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Nonverbal Communication
Running head: NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Effective Use of Nonverbal Communication for Intercultural Communication
Ayuka Akema
Applied Reading and Writing
Keiwa Collage
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Nonverbal Communication
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Abstract
In this paper, the author reports the result of her research on the less well-known
nonverbal communication features. She also provides examples from her own
experience in which nonverbal communication has helped or misled intercultural
communication. Based on the research and her experience, she argues that the
knowledge of nonverbal communication skills such as paraliguistics, proxemics, and
haptics are essential for effective intercultural communication.
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‘The heart letter is read in the eye’. This old saying means that real emotion
can be read by seeing person’s eyes rather than by listening to words. Usually, people
can consciously or unconsciously distinguish when one’s conversation partner is
telling a truth or a lie because of the messages signaled through verbal and nonverbal
communication. Telling one’s feeling by words is called verbal communication.
Contrary to this, nonverbal communication is a display of one’s feeling by actions
such as eye contact, facial expression, and the tone of voice. The most prominent
nonverbal communication is the eye contact. According to Cherry (n.d.), when people
fail to look at others in the eyes, it can be seen as if they are evading or trying to hide
something. Both the old saying and Cherry confirm that nonverbal communications
considerably influences one’s understanding of her/ his conversation partner. In other
words, people might leave others poor images of themselves or misunderstand each
other unless non-verbal communication is used effectively, especially when one’s
conversation partner comes from a different culture. If useful but less well
known
nonverbal communication tips are explicitly taught, one could improve her/his
conversation skills. For
an effective intercultural communication, knowledge of
nonverbal communication skills such as paraliguistics, proxemics, and haptics are
essential.
Nonverbal Communication
Firstly,
paralinguistics
is
one
of
effective
factors
of
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nonverbal
communications. Paralinguistic means vocal communication. This includes tone of
voice, loudness, inflection, and pitch. It sometimes is called vacalics. Vargas (1987)
states that paralinguistics includes all of stimulative factors which are made by human
and can be heard by human, and that are not words. He also explains that various
stimulative factors like scream and flat sounds are included. Trager (as cited in Vargas,
1987, p.97) divides pralinguistics into two groups. One is the characteristics factor of
voice. Use of lips, pronunciation, and tempo fall under this group. The other is
utterance. Features of utterance are divided into three sub-groups (Trager, n.d.). The
first group is giggle, snivel and groan. The second group is stress and tone which are
also called restricted utterance. The third group is smacking lips, saying ‘un’ and ‘ah’,
and being silent which are all classified as isolation of utterance. These clues are
always present in communication. Roon (as cited in Vargas, n.d.) suggests that a
strong tone of voice may indicate approval or enthusiasm, where the same sentence
said with a hesitant tone of voice may convey disapproval or lack of interest. It is
thought that when someone speaks loudly or hurriedly, one’s real feeling is appeared
through paralinguistics.
I have stayed in London for a month. When my teacher guided students
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around school, I couldn’t understand what my teacher was saying at first. However,
when she talked about money, her facial expression became serious and her voice’s
stress and tone changed. Because of that, I was able to understand that she was
explaining
about
something
really
important.
Paralinguistic
features
in
communication help people understand each other even when they cannot understand
the language.
Secondly, proxemics is another effective factor of nonverbal communication.
Distance from people is called proxemics. Edward (as cited in Burgoon, Buller, and
Woodall, 1989) analyzed history and concluded that man’s past is largely an account of
his efforts to arrest space from others and to defend space from outsiders. For a long
time, human have been concerned about one’s ownership and the sharing of space.
There are three types of proxemics such as territory, personal space and conversational
distance. Territory is distinguished into primary, secondary and public territory. Primary
territory is the most central places in the daily lives of individuals or groups, for
example, homes, offices and bedrooms. In contract, secondary territories are more
peripheral to day-to-day functioning. These may involve more temporary and
nonexclusive use of places such as a country club or a neighborhood bar. Public
territory refers to places where almost anyone has free access and no occupancy
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privileges. The other two categories, personal space and conversational distance refer to
dynamic and mobile space. Personal space is the minimum amount of spatial insulation
a person requires. However, Burgoon, Buller, and Woodall (1989) suggest people may
space themselves at much greater distance than their protective needs. The concept of
interpersonal or conversational distance reflects the normal distances that people
maintain between themselves and others. People use the conversational distance
because people are most interested in communication contexts. Edward (as cited in
Burgoon, Buller and Woodall, 1989) reviews personal space in four separate categories,
and each category has a close and a far phase. A close phase is seen among personal
relationship while far phase is seen among impersonal relationship. Thus, total of eight
degrees of distance exist. Fist degree of distance is called intimate distance in which
people are able to make physical contact (touch, kiss and hug) and embrace close
friends, boyfriend/girlfriend (0-15cm) or when people talk to someone who is really
close to them (45-75cm). Second degree is the personal distance. People can talk with
familiar person such as close friend or boyfriend/girlfriend (45-75cm) or people start
socializing with new friends (75-120cm). Social distance is used when people give
direction or negotiate (120-200cm). A far phase is used in official business talk or
debate (e.g. a secretary and a customer). This distance is thought to have a definite gap
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from each other. Public distance is that each other’s relationship is not personal, for
example a professor and her/his students, or a lecturer and the audience (3.5-7m). The
last degree would be when people meet someone who has a high status or authority.
This is called long distance which shows unfamiliarity because of one’s authority.
People always express their feelings toward the other from how far they stand from each
other.
In sequel to my study abroad, I experienced cultural difference between
Japanese and people from other county in terms of proxemics. Many Japanese students
were going back to Japan, so we went out with classmates from other countries such as
Russian, Chinese, and Brazilian students. Among them, there were some students who I
haven’t talked before. When I was walking on a narrow street next to a Brazilian student,
I kept a little distance from him because we only met on that day. I thought the distance
between he and I was still close, but then I fell on a roadway from the sidewalk
pavement. He said ‘why are you walking on the side of the road?’ and he pulled me.
While I was confused and uncomfortable walking so close to someone I didn’t know
well, I just kept walking, wondering if he was not uncomfortable. From this experience,
I learned that Japanese people are more sensitive to distance in between people, even
with schoolmates. Personal distance in Japanese culture is different from that of other
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culture, so I felt uncomfortable.
Finally, haptics is also an effective factor of nonverbal communication.
Communication by touch is called haptics. Burgoon, Buller, and Woodall (1989)
explained touch was not even recognized as a communication code and that haptics
used to be subsumed under categories of proxemics or kinesics (the study of body
movements). Yet evidence of its significant impact on human relations has kindled a
growing interest in its role as a communication vehicle. Kauffman and Harrison (as
cited in Burgoon, Buller, and Woodall, 1989) have suggested that types of touch can be
identified as kineme and kinemorph. Moreover, there are some functional approaches
which can classify different kinds of haptics. Heslin(as cited in Burgoon, Buller, and
Woodall, 1989) proposed five different types of situation or relationship when people
use haptics. Functional/ professional types are the least intimate category, and consist of
one sided, instrumental touch, for example those needed to complete some task such as
a physician’s examination or professional golf lesson. Social/ polite touches are
relatively formal and socially normal. Social amenities such as handshakes are included
in this category. Friendship/ warmth touches are moderately intimate touches.
Congratulatory, comforting, or nurturing touches belong to this category. Although such
forms of touch may be easily confused with more intimate, sexual touches, this degree
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of haptics is more likely to occur in public spaces than private. Love/ intimacy touches
are usually regarded as pleasant and welcome in close relationship. Sexual arousal touch
is the most intense and most intimate in contacts. Effective use of appropriate haptics
may affect communication positively, while use of inappropriate haptics will lead to
misunderstanding in communication. Since different cultures have different degrees of
haptics, it is extremely difficult to determine the appropriateness in intercultural
communication.
When I went to school in London, I saw Algerian women hugged and kissed on
the cheek of a Korean woman every morning.
Although I would not kiss my female
friends every morning, it was not strange for me because they were good friend. One
day, a Brazilian student found out that many Japanese students were not coming back to
school anymore, so he hugged me and kissed on my cheek. We did not know each other
well, certainly were not close friends. I was exceedingly surprised and embarrassed. A
Chinese student who I didn’t know well also hugged me and said ‘I will miss you, my
sisters!’. This kind of situation is not familiar with Japanese people. When my Japanese
classmate left London, he asked me for just a handshake and I said ‘see you again.’
Japanese people rarely hug and kiss friends in public to say farewell. I think that it is
Japanese culture of haptics. I wish I had known that people from different cultures use
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haptics in a quite different manner, so that I would not have been so surprised.
In conclusion, as people often use nonverbal communication in the
conversation, one can establish good relationship with the conversation partner with an
effective and purposeful use of nonverbal communication. Moreover, nonverbal
communication can help or mislead intercultural communication. Sometimes, people
understand each other with nonverbal communication without language comprehension.
On the other hand, lack of knowledge of certain nonverbal communication may lead to
misunderstanding, or uncomfortable situation. Thus, knowledge of paralinguistics,
proxemics and haptics are essential factors in intercultural communication.
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Reference
Burgoon, J.K., Buller, D.B., and Woodall, G.W. (1989). Nonverbal communication:
The Unspoken Dialogue. New York: Happer & Row Publishers.
Cherry, K. (n.d.). Type of Nonverbal Communication: 8 Major Nonverbal Behaviors.
Retrieved from: http://psychology.about.com/od/nonverbalcommunication/a/
nonverbaltypes.htm
Vargas, M.F. (1987). Louder than Words: An Introduction to Nonverbal Communication.
(Ishimaru, T. Trans.). Tokyo: Shinchosha.