Communication plays crucial role in life of each person. In order to communicate better, it is essential to acquire habits of nonverbal communication. A lot of people underestimate value on nonverbal communication. However, it is wrong and it should be understood that nonverbal communication holds the same position as verbal communication. Moreover, skills of nonverbal communication are acquired by people earlier than skills of verbal communication. From the early years children learn how to express their needs with gestures. Apart from this, nonverbal communication makes our speech lively and allows to express our feelings more clearly.
It is rather interesting that at the same time nonverbal communication can both help us to communicate and prevent from understanding. The explanation of the second statement lies in the fact that nonverbal communication is different all around the world. From the early childhood we get used to certain gestures, touches, eye contact etc. Quite often in our adult life we gesticulate instinctively, because we have a subconscious awareness of the meaning of these gestures and each our movement is meant to help to communicate.
At the time when cross-cultural communication happens more and more often, it is necessary to remember that the meaning of our body language may vary from one country to another. Cultural background has a great influence on body language, eye-contact, etc.
Unfortunately, people frequently forget that body language is not universal. Sometimes it can be rather difficult to understand that depending on a certain country the same gesture can be interpreted in absolutely different ways. However, everything matters, even the degree of eye contact.
In terms of this paper we will try to illustrate the most common mistakes and misunderstandings. In general all countries in the world can be divided into two main types. They are low and high contact cultures. High contact cultures allow closer bodily proximity, touching and express their feelings in a more exaggerated form if compared with low contact countries. Although, there may be a colossal difference between the countries, it should not be considered that some nations underestimate the power of nonverbal communication.
If we analyze communication in various countries, it would not be difficult to see the differences. Middle East countries are considered to be the most emotional and their nonverbal communication is extremely lively. Asian countries can be characterized as low contact countries. European countries are usually considered to be in the golden mean. The same can be said about the USA. As far as all countries are different, it is important to be aware of cultural differences, because sometimes even the most harmless gesture can be understood incorrectly and lead to serious problems and misunderstandings (Carnes, 2010).
As far as gestures refer to the most common form of verbal communication, it would not be an exaggeration to say that misuse of gestures is one of the most widespread mistakes in cross-cultural communication. However, there are also a lot of difficulties with eye-contact, physical touches, etc.
The core of the problem lies in the fact that we often use nonverbal communication subconsciously. Habits of nonverbal communication are acquired long before we start speaking. Moreover, in the course of our lives we get used to the way we communicate nonverbally and it happens almost instinctively. Sometimes we might not even think about the way we gesticulate, etc. Often we start thinking of nonverbal language only when we face some problems in cross-cultural communication.
Physical touch, one of the most widespread elements of nonverbal communication, can be rather twofold as well. At the time when it is a usual thing for the majority of European countries, it can be understood as a display of disrespect in Asian countries. Interestingly enough, touching is forbidden between different genders in Islamic countries.
The same problem is with eye-contact. While the majority of European countries consider eye-contact an essential part of communication, in some Middle East countries looking into someone's eyes will mean rough manners. Especially careful with eye contact should be women. In some countries looking at the man's eyes will mean some kind of a sexual interest.
At the time when a lot of nonverbal ways of communication may be rather confusing, facial expression is considered to be the most universal. However, sometimes it is suggested that facial cues are also unreliable, because people can skillfully hide their feelings.
As it can be seen, non-verbal communication possesses a great power. Frequently, it speaks even more loudly than our words, because we use nonverbal communication in order to intensify our ideas, underline some statements, display a certain feeling, etc.
If we speak about nonverbal communication within cross-cultural communication, there can be such situations when our body language contradicts with our sayings. In order to avoid this, it would be reasonable to learn more about other cultures and their traditions in nonverbal communication. The necessity to know more about nonverbal communication in different countries becomes more and more important each day. Due to the globalization, people all over the world communicate more closer. In order to lead effective communication, each person should now nuances of cross-cultural communication.
References
Carnes, D. (2010). Nonverbal Communication in Cultures. Retrieved 26 October 2012 from
http://www.livestrong.com/article/123900-nonverbal-communication
cultures/?utm_source=undefined_R1&LS-2659
Leba, N. (2010). Understanding Cultural Differences in Non-Verbal Communication.
Retrieved 26 October 2012 from http://voices.yahoo.com/understanding-cultural
differences-non-verbal-communications-6368736.html
