSWER from the choices available.
1. Gigi’s beaded necklace and Grant’s ankle bracelet are examples of __________.
a. kinesics
b. emblems
c. artifacts
d. illustrators
POP-UP ANSWER:
c. artifacts (p. 135)
2. Nonverbal cues can __________ the verbal message; this is a form of leakage, or hiding how
we really feel.
a. regulate
b. illustrate
c. complement
d. contradict
POP-UP ANSWER:
d. contradict (p. 135)
3. How something is said and not what is said describes what aspect of nonverbal
communication?
a. Paralanguage
b. Proxemics
c. Haptics
d. Oculesics
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. Paralanguage (p. 137)
4. Gerald has learned that the new culture to which he will be moving is a low-contact culture. In
order to fit in, Gerald knows that he must do less (fewer) ___________.
a. hand gestures
b. interaction with strangers
c. touching
d. eye contact
POP-UP ANSWER:
c. touching (p. 145)
5. When Gabe talked to his roommate Griffin on the phone, Gabe’s verbal message was “I am a
little annoyed,” but his __________ convinced Griffin that Gabe was feeling so angry that
this was a not good time to tell him about the broken coffee pot.
a. haptics
b. syntax
c. paralanguage
d. kinesics
POP-UP ANSWER:
c. paralanguage (p. 137). Gabe’s tone of voice must have indicated very strong anger.
Remember that the nonverbal communication tends to be believed more than the verbal,
so Griffin is smart to decide to wait until Gabe cools off.
6. ____________ are ornaments or adornments that we use to communicate just by wearing.
a. Cues
b. Kinesics
c. Proxemics
d. Artifacts
POP-UP ANSWER:
d. Artifacts (p. 135)
7. Gary has just discovered that his coworker has been listening in on his phone conversations.
He is really upset at this violation of this _____________ boundary.
a. personal
b. environmental
c. temporal
d. psychological
POP-UP ANSWER:
d. psychological (pp. 147-148). Psychological boundaries include privacy regulation.
8. In U.S. culture, the intimate zone is approximately __________ in distance and is reserved for
________________.
a. 0–6 inches; closest friends and family
b. 0–6 inches; friends, family, acquaintances, and colleagues
c. 0–18 inches; closest friends and family
d. 0–18 inches; friends, family, acquaintances, and colleagues
POP-UP ANSWER:
c. 0–18 inches; closest friends and family (p. 146)
9. When Gabrielle typed “I NEED TO GO ON VACATION NOW!” in a letter that was mostly
written in conventional uppercase and lowercase typing, Gabrielle was using capital letters to
________ that part of the verbal message.
a. contradict
b. substitute for
c. accent
d. regulate
POP-UP ANSWER:
c. accent (p. 135)
10. As Gemma participates in her study group meeting, she uses her hands to play with her
pencil, which indicates the use of nonverbal behavior as a(n) ____________.
a. illustrator
b. regulator
c. emblem
d. adaptor
POP-UP ANSWER:
d. adaptor (p. 143)
True/False: In order to identify the best answer, consider whether each statement is true (i.e.,
accurate) or false (i.e., inaccurate). Click either “a” for “True” or “b” for “False.”
1. More than half of a message is inferred through nonverbal channels.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. True (p. 132)
2. Oculesics is the study of eye contact behavior.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. True (p. 135)
3. Many hand gestures, such as the gesture for “okay,” are performed the same way across
cultures.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
b. False (p. 141)
4. You may feel negative feelings if someone touches you when you don’t know them well,
because it violates unspoken rules regarding haptics.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. True (p. 145). Haptics is the study of perceptions and meanings of touch behavior.
5. Artifacts can place a person in a particular status or class.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. True (p. 135)
CHAPTER 8 INTERCULTURAL WEB SURFING
Check out the following Internet sites that are relevant to this chapter:
The Center for Nonverbal Studies has put together a very interesting web page:
http://center-for-nonverbal-studies.org/1501.html
Take the poly vs. mono chronic test:
http://www.innovint.com/downloads/mono_poly_test.asp
Fareed Zakaria discusses hand gestures that have multiple meanings in different cultures and
could get people in trouble:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2011/03/29/gps.last.look.3.27.cnn
This funny Pixar short demonstrates various nonverbal communication behaviors including:
paralanguage, oculesics, facial expressions, and gestures:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_V-GI2BQss
This article from the New York Times discusses the connection between touch and the success of
professional basketball teams and players:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/health/23mind.html?_r=1&ex=1282712400&en=66a7f666
7934ff4d&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=HL-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M138-ROS-0210HDR&WT.mc_ev=click
Film:
Volver (2007). Volver is a film almost totally without men, with the exception of one who leaves
the film early. But in this world without men that is "Volver," nothing seems amiss because the
film is rich with well-defined woman's roles, nuanced, high context, and very much nonverbally
communicated.
Book:
Edward T. Hall’s The Hidden Dimension (1959) gives many interesting examples of different
cultures’ usage of space. Although dated, this is a classic resource for the study of proxemics.
CHAPTER 7 INTERCULTURAL TOUR
Check out the following intercultural scenario:
(NOTE: See “Chapter 7 Class Handouts” for a printable version.)
PDA: Public Display of Affection? Mi Amor Video Clip
1.
Click the link and have some fun watching the short video titled “Mi Amor” showing a
conversation between two dating partners: a U.S. American male and a Cuban female.
LINK to “Mi AMOR” Video clip
Alternatively, the video is also accessible through the following link:
http://vimeo.com/26210940
Password: UnderstandingIC (this password IS case-sensitive)
2.
Next, review Chapter 7 concepts, especially:
Gestures (p. 141)
Haptics-review the following concepts:
High Contact and Low Contact cultures (pp. 144-145)
Nonverbal affect display or PDA (Public Display of Affection) (p. 144)
Parralanguage (pp. 137-138)
Proxemics (p. 146)
3.
Watch the video clip again, taking note of the different forms of nonverbal
communication, the differences between the two individuals, and their reactions to each
other.
4.
Print off the “Interactive Probes: “Mi Amor Video clip” activity sheet. Answer the
following questions:
(1) Using the concepts from Chapter 7, how would you explain the U.S. American
boyfriend’s reactions to his Cuban girlfriend?
(2) How would you analyze the Cuban girlfriend’s reaction at the end of this clip?
(3) Have you or your friends had similar "culture-bump" experiences that created
nonverbal awkward moments or interactions?
(4) As a communication consultant to this couple, what advice would you give to the
American boyfriend so that his reactions aren’t so negative? What advice would
you give to the Cuban girlfriend so that her final reaction isn’t so negative?
Source: Mi Amor video: Written, directed, and edited by Andrew Bottom and Maritte Go.
FURTHER APPLICATION PROBES
Let’s apply some concepts from Chapter 7 to the scenario.
1. With regard to haptics, to what kind of culture does the woman belong?
a. High-contact
b. Low-contact
c. Monochronic
d. Polychronic
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. High-contact (remember that haptics refers to touch) (pp. 144-145)
2. With regard to haptics, to what kind of culture does the man belong?
a. High-contact
b. Low-contact
c. Monochronic
d. Polychronic
POP-UP ANSWER:
b. Low-contact (remember that haptics refers to touch) (p. 145)
3) When the woman moves to stand very close to her boyfriend and even reaches out and brings
him close to her, his reaction indicates a violation in the area of:
a. oculesics
b. artifacts
c. kinesics
d. proxemics
POP-UP ANSWER:
d. proxemics—which involves use of space. Apparently, he hasn’t quite let her into his
“intimate zone!” (p. 166)
CHAPTER 7 CLASS HANDOUTS
NOTE: Your instructor may ask you to download, print out, and/or e-mail the following
class handouts for this chapter:
INTERACTIVE PROBES FOR “PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION?”
NAME:___________________________________
INTERACTIVE PROBES FOR “PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION?’
(Ask yourself and probe your classmates’ reactions)
1. Using the concepts from Chapter 7, how would you explain the U.S. American boyfriend’s
reactions to his Cuban girlfriend?
2. How would you analyze the Cuban girlfriend’s reaction at the end of this clip?
3. Have you or your friends had similar "culture-bump" experiences that created nonverbal
awkward moments or interactions?
4. As a communication consultant to this couple, what advice would you give to the American
boyfriend so that his reactions aren’t so negative? What advice would you give to the Cuban
girlfriend so that her final reaction isn’t so negative?