gestures and facial expressions around the world

C1.3 Unit 2

Project 5: gestures and facial expressions around the world

Name:Stelio Alberto Romagnoli Teacher: Dajana Vukic

Index

3. Why are they important to society?

1. Non-verbal communication

2. How and why are gestures and facial expressions different around the world?

What is non-verbal communication?

• "Non-verbal communication can be best defined as a silent form of communicating with a person or party without using any form of speech to grab the attention of audience or to exploit a message." quoted professor Deepika Phutela.

• It is specifically used to express or enphasise toughts and to make them more appealing and interesting.

• It regulates relationships and can support, or even replace, verbal communications.

How and why are gestures and facial expressions different around the world?

Religion and culture are driving factors when it comes to analysing why different populations use different gestures. As a matter of fact body language that is normally accepted in Arab countries could be controversial in Euoropean cultures and viceversa.

• Handshake
• Hand gestures
• facial expressions
• sitting positions
• physical touch
• head movement
• eye contact
• silence

HAND GESTURES

• Hand gestures are a clear example of the way people enhance and support what they are saying with non-verbal communication

• "A gesture says a thousand words" is indeed a very common saying that can best summurise this point.

• Italians are famous for their use of such gestures.

HANDSHAKES

• Even handshakes may vary from culture to culture:

• In Western countries a firm handshake is perceived as confident, meanwhile in Far East it's considered aggressive and bowing is more accepted.

• In Islamic countries men can only handshake women in their own family.

PHYSICAL CONTACT

• HIGH CONTACT: In Latin American, South Europe and MIddle East physical contact is used often and seen as a great way of involving the other person into the conversation.

• MEDIUM CONTACT: In North Europe and North America physical contact is occasional.

• NO CONTACT: In the Far East physical contact is avoided.

WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT IN OUR SOCIETY?

Non-verbal communication plays five main roles :

1. Repetition: It strengthens the message that was verbally made.
2. Contradiction: It can be the opposite of the message, thus implying that what the speaker is saying could not be further from the truth.
3. Complementing: It may add or complement the initial message.
4. Substitution: It can substitute for a verbal message.
5. Accenting: It may be used to underline or highlight a messsage.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though we try not to use it, non-verbal communications is still predominant when it comes to trying to convey a message. What we wear and our gestures can show a part of ourselves that we are not aware of. Learning how to control this signals could be a life-changing skill.

SOURCES:

WHAT IS NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION?

HOW AND WHY ARE THEY DIFFERENT AROUND THE WORLD

WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT IN OUR SOCIETY?

Thanks!