The Cultural Differences Reflected by Body Language in
China and America
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
There are more and more chance for people to contact with people from different culture because of the quick development of science, technology and economy. The world is become smaller and smaller, which has become a global village. The communication between people from various cultures and countries is increasing. We can communicate with each other through not only language communication but also nonverbal communication. Actually, in everyday life, we spend a considerable amount of time on body language communication. In addition, we receive much of our emotional meanings through noverbal elements.
Body language communication is connected with cultures and it is the result of cultures. But many people pay great attention to the acceptance and correctness of the verbal communication and overlook the influence and cultural difference of nonverbal communication. Then the misunderstanding
and cultural crash often occur in the cross-cultural communication. So in the process of communication, it is not a complete communication while ignoring the cultural differences of nonverbal communication. A famous anthropologist E.T.Hall pointed out “Silent language expresses more information than verbal language.” According to some researchers abroad, in people’s daily life, nonverbal communication takes over 65% in all of information exchange. So we must know the cultural differences of body language to achieve efficient communication.
With increasing contact between China and America, a better understanding betwwen both culture is of growing importance. Nonverbal communication influences how individuals from these two cultures interact and understand or misunderstand each other. Therefore, an understanding of the differences is vital for building harmonious relationships. The thesis is designed to help readers understand and appreciate the differences in nonverbal communication between China and America.
There are cross-culture differences in nonverbal communication, which are obvious in
many aspects. Gestural symbols play a large part, and because this is true, gestural emblems are highly sensitive. The same body language have different interpretation because of different cultures. Different body language can be used in different background, however, they can express the same siginificance.
To master the nonverbal communication is a necessary part for those who come from different culture. Some people find it difficult to understand the nonverbal code. Because they do not know the background of body language.
1.2 Significance
Body language communication is very important in people communication because it can help us cause first impressions. Think for a while we often judge a person coming from nonverbal information, especially body language. It is important many original information usually can have intuitive recognition. Even how we choose a partner is based on the people who give us the first impression. For example, a famous Chinese proverb going on “fall in love at first sight.” Whether we can have a long-term association with other person also based on the first impression.
Body language is so important that some people think of body language as equal to nonverbal communication. More and more people realize the importance of body language communication. We can know more about people’s instinctive feelings situation grounded on their behavioral communication. For example, when we notice a person closing finger tightly with stern appearance, we can judge that this person is sad based on his action. When we are hearing people with shaking
sound and noticing them with quivering hands, we can judge that this person is mentally troubled regardless of their saying. Our feelings are showed in our gesture, posture, facial expression and eye contact-it can be happy, sad, anxious and anger and so on. Therefore, we can show our attitude and express ourselves without speaking anything. Because of this, we depend largely on what we have learned coming from our eyes. Many researcher make know that we will rely heavily on non verbal communication rather than verbal ones when they are in conflict with each other.
When we come to realize that the nonverbal communication is very important, it is apparent that nonverbal behavior can communicate（convey）people’s physical as well as
mental situation. The importance of nonverbal behavior is apparent if we realize that in one form or another, all of our actions convey information about our psychological and physical states. A stroking of the the chin, bow, wave, pointed finger, or yawn all have a message. Our actions, in addition of those association with some illness, have some rules; in a particular way, they stand for outsider speaking to insider. And it is very significant, those behaviors show the time, be it turning to face in another direction from people with whom we feel uneasy. It is very important for us to expain correctly behavioral communication of people who come from other cultures.
It is well know that some nonverbal actions have close connection with culture. The body language may lead to understand incorrectly for people of different behaviors who send the same message with different gestures of the body. Misunderstanding can cause the feeling of offence, insult. From these reason, I think that it is highly necessary to make cross-cultural studies of the body language.
2 Definition and functions of body language
2.1 Definition of body language
Body language, also called body movements, body behavior and so on, refers to all expressions and movements that send communicative messages. Body language is a process in which communicators use the natural features of their bodies to deliver information and express specific meaning instinctively to the other communicator. We will discuss it in details later. It used by people for sending messages to one another. It is very useful because it can help you make yourself easily understood.
Different scholars have made various efforts to define it. Accoring to Knapp the phrase
‘nonverbal communication’ reffered to communication effect by means other than words. Some lingui
st also claimed that body language could be without the use of words. Other linguists took into account social cinventions in defining body language. Besides social conventions, many oter factors are also important in helping convey nonverbal meanings. The meanings of body language often have to be interpreted via considerations of such aspects, because these factors may help make clear the complexity of bodylanguage.However, these factors are so diliverse and complex that a perfect definition is impossible. It is so natural that current definitions are different from the ones in their orientations.
2.2 Functions of body language
Body language like verbal communication is also a part of culture and the carrier of a certain culture. The function of body language in the whole communication can’t be overlooked. “In the daily communication, we can see people can’t communicate effi ciently by verbal language alone. And nonverbal communication will express clear meanings in a certain context. And a certain nonverbal communication should be connected with verbal communication or the other nonverbal communication to provide correct info rmation.” So in communicative activities, body language also plays a great role. Of course, we should pay close attention to the functions of body language. “In any case, when verbal communication conflicts with no nverbal communication, people are willing to
accept the information nonverbal communication delivers. Because nonverbal communication sounds more natural, more instinctive and it is hard to pretend.”Obviously, we should make full use of body language to achieve efficient
communication. Now, we will discuss the functions of body language.
Nonverbal communication ofen performs one of several functions in relationship to verbal communication. These functions help us to understand and use communication more effectively. Nonverbal messages serve six major functions: repetition, contradiction, substitution, accentuation, supplementation or modification and regulation.
Repetition is defined as the process of reinforcingverbal messages through redundancy. People often use nonverbal messages to repeat apoint they are trying to make. For example, when we tell people how to get to the nearest hospital, we are not only telling them the direction but also pointing to the direction with hands. Generally speaking, the gestures and words have a similar meaning and reinforce one another.
Contradiction is the opposite of repetition; it negates the verbal message. On some occasions, our nonverbal actions send signals opposite from the literal messages contained in our verbal messages.
For instance, you tell someone you are relaxed and at ease, yet your voice quavers and your hands shake.
中美文化差异
Substitution. We use substitution in body language when we perform some action instead of speaking. If a group of people is boisterous, you might place your index finger to your lips as an alternative to saying “please calm down so that I can speak”.
Accentuation. For example, you may have noticed how some people tap the desktop with each word of an important message like “I want you to do this today”.
Supplement. For instance, we greet people with a smile. Smile functions as a supplement to the pleasure of meeting people.
Regulation occurs when nonverbal messages help to control the flow of verbal messages. We often regulate and manage communication by using certainform of body language. We nod our head in agreement to indicate to our communication partner that we agree and that he or she should continue talking or we have direct eye contact with someone to let him or her know the channels are open.
Thus,body language function sometimes occur separately, and sometimes they occur at the same moment. Without them, we should have a very difficult time communicating.
3 Cultural differences of body language betwwen Chinese and Americans
3.1 Types and differences of body language
Here, we research into three elements of body language: gesture (head gesture, facial expressions, eye contact, arm gesture, hand gesture, and leg movement), posture(walking posture, standing posture, squatting posture, and sitting posture), and touch (ten distinctions concerning touching behaviors) Different believes are the causes of the differences of body language. According to the theories proposed by American anthologists Barnettt Pearce, Verrion Cronent, people’s behavior, the way of thinking and so on are aff ected by their believes. And every culture has its distinctive belief system. A normal action in this culture will be abnormal in another one. A positive behavior in one culture will be negative in another. People from eastern world advocate modesty, tolerance, mutual-support and responsibility for the group. But western people admire independence, self-respect, free development, and requiring individual space and so on. Next, we will go to the differences of body language from five parts.
3.1.1 Head gesture
Chinese and American head gesture shares a number of similarities. For example: nodding the head up and down means “yes”, “I agree”; shaking the head side to side means “no”; heading forward shows an interest in the conversation; heding backward shows lack of interest and so on.
As to the differences, a nod of the head in China can function as greeting and beckoning someone to come here, while the same function performed by the Americans is a raise of the head. Patting on head means differently in these two cultures. Occasionally, Chinese adults may pat the head of children to show affection; patting the head of a teenager or an adult would cause displeasure and can be insulting. Americans’ patting on other’s head is just for giving comfort, consolation or encouragement; and also for showing affection.
A unique head gesture in China-tip the head backward and audibly suck air in through the teeth-meas “no”or “something is very difficult” and has the function of pausing to rethink. Also there are some head gestures use in America but seldom seen in China: scratching the head means thinking or confused or skeptical; chin stroke, tapping the head with forefinger shows