PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

TASK 2 (group task)

NAMES: Herrera, Angelo SECTION: BSA 1-5

Pahilagao, Dan Angelo
Pascual, Raymond

A. Check your understanding on the following using your own words:

1. Define intercultural communication.

Intercultural communication is the study of interaction between two or more cultures, and
how those fore mentioned cultures could affect their communication.

2. How does culture affect communication?

Culture affects communication In such a way that there are certain words, gesture, facial
expressions, etc. that are considered as discriminations or offensive in a particular culture
therefore, are prohibited for usage when communicating with the person/s who belong within the
said culture. For instance, the word "nigger" is considered extremely offensive within the
African-American race/culture, therefore is not allowed to be used especially when talking to an
African-American.

3. Justify the effect of “gender” in communication.

Gender is a very sensitive issue, especially nowadays that various issues regarding
gender like same sex marriage, SOGIE bill, and many more are causing controversy all over the
world. It affects communication, just like culture, in such a way that there are verbal and
nonverbal aspects that is considered offensive to a particular gender and therefore, should not
be used when communicating especially to a person who recognizes himself/herself as one of
that particular gender. An example is the very violent word "bitch" which is literally a female dog,
but it is considered an extremely offensive when talking to girls and other female-related
genders (gay, transwomen), so it should not be used when talking to them
 4. How does “age” affect communication?

There are different stages when it comes to the term “age”, infancy; early and middle
childhood; adolescence; early, middle and late adulthood. In relation to communication,
communication skills change subtly through aging because of changes in physical health,
maturity of emotional and mental aspects, etc. Aging is also responsible for the changes in
hearing, voice, and speech process that are related to communication. As we grow older, the
type of information being communicated with others, the understanding of an issue or a topic,
and our personal style such as the use of body language, choice of words, tone of voice, etc.
experience changes from time to time. For example, older speakers are less likely to adjust
speech according to whether it is directed to a younger or an older addressee, unlike young
speakers.

5. How does “physical appearance” affect communication?

The term “physical appearance” basically identifies how the individual looks. So, in
relation to communication, physical appearance is an example of non-verbal communication
such as facial expressions, body gestures, as well as the outfit of an individual. Imagine yourself
being in a public speech where every audience has their eyes on you, even if your handling of
speech and tone of voice shows confidence, if your facial expression shows the sign of
nervousness or if your body gestures are stiff, it might affect how the receiver decode the
message that you are sending. So in communicating with confidence, it needs to be shown not
only in the way you speak, but also in your physical appearance. And lastly, the outfit that is
also part of the physical appearance affects communication in the same way, because outfit can
be also classified as non-verbal communication and one example is the color of your outfit. If
someone wears black, this might indicate mourning or gloomy feelings and on the other hand,
bright colors indicate happiness and peace. It is also rather critical to point out that the way one
dresses and the color he/she chooses really helps an outsider conclude personality traits and
preferences.

6. How does “religion” affect communication?

 Basically, when we talk about the term “religion” the first thing that comes through our
minds is beliefs such as Jesus Christ is the savior for the Christians but on the other hand, Allah
is the savior for the Muslims. So in relation to communication, the first thing that this aspect
affect in communication is the creation of a certain communication barrier because due to the
extensive variations in religious and spiritual beliefs, people who identify as religious or spiritual
may have vastly different ideas and opinions about what constitutes appropriate life practices
and behaviors. That is why religion is identified as one of the sensitive topics because these
beliefs, or discrepancy between beliefs, can impact how people communicate with one another.
For example, it is quite offending to ask an Iglesia ni Cristo believer why it is bad for them to eat
Dinuguan, or to ask Muslims why eating pork affect their religious beliefs.

7. How does “social status” affect communication?

By definition, Social status is the rank or level of the society the person was born into,
this may also serve as a reference on determining who that person wants to become and how
he or she will act accordingly. In its relation to communication, the parties involved may
experience difficulty since there is this great “gap” that divides the two parties. Separating one in
the higher class and one in the lower class, from the way they communicate with each other.
For us, as we interpret it, those who are perceived as lower class must have the good will and
the determination upon demonstrating competence, reliability, and showcasing the common
interest in order for them to communicate effectively.

8. Cite examples of cultural differences in communication.

The way people communicate varies with their respective cultures, and this could cause
some minor probability of miscommunication. Examples of cultural differences in communication
are those languages, each country has its own way of arranging letters and words from the
alphabet and incorporating the tone of some could produce a words with various meaning.
Thus, language may differ from countries. As well as the use of slang words that are most
common done by those communicators in an informal setting. For some the phrase “gimme”
would mean “give me”, or “whatcha doin?” which means “what are you doing”, and saying “love
ya!” which actually means “Love you.” On the other hand, cultural differences could also affect
non-verbal communication. One example is the way people greet each other. In most counties
such as Japan, men and women would bow in front of those people whom they are talking to in
order to show respect. For Americans, simple handshake will do to greet someone. In India,
instead of shaking hands, they would join theirs and say “namastar”. For Italians, the common
way of greeting is by kissing the person by the cheeks. When it comes to communication,
looking at someone in the eye may be interpreted as a form of respect and an indicator that the
person listening is actually understanding what the speaker is trying to convey. For Japanese,
the child or the student must look at their teachers’ region on the Adam’s apple. While for
Americans, even a direct gaze or contact on the other persons’ eyes is enough. And lastly there
are also differences whenever a person made a simple hand gesture, like from ones’ hands by
forming a circular shape with the three fingers free. For Americans, this means “Ok” which may
imply confirmation, in a good state, etc. For Russians, this would simply mean “Zero”, having no
value of something. For Japanese, the simple hand gesture would be interpreted as an amount
in monetary terms. But for Brazilians, the hand sign would be interpreted as an “Insult.”

9. Have you experienced communication breakdown because of gender,

social status, age or religion?

We have indeed experienced communication breakdown, mostly in terms of age and

social status. We shared the same experiences when we talked about communicating to other
people and got hindered by some people who are much older than us. And when we speak of
factual statements and arguments, they tend to stop or close the conversation for they believed
that it is not true because it’s either we are “too young” to discuss and comprehend such topics
or we are just making stuff up to gain attention since being a youngster is about “craving for
attention”. Another experience we all shared is the fact that people don’t listen to what we are
saying because of our social status. They tend to have a doubt on the statements of what we
are trying to convey because of their belief that it is not possible for middle class people to
understand lower class’s circumstances and such. Or when some higher class people are
having difficulty on understanding our argument, thus the communication is broken for the
message intended for them is not delivered properly.

10. How would you become a competent intercultural communicator? What are
the characteristics of a competent intercultural communicator?

As defined by the second lecture, an Intercultural communication refers to a process that

involves people, coming from different nationalities, in creating and sharing meanings. Thus,
can be said that, there is as an exchange and understanding of information wherein it was
influenced by different ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations. In order for one to be an
effective intercultural communicator, one must perform his duty on filling him/herself with
information with regards to cultural sensitivity and diversity and be open and aware from the
different possibilities one may encounter. Because in reality, our knowing of our own culture is
as important as knowing others’, in order to communicate efficiently and effectively. With those
having said, a competent cultural communicator is said to be Versatile in terms of tolerating
levels of uncertainty from a particular culture. Another is being Mindful to others’ beliefs and
preferences. Being Sensitive or being careful in order to avoid conflict. Adapting to those
culture others are believing in. And lastly it the ability to Engage in a divergent way and/or
systematic way of thinking.

B. Brainstorm on the topics below:

 Similarities between Chinese and Filipinos

It has been proven that the Filipinos have interacted with various neighboring countries.
Such interactions included trading goods using barter system and intermarrying for better
alliance. One of the most prominent visitors to the Philippines is the Chinese who are present
until now. Dejarmem (2006) believed that the Chinese traders bartered goods like silk and
porcelain with the Filipinos’ pearls, shells, cotton, and rattan as early as the Song Dynasty.
These foreigners intermarried with the Filipinos and greatly influenced their way of living. Due to
the Philippines’ strategic location and rich natural resources, the Spaniards came to conquer the
country in the early 16th Century. Also from this period, Chinese immigrants became numerous.
According to Alip (1959), the Chinese immigrants were given great extent of democracy such
that they could settle anywhere and put up the business in any place, but gradually the
Spaniards took notice of this and decided to isolate the Chinese in permanent locations.

The old Chinese settlers in the Philippines share many traditional, “old world” values and
other cultural features with other Filipinos such as treating our parents with filial piety. We are
taught to respect our parents, elders and ancestors, and to conduct ourselves so as to bring a
good name to them. It’s considered disrespectful to call elders by their first name alone, so we
use terms like “Auntie/Uncle” even for people who are not related to us. We both believe that
elders have earned the respect of the younger generations, not only because they are older, but
they are wiser and more experienced. We are taught not to talk back to them and to defer to
their advice as much as possible. We also take care of our parents when they are old, which is
contrary to the modern Western practice of placing elderly members of their family in nursing
homes.

Speaking softly and being courteous are one of the cultures in both Philippines and
China. We are taught that raising our voices is vulgar and disrespectful. In other countries such
as Arab countries, raised voices are perfectly normal, and they often talk like they are having an
argument, which can be unpleasant for someone who is not used to it. We also try to avert our
eyes when speaking to superiors as a sign of respect, unlike Westerners who believe in staring
each other in the eye. And just like Chinese, we place a premium on our reputation and believe
that our word is our bond. Another term for word of honor in Tagalog is “may isang salita.”

Our parents push their kids to study hard and succeed in school. Some Filipino-Chinese
who run businesses also have a practice of making their children help them in their stores even
when the children are still young, to teach them a good work ethic. This is why children of Asian
parents are some of the most successful immigrants in the Unites States, with Filipinos and
Taiwanese among the highest-earning ethnic groups in the US. And in relation to Filipinos and
Chinese people knowing the value of hard-work, thriftiness or valuing of time and money is one
of the similarities between the culture of Filipinos and Chinese. We made sure that every
centavo we had was spent on something worthwhile and not on wasteful purchases or luxuries.
That’s because both Chinese and Filipinos have been through some pretty rough times, with
wars, famine (in China) and poverty, which influenced this mentality.

At present, the Chinese have been attributing to the economy of the Philippines. They
have been continuing their family line, and now, according to calculations done by the
researchers on the given statistics of Nationmaster.com and True Knowledge, Chinese and
Filipino-Chinese comprise 2.2% of the Country’s population. They have adapted well to the
Filipino culture just as how the Chinese influenced the Filipinos. The Filipino-Chinese are now
almost different from those of the Chinese in Mainland China, in terms of lifestyle and culture.
Ever since the Chinese integrated into the Philippines, the Chinese have adopted various
Filipino traits and values, welcoming the change, as much as the Filipinos took values from their
Filipino – Chinese cousins. Religion for that matter is not so much as the Filipinos adopting
Chinese religions but more of the Chinese embracing Christianity. Small pockets of Filipino–
Chinese Christian communities have been established in the last 50 years. Though using the
word “Christianity” loosely, as even though it is commonly connected to Roman Catholicism in
the Philippines, The Filipino – Chinese tend to gravitate more toward Protestantism.
 In conclusion, similarities between Chinese and Filipinos can still be seen up to today, it
can also be seen in food culture because of centuries of trading and cultural exchanges. For
example, soy sauce is believed to have been brought over by Chinese traders, and we use it in
our popular adobo dish, while fish sauce came to China from Southeast Asia. A lot of Filipino-
Chinese culture such as valuing relationship, self-effacement, self-denial for the sake of others,
and many more simply shows how we share the same value, morality, and traits, regardless of
the differences in intercultural domains, because of the history and connection between this two
countries from the 19th century up to the present.

 Similarities between Americans and Europeans –

We don’t know a lot about the culture of the Americans and the Europeans since we’ve
never been to the places where they live. We have members who have some of their family
members who currently live in the US, but they just take their Filipino culture there and don’t
really cope that much to the culture of the Americans. That’s why this section is kind of difficult
compared to the other two. Similarities between these two places and their culture is quite
limited. People tend to see and know the differences between their cultures and just keep the
other place from doing that instead of the things they do, because that’s just how people are.
We want to be different. We want to be unique. We want our culture to dominate others’.

One of the similarities between the culture of Americans and Europeans is that they
value time – a LOT. Americans and Europeans tend to consider time as something that is
limited, valuable, and scarce. For most of us Filipinos, time isn’t as valuable as it is, but it’s a
different story when it comes to both of their cultures. They might get disappointed because of a
late attendee or a late order in a restaurant, even for just a few minutes because they think to
themselves that they “could’ve used their time doing something meaningful to their careers”,
instead of waiting. In terms of communication, Americans and Europeans talk imperatively to
their countrymen or any other culture as well. Americans tend to talk like this because they are
more focused on their careers, markets and not wasting any time. In Europe, on the other hand,
while they are a multilingual continent, talks imperatively to others if they hope to bring citizens
to the Union or to clear misunderstanding about the accessibility of the Union and many other
issues. There aren’t a lot of similarities since Europe is a multilingual and a multicultural
continent so there isn’t really a base culture or way of speaking that we could compare to other
countries. There are a lot of differences though. For instance, while Americans tend to shake
hands and just say ‘hello’, it’s more romantic when it comes to Europe since most part of it
encourages cheek-kissing as a way of greeting someone.

In conclusion, we might not really know a lot about both places, we know something that
is similar to both and is extremely important especially in an intercultural conversation, and that
is giving and prioritizing respect at all times. Consistency in doing so could improve both the
places and the states inside it be much more connected, which in turn strengthen the friendship
and productivity of the countries.

 Similarities between Filipinos and other Asian countries

According to our historical textbooks, the Philippines had been active in Mercantilism
brought about the Spanish people. This had enable the country to be open in various trades,
barter exchange, even in terms of communication with the foreign countries. In this times, our
country had shared its multicultural aspects with its neighboring countries. Thus give birth to
Intercultural domains in which one may suspect that our country has some similarities with the
others in Asia. Intercultural Communication refers to a process that involves people, coming
from different nationalities, in creating and sharing meanings. Hence can be said that, there is
as an exchange and understanding of information wherein it was influenced by different
ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations. Fast forward to the present modern times, of
knowing Filipinos, they can be familiarized as being friendly. Not just to his or her fellow
Filipinos, but also to his or her fellow Asians. This in turn would give to the domains Filipinos
share with the other Asian countries. Such as; Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korean, Japan, and the
great country of China.

One of the similarities Filipinos share with other aforementioned Asian countries in terms
of greetings, is Handshaking. This gesture had been an influence coming from the Western
cultures. A gesture that doesn’t just indicate a warm gratitude for a person, but also signifies a
great form of expression of interest and respect for the other. For the Filipinos, as well as those
people whose countries are mentioned before, they share the same concept of handshaking
during a formal and informal setting. Moreover, such gesture is becoming popular in business
settings, especially for the eastern countries. Another similarity that Filipinos share with its
neighboring countries, is the prolonged eye contact to the person or people being talked to. For
them, it is considered to be rude, impolite, or an insult to stare directly someone in the eyes,
especially if the people involved in the scenario share the same anonymity. They said that an
unwanted eye contact can cause intimidation to the person.

Generally speaking, the Filipino people are raised in a “touch oriented society”. Given by
the mass increase of population, Filipinos can do nothing about the proximity they’re having.
However, the neighboring countries in Asia do not follow the same standard as the Filipinos
have. For them it is also an impolite manner to show Public Display of Affection in public. To the
point that, South Korea prohibits such act by law in its general sense. But this doesn’t mean that
the other Asians cannot feel warmth of the others. Even though that some countries in Asia
prohibits act of touching in public, some can still be seen wherein two (2) same sex people are
holding each other’s’ hands. For them, it is considered fine since it portrays friendship between
the two (2) however they can become strict when opposite sexes do the same act. The act of
touching may also be seen in public, especially in terms using public form of transportations,
queues or observing orderly lines, and such. To think of it, touching someone in a public vehicle
is inevitable. As well as other unpredictable and unaccountable events of pushing and shoving
in public. In contrast to this, no apologies are required or to be expected.

In terms of Beckoning, or summoning something or someone, Filipinos and other Asian

people share some concept. To beckon someone, the palm faces downward and the fingers are
moved in a scratching motion. This non-verbal communication is very much being done by most
people in Asia. It can also be shared that they would never curl their index fingers in a “back and
forth motion” because that is considered insulting. And for some countries, like China, that
gesture is used only for animals and can be considered rude to someone.

And finally, Filipinos and the other Asian countries share some of non-verbal ways of
communicating, like smiling. This act is known to be a general non-verbal communication that
implies someone is happy or in a state of joy. However for some countries in Asia, such act can
conceal a lot of hidden feelings or one’s true emotions. It can also be said that smiling and
laughing, like in Vietnam, is a way to mask the embarrassment. The act of listening to those
people one is inferior to, as well as knowing the time when to speak and to be silent, is
considered to be a great form of respect for others. Since most countries in the eastern portion
of Asia believed that “if someone is to understood, one is to be silent and listen.” Furthermore,
this non-verbal act had become popular when it comes to teachers and students, an employee
to his employer, and such. Choosing the right words also, as a verbal form of communication, is
being considered by many countries in Asia especially for those people who are involved in
doing task with other people in order to achieve something, like in a workplace. This practice is
being shared by Filipinos, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

In conclusion, the Philippines as well as the other mentioned Asian countries before all
share the same value and morality regardless of the similarities or differences in intercultural
domains. If one would look closely, both verbal and non-verbal acts results to the idea of
respecting someone he or she is communicating to. Especially in terms of communicating with
those people in higher position or of superior level in social class.

C. Read each statement. If it displays bias or insensitivity, write the group or element being
misinterpreted (age, gender, social status, age, religion, culture). If not, write ‘OK’. Once
done, discuss your answer.

__CULTURE__1. “Filipinos are known for their women being maids in foreign countries”.
The person saying the statement is clearly insensitive, because he/she is trying to express that
Filipino women were made and raised to be maids in foreign countries which is definitely an
insult not only to the Filipinas, but to the whole Filipino community in general. He or She is trying
to say that "Filipinas aren't more than being maids" which is completely absurd since we know,
here in the Philippines and some other countries, that Filipino women are capable of doing more
than that.

__OK__2. “I do not think Starbucks coffee is only for the rich people”.
Starbucks may be one of those cafés that have very expensive beverage and food prices, but it
certainly isn't just for rich people. It's just sells coffee and other drinks just like any other
beverage stores. It doesn't matter how much a person's income is or how much they're saving
or what their social status is. Everyone should be free to buy Starbucks' food and beverages
without being judged for being "poor" or "middle class". We certainly don't need gatekeeping,
especially when it comes to consumables.

__RELIGION___3. “Catholicism are way better than other religion”.

The person stating his/her opinion about a particular religion/belief being much better or
"greater" when compared to other religion, is definitely an insensitive thought. We are free to
believe whatever we want, unless it's illegal, but believing that our belief/s are better than what
other people believe and saying it, shows disrespect to that particular religion/belief or to any
other religion that it's compared to. There should be no comparison when it comes to religion or
any other beliefs in general.

__OK___4. “Senior citizens must always be prioritized in lanes.”

Many of us consider giving priority to senior citizens, maybe because of their sickness or as a
sign of respect. Giving priority to them doesn't really show any insensitivity or insult. It just
shows how much we respect them for any contributions that they've done for our country, and
our consideration and hospitality for, most of the time, their weak bones and frail bodies. It is
quite the norm, especially for us Filipinos.

__AGE__5. “That professor shouldn’t be teaching any longer. He is too old for it.”
The statement shows insensitivity, because it implies how people jumps into conclusion just
because of some people’s age. Being old does not mean he or she is not capable of teaching
anymore, it is also possible that teaching would be much more suitable for him or her because
of the knowledge that has been gathered from his or her experiences. We can also say that
teaching is his or her passion, and being passionate about one thing will make someone do
better even if he or she is on a certain age already, one does must not base someone’s
capabilities just because of their age.

__GENDER___6. “He is gay. He won’t be able to effectively portray the role”.

An individual’s capabilities must not be judged by gender alone, the person stating this
statement shows insensitivity. Just because a person is gay doesn’t mean that he cannot
effectively portray the role, and in fact, gays are much more flexible than girls or boys in
portraying someone’s role because they knew how to adjust and be masculine and feminine at
the same time.

__AGE___7. “Since you are the youngest, from now on you’d be washing dishes.”
The person saying the statement is clearly bias and insensitive, because he or she is trying to
use the difference in age just to order people around. It is unfair because he or she was given a
task that they can actually take turns to do, his or her age being the youngest doesn’t have a
connection on washing the dishes. We might agree if the statement just order him/her to wash
the dishes because it is certainly normal for older people to order the younger ones, but if
someone is using this age difference to another to give every task to the younger one, that
“someone” is being insensitive.

__OK__8. “Please finish your assignment by Sunday night.”

This statement does not show any sign of bias or insensitivity. For most of the times, the
requirement of doing the task doesn’t look at any preferences a person (student) has, rather it
seeks to test the understanding and measure a student’s intellect. Assignments having a due
date is normal. So asking someone to finish it by a certain time is not really a problem. In fact,
finishing an assignment early is a good thing, so the individual who mentioned this statement is
not being insensitive, and for us it was some kind of a reminder to finish the designated task.

__CULTURE__9. “Aetas are too uncivilized, it would be hard to stay in their place.”
The given statement displays insensitivity to the indigenous people. Aetas are considered as the
earliest inhabitants who resided in the Philippines. Although one may know that these people
have different way of living compared to those who live in the urban cities of Manila, it is not
right to think that Aetas are “too uncivilized” just because they live in the isolated mountainous
parts of the country, areas wherein access to education is difficult. However, it may be
considered as a fact that it would be hard to live in their place, still it not the right thing to think
that they have an inferior way of living or culture compared to ours.

__SOCIAL STATUS___10. “Let us group together according to our salary.”

Most of the times, an individual’s salary reflects his or her capabilities as an employee or an
employer. It also reflects many various connotation on a person such as his or her educational
attainment, especially the individual’s social status; based on how much he or she earn to meet
the needs for everyday living. The statement implies an insensitive manner of grouping the
people. Because, one may thought of the reason behind of doing such method. Is it to express
something? Or to showcase the other employees or employer those people who earn less
compared to them?

A. Research and present using PPT the cultural differences in nonverbal communication
with regards to the following categories. Do not forget to indicate references at the end
of presentation.

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Nonverbal communication is a process of generating meaning using behavior other than
words. Rather than thinking of nonverbal communication as the opposite of or as separate from
verbal communication, it’s more accurate to view them as operating side by side—as part of the
same system. Yet, as part of the same system, they still have important differences, including
how the brain processes them.

In terms of content, nonverbal communication tends to do the work of communicating

emotions more than verbal

There are many other examples of nonverbal communication tools that may be offensive
or rude in other countries so when planning to go abroad, it’s always a good thing to study these
various cultural differences in nonverbal communication to avoid offending someone, or getting
someone, including yourself, hurt.

Eye gesture/ Gaze

 Eye contact occurs when two animals look at each other's eyes at the same time.
 For humans, eye contact is a form of a nonverbal communication that could cause great
influence when it comes to a particular conversation and to one’s social behavior in
general.
 “The eyes are the windows of the soul.” Well, of course it also depends on the norms
and the culture of an individual.
 Coined in the 1960s. it is used in the West as a gesture of confidence and respect in
social communication. However, this isn’t the case in some cultures. For instance, in
many Eastern and some Caribbean cultures, meeting another’s eyes can be perceived
as rude or aggressive. 
 It is a fact that in many human cultures, eye contact is considered aggressive or
intimidating and not a required human interaction; not all people emphasize direct gaze
as much as some in Western cultures do.
 Based on a study published by PLOS ONE in 2013, Asians were more likely than
Westerners to regard a person who makes eye contact as angry or unapproachable.
 Another is a study published in the Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, the “eye gaze
displays of Canadian, Trinidadian, and Japanese participants” were recorded as they
answered questions for which they either knew or had to think about the answers. When
they knew the answers, Trinidadians maintained the most eye contact while Japanese
maintained the least. When contemplating the answers to questions, Canadians and
Trinidadians looked up, and Japanese looked down. The study, further suggests that the
amount of eye contact in a conversation is at least in part culturally determined

Facial Expressions
 It is the motion or change in position of facial muscles which, most of the time, shows
one’s expressions/feelings toward a particular event, word, or a thing in particular.
 It is a form of nonverbal communication that could also be present to and be done by
other animals.
 Humans can adopt a facial expression voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary facial
expressions are often socially conditioned, and it may have been influenced by other
people. On the other hand, involuntary facial expressions, like expressions of being sad
or happy, is believed to be innate and is already within us after we were born.
 While psychologists have typically focused on messages that reflect the inner states of
the transmitter (e.g. ‘he feels angry’), behavioral ecologists have tended to consider face
movement patterns as tools to influence the receiver's behavior
 One of the most popular approaches to understanding facial expressions across cultures
have involved selecting images of facial movement patterns thought to convey specific
basic emotions based on theory and naturalistic observation, and testing their
recognition across cultures. Most notably, Ekman and colleagues used this approach to
show that six specific face movement patterns thought to represent basic emotions of
happy, surprise, fear, disgust, anger, and sad elicited above chance recognition
accuracy across several distinct cultures
 According to a study conducted by the American Psychological Association, “A mental
representation of a facial expression is the image we see in our ‘mind's eye’ when we
think about what a fearful or happy face looks like”, “Mental representations are shaped
by our past experiences and help us know what to expect when we are interpreting facial
expressions.”
 They conducted a research to compare the evaluation of a person’s facial expressions
between Western Caucasians and Eastern Asians (Chinese). They viewed emotion-
neutral faces that were randomly altered on a computer screen and then categorized the
facial expressions as happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted or angry. The responses
allowed researchers to identify the expressive facial features that participants associated
with each emotion.

 The results are shown above.

 The study found that the Chinese participants relied on the eyes more to represent facial
expressions, while Western Caucasians relied on the eyebrows and mouth. Those
 cultural distinctions could lead to missed cues or misinterpreted signals about emotions
during cross-cultural communications.
 Across two complementary experiments, Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea
matched the classic face movement patterns of emotion with classic emotion labels (i.e.
‘happy,’ ‘surprise,’ ‘fear,’ ‘disgust,’ ‘anger,’ and ‘sad’) and with different social motives
such as ‘social invitation,’ ‘protection,’ ‘threat,’ ‘submission’ and ‘rejection.’

Gestures
 A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication or non-vocal communication in which
visible bodily actions communicate particular messages, either in place of, or in
conjunction with, speech.
 It includes the movements of the hands, head, or other parts of the body.
 Like other nonverbal communication tools, gestures also give a huge influence in a
particular conversation. (Script: add the ted studies,)
 While some gestures are universally accepted and cannot offend any other cultures,
there are some which are quite confusing in a way that it is accepted in a particular race/
culture, while it is completely offensive in others.
 Holding hands between two heterosexual individuals are definitely okay in most
countries, but between two guys could mean something different in various cultures. In
the Middle East, holding hands between two men is a sign of mutual friendship and
respect while in some cultures, like in Texas, USA and Liverpool, England.
 In terms of greetings, handshakes, kissing and hugs could be done in many other
countries, but not in Japan. Japanese bow in their first meeting and the height of their
bow depends upon the status of the person they’re meeting.
 The ring sign could mean “OK” in most
of Europe and North America, a sexual
insult or “gay man” in the Mediterranean
Region, Russia, Brazil and Turkey, Zero
or worthless in Tunisia, France and
Belgium, and Money or coins in Japan.
 There are many more gestures that are
considered accepted in many countries,
 but is extremely offensive in some, so if we want to visit certain parts of the globe, it is
always a good idea to study their culture to avoid fights and avoid getting in jail.

Touch
 Touch, or haptic communication, is a branch of nonverbal communication that refers to
the ways in which animals, including human beings, communicate through the sense of
touch.
 For example, when you’re crying and someone taps you on your back. This could mean
that that person wants to tell you that “it’s okay to cry, let it all out and I’m here when you
need to talk about it”,
 It is also a key factor in communication and could make a particular word, phrase, or
sentence mean various things that might affect the whole conversation.
 Like other nonverbal communication tools, touch could also mean various meanings in
other cultures. It could be acceptable and encouraged in some countries, but in some, it
Is considered rude and offensive.
 An example of a high touch culture is the cheek kissing which is commonly used as a
way of greeting in Latin American, Dutch Belgian and Arab cultures. In France and Italy,
people tend to touch each other as they talk.
 In low touch cultures like North America, Northern Europe Australia, New Zealand and
Asia, people prefers infrequent to no touching, and larger distance between the
conversation participants.

Posture
 In humans, posture could bring a significant amount of information as a nonverbal
communication tool.
 It could tell an individual about a certain person’s eagerness, level of confidence,
openness, social standing, current emotional state, and attitude.
 Posture could help a lot especially in interviews, speeches, and public, personal or
private meetings since one could possibly tell a particular characteristic of a person just
by seeing his/her posture.
 It can convey power structures,
attitudes and levels of civility.
 Like the other nonverbal
communication tools, posture could, in
some cases, be offensive in other
countries.
 Take the image above as an example.
(script: The man with the black suit on
the left side of the picture unknowingly
has committed a huge offensive
gesture to the Middle-Eastern man beside him since it is extremely insulting to cross an
ankle to the knee showing the sole of their shoes while communicating to them)
 Another example, slouching in Taiwan is considered disrespectful, while other parts of
the world may not think much of it one way or another.
 In America, standing with hands on the hips may suggest power or pride, but in
Argentina, it may suggest anger or a challenge.

TIME
 Chronemics is the study of the way we both use and perceive the use of time in
nonverbal communication. Time perceptions include punctuality, willingness to wait, and
interactions.
 Different cultures may be considered to be monochronic or polychronic.
 Monochronic – where things are typically done one at a time, where time is segmented
into precise, small units, and where time is scheduled, arranged and managed. In such a
culture, time is viewed as a tangible commodity than can be spent, saved or wasted, and
a paramount value is placed on regimented schedules, tasks and “getting the job done”.
They value a certain orderliness and sense of there being an appropriate time and place
for everything. They do not value interruption. One example is if a time is set for a
meeting, they will likely be early and if you are late, then it will be seen as a sign of
disrespect and won’t be appreciated.
 Polychronic – where several things can be done at once, and a more fluid approach is
taken to scheduling time. Such cultures tend to be less focused on the precise
accounting of each and every moment, and much more steeped in tradition and
 relationships rather than in tasks. Polychronic cultures have a much less formal
perception of time and are not ruled by precise calendars and schedules.

The use and perception of time can take on significantly different meaning to individuals
from different backgrounds, in different parts of the world. One way of looking at cultural
attitudes to time is in terms of time orientation, a cultural or national preference toward past,
present, or future thinking. The time orientation of a culture affects how it values time, and the
extent to which it believes it can control time.

TIME ORIENTATION OF CULTURE:

a) Future-oriented cultures tend to run their lives by the clock. The United States is one
of the fastest paced countries in the world, perhaps partly due to the fact that many
Americans are always looking to the future, striving for the “American Dream”
b) Past-oriented cultures, like that of India, for example, are much more laid back in the
way they look at time. Unlike in Japan, it is not unusual for trains in India to be several
hours, or even a full day, late, without creating undue stress and turmoil.
  Being late for an appointment or taking a long time to get down to business, is the
accepted norm in most Mediterranean and Arab countries, as well as in much of less-
developed Asia.
 In punctuality-conscious countries such as USA, Japan, England, Switzerland, etc.,
being late for an appointment is something that is intensely disliked.

For example, in the Japanese train system, “on time” refers to expected delays of less than
one minute, while in many other countries, up to fifteen minutes leeway is still considered “on-
time.”

It can be said that, countries such as USA, Japan, etc. who gives value to the concept of
time may perceive being late as being disrespectful, but on most Mediterranean and Arab
countries, they may perceive being late as normal and would not find it disrespectful.

PHYSICAL SPACE
Proxemics describes an individual’s perception and use of space both personal, or how
much space do they take up, and social, or how far is the distance from one another.

People from different cultures have different tolerance for physical distance between
people. In Middle Eastern culture, people like to go near to others to talk, while in others, people
might get afraid or be uncomfortable if anybody does so.

You will have the opportunity to meet people from over 70 countries, and with so many
different cultures there’s bound to be some awkward moments navigating the comfort zones of
personal space.

It is important to learn about different cultures’ norms to build trust and friendship across
cultural differences.
 “How close is too close?”

Comfort levels regarding physical space are embedded in our cultural norms, they are
often so unconscious that we don’t even realize them, until someone has suddenly crossed our
personal boundary.

According to one study, in Argentina an acceptable amount of space between strangers

is 76.2cm, in the U.S. it’s 94.5cm, and Romanians like up to 140.2cm. The numbers change
when the space is between close friends, in that case Romanians are comfortable with only
48.8cm compared to 100.6cm in Saudi Arabia.
 In the US American Culture, on average, U.S. Americans prefer to be 2-3 feet (60-
90cm) away from acquaintances and strangers. During professional interactions, handshakes
are expected as a greeting, but other forms of touch are generally not considered appropriate.

If you cozy up to a U.S. American with less than two feet of space you are moving into
“close-talker” territory and are likely to trigger their flight, fight, or freeze response. Because
personal space and touch are so deeply embedded in our cultural norms, it’s common for
people to experience frustration around these issues when they enter a new culture.

For example, for people from cultures that prefer closer proximity, U.S. norms may feel
cold or isolating. For others who prefer more personal space or do not touch to greet, the norms
in the U.S. may feel disrespectful or violating.

RELIGION
Religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural system, and world views that
relate to humanity to an order of existence. There are many religions that anybody can choose
to believe, such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, etc.

One main communication barrier stemming from religion is individual’s lack of

knowledge or information about other religions and belief systems.

For example, in terms of nonverbal communication, Muslims and Christians can make
similar gestures and expressions, but they can be recognized by these believers differently.
Muslims have Islamic religious and cultural practices that might have a misunderstanding in
relation to cultural differences.
Islam

 For some Muslim ethnic groups, particularly the Malays, the head should not be touched
by other people as it is considered to be humiliating. However, this does not apply to
Muslims coming from the Middle East for whom rubbing the head is considered a sign of
love and respect.

 Muslims may not make direct eye contact with members of the opposite sex out of
respect and modesty. Having a conversation without direct eye contact might seem rude
and disrespectful, even if the Muslims’ intention is to show respect and modesty, for the
Christians who do not mind direct eye contact, might recognize it the other way around.

 Muslims do not shake hands with members of the opposite sex. Shaking hands is a
normal kind of greeting for everyone, but there are cultures just like the Muslims’ who
finds doing this as rude when it comes to opposite genders.

 Muslims prefer to be seated next to people of the same gender and this should be
considered as a courtesy.

 Beckoning ‘come here’ with the palm upwards or pointing to a person or object with your
index finger, hand or foot is offensive to Muslims.

 Praying with an improper form nullifies the prayer’s purity and is dishonorable to both he
who is praying and Allah. Proper praying for Muslims is seated while moving upper body
from a nose-touching-floor position to upright. On the other hand, Christians pray with
palms pressed together while in a kneeling position.

 The Islamic dress code for males and females is prescribed to be modest
  For Muslims, each hand has different functions. The functions of the right are to give and
take, to eat and drink, to shake hands and wave. Using the left hand for these purposes
is offensive. The functions of the left hand are to remove dirt and filth and to wash and
wipe the private parts after using the toilet. Using the right hand for these purposes is
offensive.

From the points given, taking the time and effort to listen and learn about other’s spiritual beliefs
can help facilitate more open and effective communication channels. Just like knowing the
difference between the Muslims and Christians’ beliefs, it provides information on what are the
do’s and don’ts.

AGE
In Age Differences, Men and women nonverbally communicate in different way, and
these differences are apparent starting at childhood. As children develop, they enhance their
outlets of communication based on their cultural environments. It is a skill that with practice
becomes more effective.

Age differences have the potential to cause miscommunication errors just like gender
differences and cultural differences can. An example of this can be grandparents trying to talk to
grandchildren who are millennials. A grumpy tone of voice or a frown, when you’re doing
something fun together these might send the message that you don’t really want to be there.
Children can feel rejected or let down if this happens consistently.
 There are also age or generational differences in nonverbal communication channels
such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. A study by Franklin B. Krohn attempted to
understand if emoticons in computer mediated communication are actually examples of
nonverbal cues among different age groups.

● “Transcendentalists” born before 1946 shouldn’t use emoticons

● “Baby Boomers” born between 1946-1964 probably shouldn’t use emoticons

● “Generation Xers” born between 1964-1980 may use emoticons

● “Millennials” born after 1980 may use extreme amounts of emoticons

The older generations were not as intune to the nonverbal techniques whereas the younger
generations were, because they have grown up being exposed to those emoticons. (Krohn,
2004)

In Age Differences, it’s no surprise that adults communicate differently than children. It is
estimated that children go through a transitional phase during their adolescent ages.

● Early in life, babies and young children will point to their sippy cups, parents, and toys, and
this step is the first nonverbal skill they have.
● At five years old, children have voluntary control over their facial expressions.

● From ages six to ten, children understand how to use facial expressions in a conversation

● After ten years old, children know how to hide or mask their facial expressions.

● By age eleven, children are able to hold eye contact with adults.

Children develop these nonverbal communication skills by watching adults interact and by
interacting with their peers (Koterba, 2010).

From these points given, a child learns about nonverbal communication by watching you and
your nonverbal communication. You can also help your child with nonverbal communication in
other ways. For example, your child might be standing very close to a friend and the friend
might look uncomfortable, or start stepping back. You could gently remind her to give her
friend some space.

SOCIAL STATUS
Many of our social interactions can be described along a dominance, power, status, or
other dimensions suggestive of higher versus lower position. Our work environment is
characterized by hierarchies with people in different statuses.

In intimate relationships, power or status differences between partners such as

differences in earning power and differences in dominant interpersonal behavior are not rare.

Studies looking at nonverbal behavior and actual status have defined status in terms of
personality, structural status such as rank in an organization, socioeconomic dominance, or
emergent leadership within a group, or assigned status

 High-status people show more bodily openness (arms and legs), interact at closer
interpersonal distances, have louder voices, interrupt others more often, and talk more
than low-status people do.
  High-status people have higher visual dominance, defined as the ratio of percentage of
looking while speaking to percentage of looking while listening, than do low-status
people.

The status dimension is inherent to many different social encounters and thus affects how
people interact with each other verbally and nonverbally. For example, a high-status leader can
adopt a directive leadership style and show behaviors such as frequent interruptions, a loud
voice, and averting gaze while the other is speaking unlike a low-status people. If a low-status
people show these kind of behaviors, it may seem rude and disrespectful.

Types of Status Impressions

A high-status impression is made when you convey a nonverbal message of certainty, self-
control and authority.

Examples are:

 Moving slowly, smoothly, and purposefully

 Keeping an erect and stable posture
 Making eye contact and coordinate it with what you are saying
 Holding your head still when speaking
 Keeping your speech rate even and measured and make sure your sentences are
complete
 Occupy more space by spreading out your arms and legs.

A low-status impression when you convey a sense of insecurity, of not being worth anyone's
attention, of willingness to be submissive.

Examples are:

 Moving jerkily, fidgety, or/and fussy

 Repeatedly touching of face or hair
 Shifting position and eye contact frequently
 Standing with your toes "pointed in" or occupy a restricted, small space
 Speaking breathlessly with a hesitant little "er" or “uhm” before each sentence
  Over-qualifying each statement you make with phrases like "at least it seems that way to
me" or "but I could be wrong."

Behavioral differences creates an impression of your status which determines how you are
evaluated by others. Your social status is your rank or standing related to other people in a
particular social setting. The higher your social status is in a group, the more likely that others
will submit to your wishes. The lower your social status is, the more likely you will give in to the
wishes of others. For example, people that make a high-status impression are seen as more
competent and intelligent. In turn, what they say gets listened to and is more likely to have a
greater impact.

GENDER
Growing up, boys and girls are often segregated, restricting them to socialize solely with
individuals of their own gender, learning a distinct culture as well as their gender’s norms.

This results in differences in communication between men and women, inclining both genders to
communicate for contrasting reasons. For example, men are more likely to communicate as a
way to maintain their status and independence, while women tend to view communication as a
path to create friendships and build relationships.

Gender and communication scholar Kathryn Dindia contests the notion that men and
women are from different planets and instead uses another analogy.

For example, in terms of nonverbal communication, men and women all over the world
make similar facial expressions and can recognize those facial expressions in one another. We
use similar eye contact patterns, gestures, and, within cultural groups, have similar notions of
the use of time and space.
Kinesics: the interpretation of body motion communication such as facial expressions and
gestures,

 Women use more gestures in regular conversation than do men, but men tend to use
larger gestures than women when they do use them.

 Men are, however, more likely to use physical adaptors like restless foot and hand
movements, probably because girls are socialized to avoid such movements because
they are not “ladylike.”

From the points given it can be said that, women learn during childhood to “align their
bodies to face the other person” and sit still while using more hand gestures. Women’s
gestures are also typically more fluid. Men, meanwhile, use sharp, directed movements.
Posture:

 Men are more likely to lean in during an interaction than are women.
 Women are more likely to have a face-to-face body orientation while interacting than are
men. Women’s tendency to use a face-to-face body orientation influences the general
conclusion that women are better at sending and receiving nonverbal messages than
men. Women’s more direct visual engagement during interactions allows them to take in
more nonverbal cues, which allows them to better reflect on and more accurately learn
from experience what particular nonverbal cues mean in what contexts.

Eye Contact:

 In general, women make more eye contact than men. As we learned, women use face-
to-face body orientations in conversations more often than men, which likely facilitates
more sustained eye contact.
Women typically use more direct eye contact during communication in order to make a strong
connection and develop a relationship. Men, however, use eye contact most commonly as a
challenge of power or position.

 Overall, women tend to do more looking and get looked at more than men.

Facial Expressions:

Our faces can demonstrate more than 10,000 facial expressions. But men overall use fewer
facial expressions than women.

 Women reveal emotion through facial expressions more frequently and more accurately
than men.
 Men are more likely than women to exhibit angry facial expressions. Men are often
socialized to believe it is important to hide their emotions. This is especially evident in
the case of smiling, with women smiling more than men.

Haptics:
 While there are some differences between how men and women communicate through
physical touch, there are plenty of similarities because of our genetic makeup. Usually, men use
pats, back slaps and shoulder touches as a way to display dominance. They will also use an
introductory handshake to set the tone for communication to come. Women, on the other hand,
may reach out and touch someone’s arm or offer a hug to build a connection and show support.

 Women do engage in more touching when interacting with same-gender conversational

partners than do men.
 In general, men tend to read more sexual intent into touch than do women, who often
under interpret sexual intent.
 There is a touch taboo for men in the United States. In fact, research supports the claim
that men’s aversion to same-gender touching is higher in the United States than in other
cultures, which shows that this taboo is culturally relative. For example, seeing two adult
men holding hands in public in Saudi Arabia would signal that the men are close friends
and equals, but it wouldn’t signal that they are sexually attracted to each other.

Vocalics:

Defined as “the nonlexical component of communication by speech, for example intonation,

pitch and speed of speaking, hesitation noises, gesture and facial expression,” paralanguage is
used by women much more than men. This includes gesturing noises such as “mhm,” “ah” and
“oh,” as well as head nodding. These gestures are a way to convey, “I am listening and
understanding what you’re saying,” without actually saying it. Men also use paralanguage during
communication, but do so less frequently, and it’s usually just to confirm someone’s comment or
to say, “I agree.”

 Women are socialized to use more vocal variety, which adds to the stereotype that
women are more expressive than men.
  In terms of pitch, women tend more than men to end their sentences with an upward
inflection of pitch, which implies a lack of certainty, even when there isn’t. Varying
degrees of importance and social meaning are then placed on these biological
differences, which lead some men and women to consciously or unconsciously
exaggerate the difference.
 Men may speak in a lower register than they would naturally and women may speak in
more soft, breathy tones to accentuate the pitch differences. These ways of speaking
often start as a conscious choice after adolescence to better fit into socially and
culturally proscribed gender performances, but they can become so engrained that
people spend the rest of their lives speaking in a voice that is a modified version of their
natural tone.

Proxemics:

Men are much more likely to command and use personal space than women. Men often
prefer face-to-face communication, with the opportunity to shake hands or pat someone’s
shoulder. Women are usually comfortable speaking with someone side by side and are more
comfortable being in close proximity with other women.

 Men are implicitly socialized to take up as much space as possible, and women are
explicitly socialized to take up less space.
 In terms of interpersonal distance, research shows that women interact in closer
proximity to one another than do men.
 Men do not respond as well as women in situations involving crowding. High-density
environments evoke more negative feelings from men, which can even lead to physical
violence in very crowded settings.
 Men are generally larger than women, which is a biological difference that gains social
and cultural meaning when certain behaviors and norms are associated with it. For
 example, women are told to sit in a “ladylike” way, which usually means to cross and/or
close their legs and keep their limbs close to their body. Men, on the other hand, sprawl
out in casual, professional, and formal situations without their use of space being
reprimanded or even noticed in many cases.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE

It is the state, condition, manner, or style in which a person or object appears; outward
look or aspect or the way someone dress, fix his/her hair, tells a lot about oneself and the way
he/she want others to think about him or her

Physical characteristics include body shape, height, weight, attractiveness, and other
physical features of our bodies. We do not have as much control over how these nonverbal
cues are encoded as we do with many other aspects of nonverbal communication.

Visual impact is at least as important as verbal impact. People will very quickly make
assumptions based on your personal appearance, the clothes you wear, how well-groomed you
are and your body language

MOURNING:
 Wearing black to a funeral is a longstanding tradition in many areas of the world, particularly
in the United States and other Western nations. Funerals are usually somber occasions, and
wearing black indicates that you're mourning the loss of someone. It's also considered a sign of
respect for the deceased. Historians believe the tradition of wearing black at funerals dates back
to at least the time of the Roman Empire. The ancient Romans would wear a dark toga, known
as a toga pulla, to mourn the loss of a loved one.

 While black is the traditional color of mourning in the West, many other countries around
the world have different customs.
 In India and China, for example, the traditional color of mourning is white. Indian Hindus
wear white because it's the color of purity.
 Countries throughout Asia and Africa have a wide variety of customary funeral colors. In
South Africa and Ghana, red is often worn to funerals. You can also find countries that
wear purple (Thailand), yellow (Myanmar), and blue (Iran).

Wearing rings:
 Jewelry can also send messages with varying degrees of direct meaning. A ring on the
“ring finger” of a person’s left hand typically indicates that they are married or in an otherwise
committed relationship. A thumb ring or a right-hand ring on the “ring finger” doesn’t send such
a direct message.

Couples wear wedding rings on their left hands in many Western countries, such as
North America, South America, and European nations including the UK, Italy, France and
Slovenia. In the United States, women (and some men) wear both engagement rings and
wedding bands on the left ring finger; how the rings are stacked depends on the bride’s
personal preference. In Asian countries, people also tend to wear the band on the left hand.

Traditional Indian practice is to wear the wedding ring on the right hand, because the left
hand is considered unclean. However, modern Indians may wear the ring on the left hand to
match the custom in countries such as the United States. In many Northern and Eastern
European countries, including Denmark, Norway, Russia, Poland, and Bulgaria, it is more
common to wear the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the right hand. In Portugal, Spain, and
Greece, the right hand is also customary.

Clothing:
 People also adorn their clothes, body, or belongings with religious or cultural symbols,
like a cross to indicate a person’s Christian faith or a rainbow flag to indicate that a person is
gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or an ally to one or more of those groups.

Body smell/odor

In terms of defining an individual’s smell, intercultural differences may also occur and be
discussed to some countries. For Western Countries, and the Philippines, having a pleasant
aroma and a good grooming habit is the standard norm in order for one to be classified as
“clean”, “hygienic”, or in some context may be relate to being a normal person. However in
some countries, like Arab and its neighbors, could portray a different definition of having a
“normal” body hygiene.
 Body scents are signs of different cultures, diets, and beliefs. Culture plays a major part
in determining what smells are pleasant and unpleasant to individuals. Furthermore, the
physiology of smell is the same for all people, but there are distinct cross cultural differences in
the ways people think or behave related to personal body hygiene, wherein the odor may be
emitted by some factors such as climate, the environment or the foods and spices ate.

Difference between Asians and Americans’ Non-verbal

communication

As with other aspects of communication, norms for nonverbal communication vary from
country to country and also among cultures within a particular country. Nonverbal
communication is a universal phenomenon, meanings of nonverbal cues are not, in fact,
universal. They vary tremendously across cultures and are often ambiguous. Because of this
fact, it is crucial for those who work in international business settings to have at least a
rudimentary understanding of the ways nonverbal cues are communicated across and within
foreign cultures.

NON-VERBAL ASIAN COMMUNICATION AMERICAN

GESTURES COMMUNICATION
When greeting one - In some Asian countries, - For Americans, they
another. Handshaking or Bowing can shake each other’s’
 be used to express respect hands, and from an
to the person/s talking to. early age they are
It’s also a sign of giving taught to do so with a
respect no just to the firm solid grip
elderly, but the culture one
is into as well.
Thumb and forefinger - For Asian countries, it can - Doing such hand
form a circle with the mean that things are fine, a gesture would imply
other three fingers sign of confirmation (yes). that things are "O.K.",
splayed upward; it is But in the country Japan, meaning "fine", or
used frequently and such hand gesture pertains simply “yes."
enthusiastically. to monetary value.

FACIAL GESTURES - In many Asian cultures, - Those in Latin and

 Winking avoiding eye contact is North America
 Eye contact seen as a sign of respect. consider eye contact
- The Yoruba people in important for
Nigeria wink at their conveying equality
children if they want them to among individuals
leave the room. - Winking is a facial
- For the Chinese, they expression
consider the gestures of particularly varied in
winking as rude. meaning. In Latin
America, for example,
the gesture is often
considered a romantic
or sexual invitation.
TOUCHING - In Asia, touching children - Touching children on
GESTURES on their head is considered the head is fine in
 Touching highly inappropriate, as the North America.
Orientated head is considered a - Since the concept of
Societies sacred part of the body “Liberation” is fond by
 Public display of - In Eastern countries, Korea, many, such act of
affection in some form of Public touching is being
 Pushing display of affection, like allowed and seen
 (bumping) in kissing, is prohibited by law
crowds

PARALANGUAGE - Japanese women make a - In America, voice

refers to factors of point of raising the pitch of pitch between
speech such as accent, their voices to differentiate genders remains
pitch range, volume or themselves from men. comparably the same.
articulation
Using gesture with the - To beckon someone, the - Although Americans
hand, arm, or head to palm faces downward and and Asians share
encourage someone to the fingers are moved in a some gesture of
come nearer or follow. scratching motion. beckoning someone.
- Avoid using fingers in - They are using their
pointing to an object. fingers when it comes
to pointing an object,
place, or a person.

The following are the other various differences between Asian and American Non-Verbal
Communication

Common Asian Gestures

OTHER NON VERBAL GESTURES

 Respect to elderly people

 Smiling often can cover a gamut of emotions: happiness, anger, confusion, apologies, or
sadness.
 Displaying an open mouth (such as yawning or a wide-open laugh) is considered rude,
especially with women who cover their mouths when giggling or laughing.
 Try to maintain a balanced posture, stand or sit erectly or squarely. Don't slouch or put
on the ground with arms in the lap or on the armrest. Crossing the legs at the knees or
ankles is the preferred form rather than with one ankle over the other knee.
 Silence (listening) is a sign of politeness and of contemplation. During conversations, be
especially careful about interrupting.

American Gestures
COMMON GESTURES

 In normal social situations, Americans generally stand about 30inches apart from one
another, which is also considered their personal "comfort zone."
 At sporting events or the theater, Americans usually slide into a crowded aisle while
facing forward (forward/the people).

Gesture Meaning

 American children are taught to look others directly in the eyes.

- When greeting and conversing. If not, means shyness or weakness.

 Americans will often wave to another person and then turn to make hand scoop inward;
or raise the index finger ) palm toward one's face, and make a "curling " motion with that
finger.
- To beckon or summon another person.

 Thumb up with a close fist.

- Meaning support or approval, "O.K." or "Good Going!" or "Good job!"

 Fist raised with index finger and little finger extended.

- Texas rallying call "hook 'em horns." Baseball meaning "two outs."

 Nodding and shaking the head.

- Yes and No

 Extend the forefinger and make a circular motion near the temple or ear.
- Something or someone is "crazy."

Differences between Americans and Europeans Non-verbal

Communication
NON- VERBAL AMERICAN NON-VERBAL EUROPEANS NON-VERBAL
GESTURES COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION
Thumbs up sign - People in the US and - In Sardinia and Greece,
the UK use the thumbs such hand gesture is as
up sign as of bad as raising the middle
confirmation or positive finger.
code for ‘yes’.
- Symbol use for
hitchhiking
Personal Space - In normal social - Physical contact is very
situations, Americans important in Spain and
generally stand about Italy. Friends will greet
30inches apart from each other with hugs and
one another, which is kisses, even men and
also considered their men. Conversations
personal "comfort happen at a close
zone." distance.

Thumb and forefinger - Individuals in the - Still other countries in

form a circle with the United States use the Eastern Europe consider
other three fingers “OK” sign to convey that same sign an
splayed upward; it is that something is offensive swear.
used frequently and acceptable.
enthusiastically.
 Eye Contact - In north America, it - In some northern
may imply frankness, European countries, it
assertiveness, or may mean abrasiveness
honesty and being impolite
Palm facing out with the - It means "Victory" or - In England, palm facing
index and middle fingers "peace." inward toward the face is
displayed in the shape of an obscene gesture.
a "V."

Whistling - It could imply that a - Throughout Europe,

pretty woman pass by, whistling at public events
cheering at sporting is a signal of
events, applauding disapproval, even
performances. derision.

Other differences between American and European Non-verbal communication:

Europeans

FINGERTIPS KISS:

A number of Europeans, especially in Italy, France and Spain, use the fingertips kiss.
This is when they bring their thumb and fingertips together, kiss them lightly and with
enthusiasm, then toss their hand in the air. It's a positive gesture that means something is
delicious or wonderful, and is most often used to describe the taste of food.

EYELID PULL:
 The eyelid pull is when someone place his or her finger in the center of the eyelid and
pull the skin downward. This common in France, Italy, Spain and Greece. However, in France
and Greece the signal is more of a warning, in order to highlight they are watching someone, or
keeping him/her or them. Whereas in Spain and Italy it is considered a friendlier warning that
someone is clever or aware.

NOSE TAP:

Tapping the nose in most countries in Europe means that something is 'top secret' and
should not be spoken of, although in Italy it actually means 'watch out!’ It also originally meant
that someone is clever or is considered a threat in France and Belgium and it can also mean
that someone and the other person performing the gesture know something that no one else
knows.

HEAD NOD:
 In most European countries a head nod signals a nod in agreement with something.
However, in some parts of Eastern Europe, such as Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey, it actually
means the opposite - no.

Differences between those from Manila and those from the provinces’
Non-verbal way of Communication

NON-VERBAL GESTURES MANILA NON-VERBAL OTHER PROVINCES’

COMMUNICATION NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Hand/Body Gestures - For the people in - For the people in the
metro manila (manila) Quezon Province, the
the use of Hand and use of bodily gestures
Body Gestures are are applied to further
being acted only if it’s enhance the way of
necessary. They communicating
believed that even
 verbal communication
is enough
Tone/Pitch - When people are - In the region from
calm, the volume of Cavite and Batangas
their voice, tone, and (Nasugbu), there is
pitch are on relaxed the loud way of
state (Calm) emphasizing points by
increasing tone,
increasing the
loudness of voice,
and tone. It has been
said that this is the
usual way of talking
by the people there in
relaxed and calm
manner.

“BEING OPEN TO THE DIVERSITY OF THE THINGS AROUND, IS AS/ SAME

AS WELCOMING THE DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES OF THE RICH CULTURE
WE HAVE ON OUR PLANET”
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