An Analysis of Cross-Cultural Non-Verbal Codes
Facial Expressions
Recent findings concluded that the emotions happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, anger, and surprise are universally expressed with relatively the same facial expressions. However, we must note that these common facial expressions are triggered by peoples’ differing ideas of what makes them feel happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, anger, and surprise. For instance, two people from different cultures may wince and gag from disgust in the same way, but what disgusts them might be entirely different. Also, two people from different cultures might smile and laugh at a joke, but someone from a Western culture might not find a joke funny that someone from the East finds funny. Cultures also present different ethics of when it is appropriate or not to use such facial expressions. It is said that U.S. citizens smile the most often compared to nearly every other country in the world. American people, especially women, are expected to smile in public no matter what they’re doing, when in other countries it is strange for anyone to be smiling without a reason. I am often told by complete strangers to smile, even when I feel fine but I’m just doing something not particularly worth smiling about. Learning that other countries find America’s constant need to smile strange makes me want to live elsewhere so that I can avoid having to measure up to the high social obligation of smiling all the time.
Proxemics
The establishment of personal space is one of the strongest nonverbal codes that can really affect intercultural interactions. This is known as proxemics, which is the study of how people use various types of space that varies from culture to culture. When personal space is invaded, the interaction can become very tense and uncomfortable. When this happens, the violator is more likely to question his or her verbals rather than his or her nonverbals. The idea of proper proximity is different in many cultures, so any violations of personal space is likely to be unintentional, because it’s just that the violator happens to be from a contact culture, which is a culture where people tend to stand closer together while talking, as well as engaging in more eye contact, touching more frequently, and speaking louder. Those who have a large personal space and do not like being intruded upon are, then, members of a noncontact culture, where people stand further apart, maintain less eye contact, and touch less often. I would label myself as a member of a noncontact culture (like most Americans would). I definitely feel tension when someone is standing too close to me and talking loudly, however I don’t mind touching so much or eye contact (sometimes I’m just not good at eye contact). Keep in mind it isn’t only the region one is from that determines their proximity practices; gender, age, and ethnicity also impact the differing usages of personal space.
Eye Contact
The last nonverbal code I will discuss is eye contact, which holds very differing interpretations around the world. Eye contact is also a part of proxemics because it regulates interpersonal space during an interaction; less eye contact is a longer distance, more eye contact is a shorter distance. It is common for U.S. Americans to not use much eye contact during interactions since America is a noncontact culture, but using eye contact is a sign of respect. However, eye contact in most Asian countries is a big signifier of power. Power is typically determined by status, gender, age, and socioeconomic class. Giving eye contact to a certain Asian person in power is disrespectful, while giving eye contact to an American person in power is respectful. As a child, I found it to be pretty difficult to give proper eye contact to adults, but now that I am older I am much more capable. But I know that if I grew up in an Eastern part of the world, I would not be allowed to give eye contact to men, especially older, wealthier, or powerful men.
In this journal, I went over three of the eight nonverbal codes that I found to be the most intriguing; facial expressions, proxemics, and eye contact. I think it is very interesting how we all use the same facial expressions to nonverbally communicate the same emotions, but the usage of eye contact as well as the formation of personal space holds completely opposite ideas and can communicate entirely different messages all depending on culture. These contradicting customs of nonverbal codes can greatly affect intercultural interactions, so it is important to know and understand these clashing views and note that any disrespect is likely unintentional.