In the usual study and work, everyone has written papers, and you must be familiar with all kinds of papers. This paper is an article that allows us to study a problem in depth. Do you know how to write a good paper? Let's briefly analyze the nonverbal differences between China and the West in cross-cultural communication. Welcome to share.
Cross-cultural communication refers to the communication between native speakers and non-native speakers, and also refers to the communication between people with different language and cultural backgrounds. Generally speaking, if you deal with foreigners.
abstract:
The basic idea of cross-cultural communication research holds that the communication between people with different cultural backgrounds is a very complicated process, and the communication between people is mainly carried out through verbal behavior and non-verbal behavior. However, in the process of communication, people often think of verbal communication first, but don't know that verbal communication is just one of the means of communication, and ignore non-verbal communication to express themselves. All nonverbal communication behaviors are collectively called nonverbal communication, including eyes, gestures, smiles, facial expressions, clothes, physical contact and so on.
Key words:
Cross-cultural communication symbols
Nonverbal communication is very different from verbal communication. It has no fixed rules to restrain it, and there is no definite symbol system. It can be used continuously, or it can be used for more complete communication. In the field of nonverbal communication and verbal communication, cultural factors play an important leading role. In nonverbal communication, the meaning expressed by the same gesture in different cultural environments will have completely different meanings. Non-verbal communication means are very rich, but in most cases, they are combined with verbal communication to play the role of repetition, reinforcement and supplement. When we walk into a restaurant, we will see the waiter say "Welcome" and bow to us with a smile. These actions are supplements to what he said, thus assisting the smooth progress of verbal communication more vividly and making both sides of the language more intuitive and concrete in the communication process.
First, the characteristics and functions of nonverbal communication
A large number of studies show that in the actual communication process, nonverbal communication is more credible, and many nonverbal communication is completely under the unconscious control, which is more real than speech acts.
First of all, nonverbal communication has no formal rules and patterns, so to accurately understand and express nonverbal communication, we need to have a comprehensive grasp of the surrounding situation before we can determine it. For example, if a person hits another person, he can express both anger and intimacy, so what he wants to express depends on the specific language environment.
Second, nonverbal communication does not have a clear symbolic system, and the meaning expressed by each action is not fixed. For example, the thumb and forefinger are bent into a "0" shape, and the other three are straight. This action means "very good" and "no problem" in British and American cultural circles, and it means "three" in China.
Third, nonverbal communication can be continuous in expression. When a person comes to any place, whether consciously or unconsciously, they are constantly communicating nonverbally. His clothes, behavior, etc. Constantly transmitting some kind of information.
Fourth, the means of nonverbal communication is partly the expression of human instinct, such as crying, laughing, angry and other expressions. Others are acquired, such as some gestures, postures and costumes.
Second, the differences in eyes, gestures, posture, facial expressions and costumes in nonverbal communication between China and the West.
1. The difference in eyes
The expression function of eyes is the most commonly used content in our communication. Parents in western countries will tell their children from an early age that they must look into each other's eyes when listening to others. One is to show that they are listening attentively, and the other is to show sincerity and respect. Looking away or looking away is a sign of disrespect for the speaker. In many countries in Asia, people think it is impolite to look directly at each other when speaking. Especially when subordinates are listening to the leader's speech, they should bow their heads to show their respect for the leader.
Eye contact also plays a regulatory role in the conversion of dialogue wheels. People who listen to the speaker pay more attention to the speaker and nod their heads more and more, which shows that the turn is about to change and the listener may continue to talk. "The hint of succession is success, and both sides of the dialogue must make eye contact when exchanging which role is not far from vitality. These hints help us know when to give up talking, when to get feedback, and verify when feedback will continue to interact. " [ 1] 165
When we see strangers, we usually look away when we touch them. If you refuse to look away from strangers' eyes, it often means curiosity, affection and interest, especially if a boy stares at a girl for a long time, which means that he has a good impression on her. But it is impolite to stare at strangers in our cultural background, and white people don't taboo these things.
2. Differences in gesture expression
Every nation uses gestures to express certain meanings, but the same gesture can express different meanings in different cultures. For example, putting your palm flat under your neck means beheading in China, but it means full in English-speaking countries. Even in the same nation, the same gesture has different meanings.
Every nation has its own unique gestures, which we must know and understand in cross-cultural communication. For example, the British and Americans put the middle finger on the index finger to express their hope that things can go smoothly; Americans stood by on the road and gave a thumbs-up to drivers on the side of the road, indicating that they wanted to take a taxi. Some sign languages are becoming more and more international, for example, making a "V" shape with the index finger and middle finger to indicate victory, and spreading your hands and shrugging your shoulders to indicate "I don't know" or "I can't help it".
3. Differences in body posture expression
Generally speaking, people in southern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America have more movements and a larger range of movements in communication; However, people in northern Europe, Britain, America and East Asia move less and to a lesser extent.
The posture of American teachers and students standing and sitting in the classroom is quite different from that of China. We think that American students are too casual in class and the teacher management is not strict, while British and American people think that our teacher management is too rigid, which limits students' freedom. This is because of the differences in educational concepts and cultural backgrounds.
When our country agrees, we can nod our heads. "Sri Lankans are used to shaking their heads slightly to express affirmation and agreement, shaking their heads vigorously when expressing negative answers or disagreement, and nodding when expressing great agreement and understanding." [2] 12 shows different body language, which has its unique significance in different countries.
4. Differences in facial expressions
There are indeed ethnic differences in facial expressions, and there are also differences in the ways and degrees of expressing emotions among different ethnic groups. We usually think that westerners have many facial expressions, while orientals are invisible and unpredictable. Moreover, research shows that men are more inclined to hide their feelings, while women are relatively easy to show them.
There's a difference between smiling. Although smiling is generally to express a happy mood or friendliness, Americans think smiling is to express happiness or think something is interesting. Japanese women smile because of panic or embarrassment.
5. dress differences.
In modern society, clothing, as a cultural symbol, plays an increasingly important role. Clothing symbolizes status and occupation. Some large companies have their own special formal clothes, and employees of the company must wear uniforms when they work, which is particularly important in western countries. In today's society, what kind of occasions should be matched with what style of clothes is very particular. Formal occasions, such as banquets and important meetings, require formal attire. When attending social activities in western countries, the dress code is often indicated on the invitation, which is printed in the lower right corner of the invitation, while some leisure parties are not required. Just wear something casual.