Return to Home Page Nonverbal Communications Americans Adapting to a Chinese Culture Executive Summary: Since nonverbal communication is a large part of the communication process, this research is design to help Americans communicate more efficiently and hopefully avoid misunderstandings due to this form of communication. What is understood in one culture might have the same, different or no meaning in the other. The objectives of this paper are to give insight to what might be non verbally communicated and to become more culturally aware of unconscious nonverbal communication among the Chinese population. The recommendations presented will be to become more culturally aware of the Chinese by observing their nonverbal communication behaviors, such as their kinesics, appearance, proxemics, silence and paralinguistics. In addition, the use of nonverbal communication for persons wishing to advance their communication skills should be exercised with caution. Introduction: The American characteristic is Uncourteousness. We are the Impolite Nation...It is only in uncourteousness, incivility, impoliteness, that we stand alone- until hell shall be heard from. - Mark Twain's Notebook Nonverbal Communication (NVC) is the component in communication that is non language or not verbally spoken. It would not be surprising to learn that our bodies say a lot about us to those whom we communicate with. In fact, nonverbal communication is used by all, it is a natural part of our lives, since up to 70% or 80% of our communication is non verbal. Furthermore, it is often culturally derived ( meaning can vary from culture to culture), as it is almost impossible not to use NVC, thus it is a significant part of the total communication process. Several types of non verbal communication includes kinesics, appearance, proxemics, silence, and paralinguistics. Since the meaning of nonverbal communication can vary from culture to culture, cross references are made whenever possible. To understand more of what nonverbal communications mean, we must first have a better understanding of what they are. Kinesics: This type of nonverbal communication concerns the use of body movements, such as body movements of head, eyes, shoulders, lips, eyebrows, neck, legs, arms, fingers, orientation, hands, and gestures. Appearance: Appearance means our physical appearance, this includes clothing and adornments. What one wears also sends messages about our culture. It is the projection of how we feel and how we want to be viewed by others. Proxemics: This is the space which surrounds us. Everyone has an invisible bubble of space around them. This space is something that is considered their own and can become annoying if someone invades this space, unless they want them to. The bubble of comfort can expand and contract and varies in “normal size” from culture to culture. Silence: This might seem the opposite of communication, but there can be a very strong message sent about silence or during silence. Paralinguistics: This is a type of communication that is heard, but there are no words. These are sounds that do not include words in their content, but can carry various meanings. Since nonverbal communication is culturally derived, it is important to understand both cultures. Since this form of communication carries meaning that can only be interpreted by that culture, it is important to understand what encompasses that culture. American Cultural Background The United States is composed of 260,713,585 inhabitants. The major religions that are found in the United States is composed of Protestant (56%) and Roman Catholics (28%). These are the majority and there are numerous others. For Some unknown reason people keep mentioning “u.s. culture”. My question is: What culture? NEWS FLASH PEOPLE....they don’t have one! Or if you want to push it to the extremes...the only culture the u.s. has would be from the corporations such as McDonalds, Coca Cola, Michael Jordan, Nike, etc. I found this response on the Internet from an anonymous writer who had posted information about the American culture. This writer’s point of view is established by the belief that there is not one type of American culture. Most, if not all, Americans (except native Americans) came from somewhere else. Americans are more united by a set of dreams and ideals than heritage. Since America is a diverse culture, customs may vary from area to area of the United States. Even though, there are many languages spoken in the US, English is the official language; however, there is a significant minority of Spanish speaking people. The common values that are shared by this diverse group of people can be summarized as follows: 1. Fairness Americans cherish the belief that all citizens should play by the same rules, suffer the same punishment for violations and have an equal chance at all reward. “Fairness encompasses the belief that with hard word and talent, any citizen can rise to any position in this country.” 2. Work Although the work ethic has, in some circles, been of great controversy, the idea that honest work of any kind is honorable remains deeply rooted. “The work ethic declares that one is not owed a living: one earns a living.” Although public assistance may be necessary for a limited time, one must continue earning his or her living as soon as possible. 3. Compassion for the underdog The United States began as a nation of underdogs, and has a long tradition of rooting for the “little guy”. This value ties into the concepts of equal opportunity and the work ethic. “Underdogs must have the opportunity as well as the industriousness to improve their lot.” American compassion allows for the lifetime support of those relatively few citizens with profound disabilities, but does not extended to those citizens who are chronic loafers and complainers. 4. Education Americans have always valued education, as a means to a better life. Yet, some value common sense and practical expertise over book-learning. “Americans have been content to let intellectuals and artists do their work, with the result that US citizens have made enormous scientific, scholarly and artistic contributions to the world.” 5. Honesty “The importance of honesty is forcefully demonstrated in phrases such as “I cannot tell a lie”, “honest Abe”, “honesty makes the best policy”, “ Crime doesn’t pay” and Cheaters never prosper” stress the American attitude toward honesty.” Even today calling others in our society a liar is a fighting word. 6. Justice Hand in hand with the valuing of honesty goes the belief that it should be rewarded and dishonesty exposed and punished. “One of the most demoralizing aspects of life in the contemporary United States is the perception that crime pays well, that cheaters frequently prosper more than, and at the expense of, honest citizens, and that justice rarely prevails.” “The morals and morale of citizens will continue to sink, and crime will continue to rise until our legal system proves that honesty is more than its own reward, and that dishonest people will pay dearly.” 7. Winning Americans love a winner. Money is valued not only for what it buys, but also as a means of keeping score; the person with the most assets wins. Americans recognize this value as making more sense to reward personal excellence, win or lose, and to make it harder for the dishonest to win. 8. Individuality and personal responsibility “Americans have always mythologized rogues, pioneers, rugged individualists.” In daily life, Americans share the common human discomfort with dishonesty, and try to enforce mutual standards or norms of society as a whole. Still, the push toward conformity is weak compared to that in may other countries, where some discourage individuality. Any culture that values individuality must also value self-reliance and personal responsibility. 9. Family Americans have always valued the family. The less able the family structure, the less likely the child will grow into an honest, productive citizen. The family also provides support and community, both of which become more important as the world involves more complexities; consequently, pulling the family apart. 10. Patriotism “With the debacle of Vietnam in the 1960’s, patriotism became uncool, a putative sigh of empty chauvinism, fascist tendencies, selfishness and / or stupidity; Yet, for a country to prosper its people must love it, and think themselves lucky to be citizens.” Historically, Americans have believed the United States to be the greatest country on Earth. There are numerous holidays that Americans observe throughout the year, but the main ones are New Year’s day and the Fourth of July. A well recognized day for all fellow Americans is April 15th. Chinese Cultural Background China is a big place, a big culture and contains numerous people. China is made up of 1.2 billion people. There can be found subcultures with it’s scope. It can be broken down into three categories: People’s Republic of China (PRC or the Mainland), Taiwan and Hong Kong. These political entities are linked by the fact that they are all controlled to a large extent by the people of Chinese descent. Lately, there has been an incredible amount of cross-border trade, investment and exchange. For instance, even though Taiwan and PRC have recently appeared almost at war, Taiwan-Chinese commercial interests continue to pour billions of dollars of investment into the Mainland. The languages spoken are Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and English. Including various Chinese dialects. One traveling in China would have very few problems in the business circle and tourist areas, although knowing a few words in Cantonese would be helpful. Chinese attitudes are various but have a central theme. A person’s ancestral background is important to social status and future opportunities. Proper social and family relationships forms the foundation of society and a person’s actions reflect upon the entire family. The Chinese avoid embarrassment and avoid shame. They value modesty and patience; in addition, respect towards elders is highly regarded. They believe that successes, failures, opportunities, and misfortunes result from fate or the will of God. They are energetic, hardworking people and these are desired traits among all Chinese The religions that are often encountered are Confusion, Buddhism and Taoism. The dress attire is of all styles. Traditional to modern clothing is the norm and modesty is most important. In the business circles a western style suit is worn. When greeting one would expect the following: - specific greetings and other customs depend on nationality and age group - handshakes are the most common greeting - women and elderly people seldom shake hands, but may offer a verbal greeting - a slight bow or nod of the head is common when greeting an older person - when close male friends greet they use both hands to grasp the hand of the other - Business cards are often exchanged after an introduction - dropping by without a prior arrangement is common - guests are often invited over for a meal or to socialize - drinking is not emphasized as toasting is - persons may be on time or not depending on the subculture - shoes are removed before entering the home except in Hong Kong - tea and coffee are normally served - drinks are received with both hands When interacting with Chinese people there may be some gestures that are inappropriate or considered impolite. They are: - It is impolite to beacon adults, with the exception of close friends - beckoning is done by waving all fingers with the palm facing downward - individual fingers are not used for gesturing - gifts are given and received with both hands - objects are not moved with the feet - the bottom of a person’s foot should not be pointed at another - objects are not passed with the left hand - when yawning or using a toothpick the mouth is covered - a slight bow when leaving, entering, or passing by a group of people is a nonverbal “excuse me” - touching another persons head is impolite - persons crossing legs do not place the ankle of one leg on the knee of the other; rather, one knee rests over the other - it is impolite for the bottom of the foot to point at a person - finger gestures such as pointing or forming the round “OK” sign, are considered rude As customary to be invited to dine with them there are eating edict: - customs differ among ethnic groups - eating habits vary according to the style food being eaten and the people eating it - Chinese eat with chopsticks and spoons - some cultural groups do not eat certain foods: Muslims do not eat pork or drink alcoholic beverages, and some Buddhists do not eat beef - tipping is not expected and in some cases discouraged, but some waiters expect tips from Westerners based on past experience The type of diet one might expect to be served would be: - rice is a staple - seafood provides the primary source of protein, and is a favorite - spicy food are also popular - large variety of fruits and vegetables - it is also possible to have pork, chicken when acceptable There are also numerous festivals that may be encountered that are observed by most of the Chinese: - Chinese new year; often in February - Ching Ming festival; April - The dragon boat festival; June - The Mid-Autumn festival - Liberation day; August Comparison and Contrast of: Kinesics Americans use a lot of hand gestures, especially when talking in contrast to the Chinese people who do not; in addition, some hand gestures have no meaning and others maybe vulgar. Fingers used when pointing at objects is common among Americans, whereas in the Chinese culture it is considered impolite and rude. When expressing anger the Chinese culture widen their eyes, whereas Americans interpret this as an expression of surprise. Although, the handshake has almost become a universal gesture, one must not take it for granted that all Chinese people will shake hands. Appearance The clothing that is worn by Chinese people may vary from traditional to contemporary western styles depending on the person and occasion; although, modesty is emphasized. As in comparison to Americans, who wear clothing as a personal and fashion statement. Proxemics Personal space is very limited in China, especially while conversing. You may have the idea to then move backward, which probably will make your Chinese host follow you forward, thus resulting in a bit of a dance. The Chinese generally are not a touching society, especially with visitors. Thus, avoid any prolonged bodily contact. Silence Silence is something that Americans cannot tolerate. Yet, like many other cultures the Chinese culture tend to have, what may seem to Americans as an eternity of silence, long pauses. These pauses are a natural part of the Chinese culture in contrast to Americans who have to talk constantly. Paralinguistics The Chinese like all cultures produce sounds to communicate. It is common in China to show one’s surprise or dismay by sucking air in quickly and loudly through the lips and teeth. The Chinese love to applaud, thus don’t be surprise if you are greeted by around of applause, even by children. If you are applauded, be respectful and return the applause. Conclusion: Nonverbal communication is considered a universal part of our daily language. Through nonverbal communication, one can express thoughts and emotions. However, if the two parties are communicating in different non verbal languages, one would need a translator to understand the difference in languages. Just as one would not try to figure out a foreign language by guessing what the sounds mean one should not guess what the other person is expressing nonverbally without understanding the culture and the meaning behind it. Things to do and things to be cautious of When greeting a Chinese, do not attempt to shake his hand unless he does first. Do not make any hand gestures when communicating. When they talk to you close do not back off, but avoid contact. Expect prolong pauses and lengthy silence. When offered a gift, decline accepting it several times before finally accepting it, and accept it with both hands for this is proper etiquette and vice versa. Bibliography: 1. Do’s and Taboos of Hosting International Visitors Artell, Roger John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1990 2. Gestures - The Do’s and Taboo’s of Body Languages Around the World Artell, Roger John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1991 3. Gestures - Their origins and distribution Desmond Morris Steinond Day 1979 4. Mannerism of Speech and Gestures in everyday Life Sandor S. Feldman, MD International University Press, Inc. 1973 5. Man beyond words Fernando Poyatos NYSEC Monographs 1976 6. Bodily Communication Michael Argyle International University Press, Inc. 1975 Web Sites: 7. Re-membering Law: Legal Gestures in the Past, Present and Future Bernard J. Hibbits University of Pittsburgh School of Law www.law.pitt.edu/hibbits/re_mem.htm 8. Nonverbal Communications (Bimodal Communications) Lynn Messing www.asel.udel.edu/~messing/dissch4.html 9.Analysis of Cultural Communication and Proxemics Traci Olson www.unl.edu/casetudy/456/traci.htm 10. Asia and Pacific Gestures www.worldculture.com/gesasia.htm 11. Body Languauge and Gestures in Asia and The Pacific www.worldculture.com/gesturea.htm#JAPAN 12. Body Language and Gestures in Europe www.worldculture.com/gestures.htm 13. Careers onLine-Nonvebal Communications www.careersoline.com.au/easyway/int/nucomm.htm 14. Communications Lab Publications www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/psycology/commlab/publications.html 15. Harnessing the power of body Language Part1 7/15/95 www.salesdoctors.com/diagnosis/3body.htm 16. Nonverbal Communication virtualtimes.com/writers/ueda/thennon.htm 17. Nonverbal Communications Research Page wjh-www.harvard.edu/~hechtma/nonverbal.html 18. Gestures www.lionsgate.com/webtown/writing/worldbuild/wb24.txt 19. Percision Sequential Timing of Nonverbal Behaviors in Human Dialouge www.research.microsoft.com.research.ui.lcc/abs/cappella.txt 20. Human Communication Lab at Columbia University www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/commlab/index.html 21. Module2 nonverbal Communication www.mindspring.com/~lei/self/modtwo.htm 22. Nonverbal Behaviour / Nonverbal Communication Links zen.sunderland.acuk/%7Ehb5jma/pam.htm 23. Nonverbal Behaviour / Nonverbal Communication Links II zen.sunderland.ac.uk/~hb5jma/1stbeisn.htm 24. Nonverbal Communication www1.fste.ac.cowau.edu.au.AAECP/oral_pre.4/nvc/nvc.htm 25. Self Help / Body Language www.cam.org/~jgiraud/pbody.htm 26. Sociolinguistics stargate.ocf.nau.edu/~bmb/language/sociolinguistics.html 27 Gestures www. trasimage.com/Ges/GesMisc.html