COMM Discussion 5

04 Sep COMM Discussion 5

This week we will be discussing nonverbals and the influence they have on culture. Watch the following video and respond to the prompt (500 words min. in total):

 

 

Questions:

 

1) If someone were to analyze and explain to you your nonverbal tendencies, how would they describe them? (i.e., how do you stand? How animated are you when you talk? How is your overall body posture? Do your nonverbals represent a confident and/or extroverted individual?) If you are unsure about this, ask a friend.

 

2) What is the relationship between your nonverbals and your identity? – Do your nonverbals match your characteristics?

 

3) Now that you are more aware of your nonverbal tendencies, do you plan on trying to change them? If so, how? If not, why not?

 

Part 2.

 

 

Watch the following videos and respond to the prompts. You may have to conduct your own research to assist in answering these last questions. If so, please include your references.

 

 

 

4) Explain what proxemics means as related to intercultural communication

 

5) Which countries rank the highest in the need for personal space?

 

6) Which countries rank the lowest in the need for personal space?

 

7) Where do you fit on the continuum of preference for personal space? (i.e., do you feel uncomfortable when people stand close to you) – Why do you feel this way?

Bonus Videos*

 

Extreme examples of close proxemity:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfMfXuNRRkY

 

When responding to your classmates (5 of them) focus on the differences and similarities between your preference to personal space and theirs. Has your culture affected this? How can you relate to them? Do you have any specific examples of feeling uncomfortable because of a perceived violation of personal space? – These are a few questions to consider while responding.

Article 1

Rui Wang:

Part 1

1. I think someone watching my nonverbal tendencies would realize that I am not an overly animated person and instead tend to express myself more verbally than nonverbally. For instance, I don’t really use change posture that often when speaking to people and my stance and body language depends more on personal comfort than interaction. I might sit down and use a wide stance and open my legs, but this is not because I am feeling open to conversation, only that I feel more comfortable sitting in this manner. As a result, I think someone might have a mixed interpretation of what my body language represents, although I would say I am mostly an introverted person.

2. My nonverbals do seem to match my identity because as I mentioned, I am not someone extremely outgoing or extroverted and I believe that my nonverbal tendencies are a good reflection of that.

3. I don’t really plan on changing my nonverbal tendencies even if they are not the most expressive in nature because I feel comfortable with myself how I currently am. Not only this, but I think I am expressive enough in a verbal manner that I can still communicate the meaning that I am trying to get across while forming solid relationships with people.

Part 2

1. Proxemics refer to the amount of personal space that people feel they need when communicating with others. This is something that relates to interpersonal communication because different cultures will require a different amount of preferred space. According to Patil, Western culture uses four different types of boundaries including intimate distance, personal space, social space, and public space. Intimate distance is the closest space at 1.5 feet and is used for lovers and partners. Personal space is 4 feet and is used for friends and family while social space is 12 feet and is used for acquaintances and colleagues. Finally, public distance is 25 feet and is used for strangers or public speaking.

2. The countries that rank highest in the need for personal space include countries like Romania, Hungary, and Saudi Arabia (McManus).

3. The closest that rank lowest in need for personal space include Bulgaria, Peru, and Argentina (McManus).

4. I think I fit somewhere in the middle of this spectrum because I prefer a medium distance for personal space. I do not want to be so far away from the other person that it would feel like I have to raise my voice to speak with them, nor do I want to be so close that I am almost touching them. However, I think my personal space preference matches up with Patil’s research because I am willing to bend my preferences depending upon the people I am interacting with. If I were with a partner, then spending time close up against one another would not be uncomfortable while those who I am not as close with would be further apart from me. I can imagine that personal space can be an issue when people of two opposing cultures interact, such as a person from Argentina attempting to interact with a person from Romania. As a result, both people would have to attempt to find some comfortable middle ground because it would be impossible to completely satisfy both parties.

Sources:

McManus, Melanie Radzicki. “Which Countries Have the Smallest Personal Space?” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 8 Mar. 2018, science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/which-countries-have-smallest-personal-space.htm.

Patil, Komal B. “Understanding the Unique Concept of Proxemics in Different Cultures.” SocialMettle, SocialMettle, 21 Dec. 2017, socialmettle.com/understanding-proxemics-in-different-cultures.

Article 2 Diana La

Discussion #5 — Nonverbal Codes & Cultural Space

1. I think that if my friend were to describe my nonverbal tendencies they would say that I tend to hold my hands or hold an object when I am talking. I am not super animated when I talk, but there is a sense of animation based on the context. Based on who I am talking with, my body would be sitting up right or relaxed. Sometimes if I am sad and I am avoiding to express it, I am quiet and I hold my hands and slightly fidget my fingers. When I am super happy, I get jumpy and my face “brightens” up. Sometimes my brows and eyes also show a lot of nonverbal communication. I think it is the same for everyone else, but in my case, when I am in a bad mood, you can kind of tell — or I am just tired (haha).

2. I believe that my nonverbal is a part of my identity because it is who I am. I think it may base off of who it can be. I am not too introverted or extroverted which is why I am animated nonverbally to a decent extent.

3. Since I am more aware of my nonverbal tendencies, I do not really plan on trying to change them unless there is a great negative effect to it. So far I do not think it is impacting me or other negatively.

Part 2

1. Proxemics in relation to intercultural communication is “an ongoing and in some instances changing element of communication that all cultures must acknowledge to have better intercultural relationships” (COMS Group). In a sense it is that we all try our best to “understand each others cultural emphasis and rules that are placed on space to have positive and successful communication and nonverbal dialogue” (COMS Group).

2. The countries that rank the highest in the need for personal space is Uganda, Hungary, and Saudi Arabia (Avakian). Hungary would be considered the number one country that needs it most.

3. The countries that rank the lowest in need for personal space  Peru, Argentina, and Bulgaria (Avakian). Out of the three, Argentina ranks the highest for low need of personal space.

4. I feel that I am in the middle of the continuum of preference for personal space. The reason why I think this is because if its a stranger I like to be far back and away (it’s like I don’t want to be able to smell their odor). If its a family member I usually like my decent space too. Now if it’s my significant other, I do not mind any of my space being taken. I am sure I feel this way because naturally I am not open to the people I may not be close to — especially strangers. If I consider it a friendly thing like a greeting, I do not mind the handshakes or hugs since it is quick. If I am sitting or standing next to someone for a long time, I do like to have my own space and my own air (haha).

Avakian, Talia. “People in These Countries Need the Most Personal Space.” Travel Leisure, 2 May 2017, www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/offbeat/study-global-personal-space-preferences.

COMS Group. “Intercultural Communication of Proxemics.” Intercultural Communication of Proxemics, 7 Dec. 2011, coms-group-03.blogspot.com/2011/12/intercultural-communication-of.html.

Article 3 by: Heather Noonan

1. I think this would depend on the person I’m talking to. My close friends may say I’m not so animated while people that I’m still getting to know or have just met may say I am more animated. I think I try to animate more when talking to new people to further engage them in conversation whereas if I’m talking to a close friend I know they are already engaged in what I have to say. My overall body posture is not incredibly strong or “powerful” as the ted talk discussed but I think in general I don’t slouch or make myself seem very small. I would hope my nonverbals would portray a confident attitude as I feel confident as a person.

2. I think my nonverbal do match my characteristics. I think on average my nonverbal show that I am friendly and talkative and confident. I am generally fairly open when I talk to people in the sense that I do not close up my body or cover myself up. I think I like to sit in a position that makes me seem “smaller” because I like to cross my legs but I feel that I do that more for comfort and not because I feel less than.

 

3) I have actually watched this Ted talk for another class in the past and I have started to think about power stances and power poses before going into situations that may make me feel nervous (interviews, presentations, meetings with new people, etc.). I think it is an important skill and it is very helpful in making you feel confident. I think I may try to take on these power poses when talking to someone who I feel talks down to me instead of allowing their nonverbals to make me feel less than comfortable.

 

4) Proxemics is totally dependent on culture because every culture perceives proxemics through a different lens. A professor once discussed proxemics in the United States and how it compares to Chinese culture and their proxemics. In the U.S. we tend to keep a good couple feet between us and strangers in public spaces, however, in China people are used to being much closer together and that same “personal bubble” space is significantly smaller than that of Americans.

 

5) The countries that rank top 5 for needing personal space are Romania (with the largest distance between people on average), Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Uganda.

6) The top 5 countries that tend to not care much for personal space are Argentina (with the shortest distance between people on average), Peru, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Austria.

 

7) I don’t necessarily feel uncomfortable when someone is “too” close to me but I would definitely prefer to have more space especially if the room is available for people to spread out. I think this is just a cultural thing that I get from growing up in the U.S. I think that perception of just about everything comes from culture and background and we can attribute the way we perceive anything — specifically distance in this case.

Article 4 Taylor Kalmer

1. If someone were to analyze and explain my nonverbal tendencies, I think there would be an array of nonverbal expressions I use to assist my emotions. I know that during my basketball trainings and practices I use a lot of high-fives and pats on the back to indicate encouragement without saying a word. In this same setting I also use a lot of head nods when my coaches or other players are verbally communicating with me, to indicate assurance and that I am listening to what they are saying. I often sit slouched because I am tired from doing so many workouts in a day, and I walk slower to take my time and most of the time my body is sore. I sometimes use hand signals or gestures when I am telling a story or exaggerating something to another person or a group of people. I would say overall my nonverbals represent a poised and introverted person. I prefer to go about my day individually and enjoy my own company, and I think that inner self-peace is represented in my nonverbals.

2. I think my nonverbals and my identity match overall hand-in-hand. I would say almost everyday I am happy, if not every day, and when I feel good on the inside my nonverbals on the outside show. I notice I smile a lot just walking around, or nodding to people to say hi as they pass by. When I am in a grumpier mood or want to be distant, (probably when I am hungry), my nonverbals have an attitude, I don’t acknowledge people and I completely stop talking. I think depending on the mood I am in, yes my nonverbals match up with my characteristics.

3. I do plan on changing my nonverbals that have more of an attitude or irritation. Now that I am more aware of the vibes I can be giving off when I am grumpier from my facial expressions, lack of verbal communication and body posture I want to make a better effort to correct those and make them more subtle.

4. Proxemics refers to personal spacing amongst individuals, and discusses how various spaces can be used to communicate certain things to others. Also called the personal space bubble, there is a list described in the video, that touches on how proxemics are measured (smell, eye contact, etc.)

5. Some countries that rank the highest for needed personal space include Romania, Hungary, Saudi Arabia. And Uganda (Avakian, 2017).

6. Some of the countries that rank the lowest in the need for personal space include Argentina, Peru and Bulgaria (Avakian, 2017).

7. Personally, with strangers I prefer to have a larger distance in between them and myself in open environments, say a park or a restaurant, or even going for a walk. In tighter environments I know I do not always have the luxury of having my own space, but prefer to not stand or sit right next to someone. With friends or family on the other hand, I enjoy being closer together, it feels more comforting and safe.