Question

Essay #5

When we communicate nonverbally, we do need to begin to understand and examine what we do. Describe two examples of nonverbal communication that you use and what it means to you. How could this nonverbal communication be misinterpreted by someone from another culture?

Answer 1

Non-verbal communication is a part of every culture and is one of the easiest ways to express ideas or information in some cultures. Some examples of non-verbal communication that can be misinterpreted are i. the head nod to indicate no to a question.ii. Pointing at someone when asked about them. The first example of non-verbal communication which is the head nod is an expression I use to convey no to a question. However, the way I nod might not convey a clear message to someone from another culture. In countries of low context culture where ambiguity is seldom in conversations, nodding the head can be a problem and also result in a misinterpretation. People in India use the head nod often to answer a "yes or no" question and it is interpreted as affirmative or negative based on the horizontal or vertical nod. This is one example of non-verbal communication that might not be accepted in a different culture where people prefer being straight forward.

The second example is pointing at someone during a conversation. While engaging in conversations in my country, if a situation or scenario arises where an individual asks about someone and they are within observable distance, it is natural to point at them. This gesture is used to answer the question about the individual. It is not considered rude in a country like India where people interpret this gesture as a means of finding answers. However, the same gesture of pointing can be misinterpreted in a country like China and Indonesia. Pointing at someone irrespective of the reasons in these countries is considered rude. Therefore, culture plays a huge role in influencing the interpretation of non-verbal communication and body language.