Chapter Overview:
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Often called, “body language,” nonverbal communication is much more and is essential to consider in intercultural settings. It involves everything that is not in a grammatical structure (so non-words). “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” (Communication, 2016, p.165).
Nonverbal Communication Defined:
Samovar, Porter, McDaniel, & Roy (2017) further define nonverbal communication:
…[N]onverbal communication involves all those nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source and/or receiver. It is not by chance that our definition is somewhat lengthy. We wanted to offer a definition that would not only establish the boundaries of nonverbal communication but also reflect how the process actually functions. Part of that functioning involves (1) intentional and unintentional messages and (2) the reciprocal relationship between verbal and nonverbal messages (p.297).
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Students in an intercultural communication class frequently hope to gain a checklist of what to do or not do when in a new country. As there are more countries to write about than there is time in a semester, that goal often must be narrowed. The intercultural communication interview assignment helps students to narrow focus upon cultures they are most interested by making such a “checklist.” Think about how one mindfully adorns oneself– jewelry, book bags, even cars. These messages are often intentional, but the effect, such as wearing a jacket to an event that has a logo or image on it that might be offensive to others, could be unintentional but perceived as intentional. Even one’s body might “unknowingly” or “unintentionally” communicate (e.g., generalizations are made about individuals who are obese or very thin). The encoding and decoding of nonverbal communication are complex processes and show the power of nonverbal communication to impact the perception process.
The free, Open Education Resource, Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies (2016) explains how nonverbal communication and personal identities are related:
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Nonverbal communication expresses who we are. Our identities (the groups to which we belong, our cultures, our hobbies and interests, etc.) are conveyed nonverbally through the way we set up our living and working spaces, the clothes we wear, the way we carry ourselves, and the accents and tones of our voices. Our physical bodies give others impressions about who we are, and some of these features are more under our control than others. Height, for example, has been shown to influence how people are treated and perceived in various contexts. Our level of attractiveness also influences our identities and how people perceive us.
Although we can temporarily alter our height or looks—for example, with different shoes or different color contact lenses—we can only permanently alter these features using more invasive and costly measures such as cosmetic surgery. We have more control over some other aspects of nonverbal communication in terms of how we communicate our identities. For example, the way we carry and present ourselves through posture, eye contact, and tone of voice can be altered to present ourselves as warm or distant depending on the context (pp.174-175).
Today, though, one might physically alter one’s body to better match their identity. For example, transgender individuals have more legal and medical options, although not all medical insurance policies, clinic locations, or states honor the rights to do so. In fact, some college students who identify as transgender have reported problems filling out forms for college dormitories, financial aid, and even when seeking medical assistance (Seelman, 2016).
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Aside from our physical body, artifacts, which are the objects and possessions that surround us, also communicate our identities. Examples of artifacts include our clothes, jewelry, and space decorations. In all the previous examples, implicit norms or explicit rules can affect how we nonverbally present ourselves. For example, in a particular workplace it may be a norm (implicit) for people in management positions to dress casually, or it may be a rule (explicit) that different levels of employees wear different uniforms or follow particular dress codes. We can also use nonverbal communication to express identity characteristics that do not match up with who we actually think we are. Through changes to nonverbal signals, a capable person can try to appear helpless, a guilty person can try to appear innocent, or an uninformed person can try to appear credible (Communication, 2016, pp.174-175).
Tips for Nonverbal Communication:
Nonverbal and verbal communication are intertwined. Realizing one’s movements, posture, eye contact, and even weight, height and eye color can impact an intercultural communication interaction is the first step toward gaining competency in this area. The steps toward integrating new interculturally sensitive behaviors into one’s toolbox of communication skills can often follow the persuasive model: awareness, understanding, agreement, action, then integration (Osborn, et. al). To be aware is a strong step forward. Researching and interacting with individuals from new co-cultures and cultures prior to the intercultural communication interview will give one a set of questions to ask the interviewee about.
Psychology Today contributor, Dr. Marianna Pogosyan (2017), an intercultural consultant, offers three easy tips to consider when communicating with someone from another culture and/or nation:
Not all cultures embrace the “selfie.” Ask before taking a photo. creative commons photo from burst.shopify.com
1. Try to be pleasant. Most people like pleasant people and a simple smile goes a long way.
2. Be interested. Show interest in other people, languages and cultural artifacts. Ask questions. Then intercultural interaction doesn’t become a hassle – it becomes an adventure.
3. Try to learn something important about the language and culture of your interlocutor. For example, learn and try some simple phrases. “Good morning,” “please,” and “thank you” go a long way to greasing many interactions. A lot of people will then feel like they want to help you out, which can help you get over any kind of communication issues. And, you’ll grow as you interact (Pogosyan, 2017).
