Nonverbal codes and cultural spaces

1. By Angela Duarte, Andrea Goodwin, NazranaLunat, and Denise Perez Nonverbal codes and cultural spaces

2. It is symbolic, meaningful and governed by societal or cultural rules • Our facial expressions, eye gaze, posture and tone of voice, ect. • It conveys status,powerand deception. • It plays an important role in intercultural interactions. • It is enables us to show how we feel about each other and our cultural groups. • The expectancy violation theory : We have expectations of how other people should behave or communicate nonverbally in specific situations. These expectations are on a subconscious level. What is Nonverbal Communication?

3. Verbal Communication: • People use actual words to speak. • It is predominantly initiated on a conscious level. • Also includes sign language and written forms of communication. • The rate, volume, pitch, the articulation and pronunciation of words. The Difference Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

4. Nonverbal Communication: Does not use words. Operated on a subconscious and conscious level Can communicate deception

5. In my family we do not make eye contact with our elders, we look at the ground or elsewhere when we communicate. • As a woman I cannot shake hands with the opposite sex, it is considered a sign of disrespect or forwardness in my culture. • A hand laid across your heart is a • sign of peace when we are introduced to someone. Examples Of Nonverbal Communication In My Culture

6. Automated Face Analysis – In depth review, experiments and research on human facial expressions which is the way most human beings express their emotions nonverbally. http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~face/index2.htm By the Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Journal articles on facial expressions: Agneta H. Fischer & Anthony S. R. Manstead (2000). “The relation between gender and emotions in different cultures.” Pp. 71 - 94 i A. H. Fischer (ed.): Gender and emotion: social psychological perspectives. Cambridge University Press Cohn, J. F. & Schmidt, K. L. (2004). “The timing of facial motion in posed and spontaneous smiles”. International Journal of Wavelets, Multi -resolution and Information Processing, 2, 1-12. Mehrabian, Albert & Susan R. Ferris (1967). ”Inference of attitudes from nonverbal communication in two channels.” Journal of consulting psychology 31 (3): 248-252. FURTHER RESEARCH

7. Facial Expressions have been studied cross culturally and have been found to be almost universal. • Recent studies show people might be born with a certain set of facial expressions. • Example: This video shows how blind athletes use the same facial expressions as sighted athletes world wide. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G6ZR5lJgTI Facial Expressions

8. Unlike facial expressions, gestures are unique to each culture. They can be learned and the meaning can change over time. • Some gestures have opposite meanings from one culture to another. Does this symbol mean “peace,” the number “two” or does it look similar to a rude gesture? It depends on your culture. Gestures

9. Eye contact communicates respect, status, and turn-taking. • Eye contact varies widely from culture to culture. Some cultures it is disrespectful to make too much, in some too little. • An interesting example of eye contact in another culture: • Williams, D., & Hughes, P. (2005). Nonverbal communication in Italy: An analysis of interpersonal touch, body position, eye contact, and seating behaviors. North Dakota Journal of Speech & Theatre, 1817-24.rmation: Eye Contact

10. Paralinguistics • Paralinguistics • How something is said • Can indicate mood, meaning, intention. • Vocalizations are filler words, “um, uh, ah, er.” • Silence • Is used to reduce uncertainty in some cultures. • Is not very valued in the US.

11. “Time time time is on my side, yes it is” – The Rolling Stones. • Chronemics is how a culture uses and understands time. • How late is acceptably late? 5 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour? • Monochronic cultures think time can be lost, gained, spent ect. 5 minutes late is acceptable. • Polychronic cultures think time is relative. Up to an hour late, or never showing up, is acceptable. Chronemics

12. Non-verbal communication has become a popular topic for crime-based television shows such as “The Mentalist” and “Psych.” In these shows observant people catch bad guys in a lie by reading their nonverbal communication. • “Cosmopolitan” and other gossip magazines frequently feature stories on how to catch your man cheating just by watching his nonverbal cues. • Pop culture often ignores the cross-cultural differences in nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication in pop culture

13. Nonverbal Communication Skills– this site gives an extensive breakdown of nonverbal communication, tips on how to be a better communicator, lists nonverbal cues which may be misinterpreted or missed and shows how to evaluate nonverbal skills. http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eq6_nonverbal_communication.htm Journal articles on nonverbal communication skills: Friedman, Howard S.; Miller-Herringer, Terry. “Nonverbal display of emotion in public and in private: Self-monitoring, personality, and expressive cues”. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1992 Nov, v61 (n5):766-775 Riggio, Ronald E.; Widaman, Keith F.; Friedman, Howard S. “Actual and perceived emotional sending and personality correlates” . Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 1985 Summer, v9 (n2):69-83.

14. Stereotypy A problem that comes from nonverbal communication is stereotyping. Nonverbal communication should be used more as a interaction technique with others. cultures view differently nonverbal communication in a positive or negative manner. example: No eye contact can be viewed differently Instantly by looks any person can feel, if they are welcomed or not in any occasion. Prejudice Physical appearance or behavior is a trigger to prejudgment in a negative or positive manner. Overall stereotyping and prejudice leads to discrimination. Discrimination Discrimination is based on race, gender and any other identities. Discrimination leads to out casting an individual or a group of individuals, because of their identities. Stereotypy, Prejudice, and Discrimination

15. Semiotics and Nonverbal Communication • Semiotics are the relationship between signs to the meaning of a word related to nonverbal communication. • Signifiers are the meaning that culturally are placed in words or signs. • A word or sign can mean a variety of means to any culture. • Example: Any colors have different meanings to any culture.

16. Defining Culture Space • Culture Space is a way where we can use to describe where we come from or who we are. • Not everyone comes from the EXACT culture space. • We describe ourselves differently. • It doesn’t always have to be a place it can also be a person, that is or has a symbol of who we are.

17. Example • An example which I can relate to everyday, would have to be the Semiotic. • I live in Livingston, Ca and one two ethnicities that live in the small town are Indians and Mexicans. • To Mexicans (myself included) the color red symbolizes “danger” or “rich.” • But Indians think of the color red as a symbolic color for purity, they traditionally use the color red for the bridal gown color. • Mexicans will never use the color red for a bridal color, we think of the color white as purity for Quinceneras and Weddings. This proves that the Semiotic meaning varies from culture to culture for a symbol or word.

18. A helpful website To help you understand what Semiotics is I found a video that can help. I had some difficulty understanding the meaning at first. Hope this link helps you as it helped me. Http://youtube.com/watch?v=rEgxTKUP_WI

19. Cultural spaces are dynamic and ever changing They are not just physical places, but also metaphorical places Social places includes communicating as: parents, colleagues, customers, Californians Defining Cultural Spaces

20. Home Neighborhood • One of our earliest cultural spaces • Has an abundance of social class symbols • Often, we model our own lives based on childhood homes • Can be a place of safety and security • Not the same as a physical location • A cultural space that emerged in the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries was the ethnic or racial neighborhoods • However the only neighborhoods that were actually occupied by one race were African American, because of segregation • Though segregation has been outlawed many neighborhoods remain predominately African American. Cultural Identity & Cultural Space

21. Regionalism Further Reading • Regions are not clearly identified on world maps • Cause for many struggles over cultural spaces • National boundaries often hide regions • Example: Some U.S. citizens identify themselves as southerners • http://www.digitrends.com/crossingcultures/iden.htm • The link to the above article offers more explanation on cultural space Cultural Identity & Cultural Space Cont.

22. Travel Migration • Traveling enables us to change cultural spaces easily • Changing cultural spaces even for a short time means that you must change the way you interact with people • An example would be when I traveled to North Carolina I had no idea that many southerners find the term “Bible Belt” offensive. I had to refrain from saying that while I was there. • When moving, you also change cultural spaces • People who migrate often find it difficult to adjust to the change in cultural spaces • This is true for not only moving from one country to another but also for moving from one region in a country to another. Changing Cultural Space

23. They are defined by cultural practices, languages, and identities and they change as new people move in and out of the spaces • An example would be chat rooms on the internet, you can go in and out of different chat rooms with different topics relatively easy • Another example is the Central Valley of California, there are a great deal of Portuguese people living here but there really are no “Portuguese neighborhoods,” like Chinatown in San Francisco, you can still visit Portuguese bakeries and markets, or attend traditional Festas if desired Post Modern Cultural Spaces

24. 1. True/False: Home, neighborhoods, and regions are examples of cultural spaces • 2. True/False: Regions have clearly defined borders. • 3. Internet chat rooms are an example of: • Neighborhoods b. post modern cultural spaces c. Travel d. none of the above Quiz

25. 4. Nonverbal communication involves all of the following except: A Use of words B Gestures C Facial expressions D Eye contact 5. __________ and humans share nonverbal behaviors A Giraffes B Rats C Chimpanzees D Goats 6. Verbal communication predominantly operates on a _________ level. A Conscious B Subconscious C Meditative D Spiritual QUIZ

26. 7. ____________ communication plays a vital role in intercultural communication. A Verbal B Nonverbal C Oral D Tele 8. Nonverbal communication can convey, status, power and __________. A Education B Health C Deception D Intelligence

27. 9. Semiotics is the interpretation of signs: True or False? 10. Facial expressions are different in each culture : True or False? 11. Stereotyping or prejudice can lead to over nonverbal actions to exclude, called _____ Quiz

28. True or False 12. There are no differences between Verbal and Nonverbal communication. T/F ? 13. Nonverbal communication enables us to show how we feel about each other and our cultural groups. T/F ? 14. The expectancy violation theory is a useful tool to determine how we react to nonverbal cues from other people. T/F? 15. Nonverbal communication is not governed by rules. T/F? 16. Verbal communication also involves the rate, pitch, volume and articulation of words. T/F?

29. True • False • B • A • C • A • B • C • True • False • Discrimination • False • True • False • False • True Answers