Transcript Chapter 4: Oral and Nonverbal Communication Patterns

Nonverbal
Communication Patterns
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
1
Areas of Nonverbal Communication
Chronemics (time)
 Proxemics (space)
 Oculesics (gaze/eye contact)
 Olfactics (smell)
 Haptics (touch)
 Kinesics (body language)
 Chromatics (color)
 Silence
 Vocalics (voice)

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
2
Time (Chronemics)
Attitudes toward time vary from culture
to culture.
 Countries that follow monochronic time
perform only one major activity at a time
(U.S., England, Switzerland, Germany).
 Countries that follow polychronic time
work on several activities simultaneously
(Latin America, the Mediterranean, the
Arabs).

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Monochronic/Polychronic Cultures
Monochronic People
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do one thing at a time
concentrate on the job
take time commitments
seriously
are committed to the job
show respect for private
property; rarely borrow or
lend
are accustomed to short-term
relationships
Polychronic People
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do many things at once
are highly distractible
consider time commitments
casually
are committed to people
borrow and lend things
often
tend to build lifetime
relationships
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Cultural Differences in
Attitudes Toward Time
U.S. persons are very time conscious and value
punctuality. Being late for meetings is viewed as
rude and insensitive behavior; tardiness also
conveys that the person is not well organized.
 Germans and Swiss people are even more time
conscious; people of Singapore and Hong Kong
also value punctuality.
 In Algeria, on the other hand, punctuality is not
widely regarded. Latin American countries have a
manana attitude; people in Arab cultures have a
casual attitude toward time.

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Space (Proxemics)
People in the U.S. tend to need
more space than do persons of other
cultures. U.S. persons back away
when people stand too close.
Standing too close is interpreted as
being pushy or overbearing;
standing too close may also be
interpreted as unwelcomed sexual
advances.
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Space Zones in the U.S.
The intimate zone (less than 18
inches) is reserved for very close
friends.
 The personal zone (18 inches to 4
feet) is for giving instructions to
others or working closely with
another person.
 The social zone (4 to 12 feet) is used
in business situations in which
people interact in a more formal,
impersonal way.

Hall & Hall, Understanding Cultural
Differences
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U.S. people need more space than
do Greeks, Latin Americans, or
Arabs.
The Japanese stand even farther away
than do U.S. persons.
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Elevator Proxemics
A psychology professor at a southern university
gave his students an assignment to test elevator
proxemics. Students reported the usual U.S.
behaviors of facing the front and watching the
illuminated floor indicator, assuming the Fig Leaf
Position (hands/purses/ briefcases hanging down in
front of the body), and positioning themselves in
the corners or against the elevator walls. Then the
professor added another assignment: students
were to break the rules and get on the elevator,
stand at the front facing the other occupants and
jump backward off the elevator just before the door
closed. One of the elevator occupants was heard to
whisper, “Call 911; we’ve got a real weirdo here.”
Axtell, Gestures
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The Office Environment and
Nonverbal Messages
U.S. persons prefer desks and chairs in a
face-to-face arrangement or at right angles,
while the Chinese prefer the side-by-side
arrangement.
 In the U.S. outside offices with windows
have more status than inside offices; large
offices have more status than small ones;
the top floor has more status than the first
floor.
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Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
10
 French
top-level executives occupy
the middle of an office area with
subordinates around them.
 The Japanese do not consider private
offices appropriate; only the highest
ranking officers have private offices
and may have desks in large work
areas as well.
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
11
Gaze/Eye Contact (Oculesics)
Although people in the U.S. favor direct eye
contact, in other cultures, such as the Japanese,
the reverse is true; they direct their gaze below
the chin. In the Middle East, on the other hand,
the eye contact is more intense than U.S. people
are comfortable with.
A prolonged gaze or stare in the U.S. is
considered rude. In most cultures, men do not
stare at women as this may be interpreted as
sexually suggestive.
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
12
Smell (Olfactics)
Although people of the U.S. respond
negatively to body odors, Arabs are
comfortable with natural body odors.
 Other cultures in which smell plays an
important role include the Japanese and
Samoans.

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Touch (Haptics)
Touch, when used properly, may create
feelings of warmth and trust; when
used improperly, touch may cause
annoyance and betray trust.
 Hierarchy is a consideration when using
touch in the U.S.: people who are older
or higher rank may touch those who are
younger or of lower rank; equals may
touch each other.
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Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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“Touch” of Different Cultures
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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“Don't Touch” Cultures
 Japan
 U.S.
and Canada
 England
 Scandinavia
 Other N. European
countries
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Middle Ground Countries
 Australia
 France
 China
 Ireland
 India
 Middle
East
countries
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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“Touch” Cultures
 Latin
American
countries
 Italy
 Greece
 Spain and Portugal
 Some Asian countries
 Russian Federation
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Location of the Touch Is Important
Appropriate touch in the U.S. is limited
to shaking hands in business situations
- no hugs or expressions of affection.
 In Thailand do not touch the head.
 Do not touch Asians on the shoulders or
even the back of the worker's chair.
 Avoid touching a person with the left
hand in the Middle East.

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Several years ago, when President
Carter was mediating peace talks
between Egypt and Israel, Anwar Sadat
frequently placed his hand on President
Carter’s knee. While this subtextual
message was intended as a gesture of
warm friendship, the subtler message
Sadat was conveying to the world was
that he was President Carter’s equal.
Fast, Body Language in the Workplace
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Body Language (Kinesics)
Body language includes facial expressions,
gestures, and posture and stance.
 To interpret facial expressions correctly, it is
important to take the communication
context and culture into account.
 People in some cultures rarely show
emotion (China); Asians will smile or laugh
softly when they are embarrassed.

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Facial Expressions
 The
face and eyes convey the most
expressive types of body language,
including happiness, surprise, fear,
anger, interest, and determination.
 Facial expressions must be controlled
when inappropriate to the setting
(yawning during a presentation).
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Gestures
Emblems or symbols ("V" for victory)
 Illustrators (police officer's hand held up
to stop traffic)
 Regulators (glancing at watch when in a
hurry)
 Affect displays (a person's face turns red
with embarrassment)
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Axtell, Gestures
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General Guidelines
U.S. Gestures
Interest is expressed by maintaining
eye contact with the speaker, smiling,
and nodding the head.
 Open-mindedness is expressed by open
hands and palms turned upward.
 Nervousness is sometimes shown by
fidgeting, failing to give the speaker eye
contact, or jingling keys or money in
your pocket.

Axtell, Gestures
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Suspiciousness is indicated by glancing
away or touching your nose, eyes, or ears.
 Defensiveness is indicated by crossing your
arms over your chest, making fisted
gestures, or crossing your legs.
 Lack of interest or boredom is indicated by
glancing repeatedly at your watch or
staring at the ceiling or floor or out the
window when the person is speaking.

Axtell, Gestures
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Additional Guidelines for
Gesturing in Various Cultures

The “V” for victory gesture, holding two
fingers upright, with palm and fingers
faced outward, is widely used in the U.S.
and many other countries. In England,
however, it is a crude connotation when
used with the palm in.
Axtell, Gestures
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The vertical horns gesture
(raised fist, index finger and
little finger extended)
Has a positive connotation associated with
the University of Texas Longhorn football
team.
 This gesture has an insulting connotation in
Italy
 In Brazil and Venezuela it is a sign for good
luck
 In other cultures, such as Italy and Malta,
the horns are a symbol to ward off evil
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Axtell, Gestures
spirits

 The
thumbs-up gesture has been
widely recognized as a positive signal
meaning “everything is O.K.” or “good
going.” Although well known in North
America and most of Europe, in
Australia and West Africa it is seen as
a rude gesture.
 The head nod in most countries
means “yes,” but in Bulgaria it means
“no.”
Axtell, Gestures
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The “O.K.” sign, with the thumb and
forefinger joined to form a circle, is a positive
gesture in the U.S., while in Brazil it is
considered obscene. The gesture has still
another meaning in Japan: money.
 The beckoning gesture (fingers upturned,
palm facing the body) used by people in the
U.S. for summoning a waiter, for example, is
offensive to Filipinos, as it is used to beckon
animals and prostitutes. Vietnamese and
Mexicans also find it offensive.

Axtell, Gestures
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An American engineer, sent to Germany by his U.S.
company who had purchased a German firm, was
working side by side with a German engineer on a
piece of equipment. When the American engineer
made a suggestion for improving the new machine,
the German engineer followed the suggestion and
asked his American counterpart whether or not he had
done it correctly. The American replied by giving the
U.S. American “OK” gesture, making a circle with the
thumb and forefinger. The German engineer put
down his tools and walked away, refusing further
communication with the American engineer. The U.S.
American later learned from one of the supervisors the
significance of this gesture to a German: “You
asshole.”
Axtell, Gestures
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Posture and Stance
Posture can convey self-confidence,
status, and interest.
 Confident people have a relaxed
posture, yet stand erect and walk with
assurance.
 Walking with stooped shoulders and a
slow, hesitating gait projects negative
messages of lack of confidence.

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Interest is demonstrated by leaning forward
toward the person with whom you are
conversing.
 The posture of U.S. persons is casual,
including sitting in a relaxed manner and
slouching when standing (considered rude in
Germany).
 Posture when seated varies with the culture;
U.S. persons often cross their legs while
seated (women at the ankle and men with
the ankle on the knee).

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
32
Most Middle Easterners would consider
crossing the leg with the ankle on the
knee inappropriate.
 Avoid showing the sole of your shoe or
pointing your foot at someone in the
Arab world.
 Follow the lead of the person of the
other culture; assume the posture they
assume.

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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Color (Chromatics)

Colors have cultural variations in connotations.
– Black is the color of mourning in the U.S., but
white is worn to funerals by the Japanese.
– In the U.S. white is typically worn by brides, while
in India red or yellow is worn.
– Purple is sometimes associated with royalty, but it
is the color of death in Mexico and Brazil.
– Red (especially red roses) is associated with
romance in some cultures including the U.S.
Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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United Airlines unknowingly got off on
the wrong foot during its initial flights
from Hong Kong. To commemorate
the occasion, they handed out white
carnations to the passengers. When
they learned that to many Asians
white flowers represent bad luck and
even death, they changed to red
carnations.
Ricks, Blunders in International
Business
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Silence
Although U.S. persons are uncomfortable with
silence, people from the Middle East are quite
comfortable with silence.
 The Japanese also like periods of silence and
do not like to be hurried. Such Japanese
proverbs as, “Those who know do not speak those who speak do not know,” emphasize the
value of silence over words in that culture.
 In Italy, Greece, and Arabian countries, on the
other hand, there is very little silence.

Intercultural Business Communication,
4th ed., Chaney & Martin
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