Nonverbal Communication in Intercultural Environment

Farisa Kulaeva

, Kamila Khasueva

and Arsen Kulaev

Chechen State University Named After A.A. Kadyrova, Grozny, Russian Federation

Keywords: Non-Verbal Communication, Intercultural Competence, Means of Non-Verbal Expression, Gestures, Facial

Expressions, Integration.

Abstract: Non-verbal communication is an integral part of human communication. Due to the limited knowledge of

non-verbal language in intercultural communication, in international communication there is a

misunderstanding and incorrect use of non-verbal messages. The authors of the article examined the main

categories of such communication in conditions of multicultural interaction, identified areas in which

difficulties of understanding most often arise. In the context of total globalization, this problem is relevant

and acute. The article presents the data of theoretical and practical studies of recent years.

Nonverbal

communication is an integral part of human communication. Due to the limited knowledge of nonverbal

language in intercultural communication, there is a misunderstanding and incorrect use of nonverbal messages

in international communication. The authors of the article examined the main categories of such interaction

in the context of multicultural interaction, identified the areas in which difficulties of understanding most

often arise. In the conditions of total globalization, this problem is urgent and acute. The article presents the

data of theoretical and practical studies of recent years.

1 INTRODUCTION

The definition of culture given in the first topic is

closest to the definition of the English scholar Edward

B. Tylor, one of the founders of ethnography and

anthropology, who understood culture as “a complex

whole that includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals,

laws, customs and any other abilities and habits

acquired by a person as a member of society. This

definition is important and interesting insofar as it

seeks to cover all the diverse components that

representatives of various sciences invest in the

concept of culture, but this is also its main drawback:

it is too broad. In order to analyze culture in its

concrete manifestations, we need a narrower

definition. Often, non-verbal elements are the

“calling card” of a person - his gestures and facial

expressions, his movements and smile can say a lot

about a person before he speaks himself.

Psychologists believe that the correct interpretation of

non-verbal signals is the most important condition for

effective communication. Non-verbal

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communication is usually spontaneous and

unintentional. It was given to us by nature as a

product of many millennia of natural selection.

Therefore, non-verbal communication is very

capacious and compact. By mastering the language of

non-verbal communication, we acquire an effective

and economical language (Esmurzaeva, 2008). With

a blink of an eye, a nod of the head, a wave of the

hand, we convey our feelings faster and better than

we would do it with words. Today, it is quite obvious

that civilization is developing along the path of

building and expanding the relationships and

interactions of the states of the world, which implies

close contact between representatives of different

cultures. These processes are integrated into all

spheres of human activity: from interpersonal

communication to scientific research and politics

(Hofstede Insights, www.hofstede-insights.com). In

the world, perhaps, it is impossible to find a country,

ethnic societies and communities that would not be

influenced by other cultural trends. This phenomenon

finds its expression in the increased growth of various

kinds of ties, both between individuals and state and

Kulaeva, F., Khasueva, K. and Kulaev, A.

Nonverbal Communication in Intercultural Environment.

DOI: 10.5220/0011602500003577

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Actual Issues of Linguistics, Linguodidactics and Intercultural Communication (TLLIC 2022), pages 69-72

ISBN: 978-989-758-655-2

 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

social institutions. Of course, such global processes

have a number of difficulties and peculiarities. Faced

with an unfamiliar culture, a person evaluates it

through the prism of subjective perception, which

often plays a negative role in understanding the

“alien” way of life.

2 RESEARCH METHODS

Of fundamental importance, and not only for

traditional societies, in the formation of personal

qualities are natural factors. They act on the

psychological characteristics of people in various

ways. The totality of the natural features of the place

of residence of society (climate, flora, fauna, the

presence of a monoculture) significantly affects the

choice of daily work, its parameters, features, etc. In

daily activities, predetermined by natural factors,

certain personal qualities are selected. In other words,

natural conditions can indirectly (through the type of

occupation) influence the formation of special

personality traits. More directly on the features of

perception and cognitive styles affects the landscape

- open (plain, steppe, tundra, semi-desert, savannah)

and closed (forest, jungle, mountain systems);

homogeneous (tundra in winter, semi-desert) and

heterogeneous (temperate climatic zones). Extreme

climatic conditions can also affect the nature and

behavior of people (high mountains, extreme

temperature conditions, sudden changes in day and

night). The influence on the whole culture as a whole

of the presence of any agricultural crop (or rich

mineral resources), as well as the diet of

representatives of various cultures, which can

predetermine the physical capabilities of behavioral

stereotypes and the general response style (energy-

consuming, energy-saving) is also very significant.

Gestures are movements of the head, limbs, giving

greater expression to statements, as well as allowing

a better understanding of the attitude to the subject of

discussion. Gestures indicate, emphasize and

demonstrate something.

Pose is a characteristic of a person's position in

space. This is an extremely informative category that

can tell a lot, up to a person’s self-esteem and his

feelings in a given situation.

Psychologists have proven that more information

is transmitted and received through non-verbal

messages than through speech (more than 55%)

(Gorelov, 2019).

We have given a small description of the main

types and means of non-verbal communication and

can move on to the main problem of our article. In the

course of non-verbal interaction, representatives of

different cultures face the following problem areas

(Uzunalova, 2020):

1. Eye contact.

Direct eye contact, perceived as a sign of

confidence in the West, can be misinterpreted by

Middle Eastern and Asian cultures, who are more

likely to perceive it as rude and bad manners. In

addition, in some countries of the East there is a

gender etiquette of eye contact.

2. Touch.

Physical contact is used both in business

environments, usually in the form of handshakes, and

in interpersonal communication, however, in some

cultures, this kind of interaction will be unacceptable

and will be replaced by an acceptable alternative in

this environment. For example: bow in Asian

countries.

3. Gestures.

As a rule, people working in many countries of the

world keep gestures to a minimum, since the

interpretation of the same gesture can be

diametrically different in different cultural spaces.

The most common gesture in the world is the nod, but

even that is extremely ambiguous.

4. Distance.

The rule of thumb here, no matter where in the

world you are, is to give people more space than you

think they might need. Closer interactions are

recommended by invitation only. People in different

cultures view physical distance differently. However,

it is best to never enter your personal space. Unless

it's personal intimacy, many people are

uncomfortable with it. This can be expressed in

excessive stiffness and interfere with the achievement

of the goal of communication (Uzunalova, 2020).

When considering interpersonal boundaries, what is a

comfortable distance for members of one cultural

group may feel like tightness in relation to members

of another. Research shows that in general, four

spatial zones can be distinguished: intimate, personal,

social and public. The intimate area is reserved for the

people closest to you, such as family, close friends,

and the emotional situation. Its width is up to 50

centimeters. The personal zone is intended for the

closest friends, some acquaintances and colleagues.

Its value is from 50 to 120 cm. The social zone is most

pronounced during large events, such as corporate

parties. Finally, the largest area is the public one.

When any of these zones are disturbed, it can lead to

anxiety or discomfort (Andreeva, 2017).

5. Facial expression.

The expression of basic emotions and states, such

as joy, sadness, delight, surprise, is universal for all

TLLIC 2022 - I INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE "ACTUAL ISSUES OF LINGUISTICS, LINGUODIDACTICS AND

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION"

countries of the world. The stumbling block here is

the degree of expression. Too obvious demonstration

of the internal state through facial expressions may be

the norm for some regions and completely

inappropriate for others.

6. Pose.

Again, the traditional route is the best route. Don't

slouch when you sit, and don't sit cross-legged.

Address people when they are talking to you and nod

enough to show that you are paying attention to what

they are saying. Be mindful of where you sit in

meetings—some cultures have a strict hierarchy of

who should sit where.

7. Extralinguistic techniques or paralanguage.

Paralanguage refers to communication that

sounds, but not through words. This includes tone of

voice, volume, speech rate, and intonation.

Paralanguage is the key to understanding the context

or meaning of the words used. It is important to keep

these issues in mind and understand that they are

indistinguishable in emails and texts, so you need to

be very careful when choosing words in the Internet

space (Bolotskaya).

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The role played by gestures in human communication

has long been of interest to scientists. Two thousand

years ago, Cicero taught speakers to gesticulate

correctly, and the first gesture dictionary, apparently,

belonged to the Roman rhetor Quintilian, who lived

in the first century BC. If we turn to times closer to

us, then we can name the books of John Boliver,

published in 1664, which are devoted to sign

language: Chirology, or Natural Sign Language and

Chironomia, or the Art of Rhetoric of the Hands.

Boliver was the first to compile tables (from those

known in European countries) with the

systematization of signs of expressive gestures.

Subsequently, the knowledge of human expressive

movements was significantly advanced by Charles

Darwin's book “The Expression of Emotions by

Animals and Man”, published in 1872. Julius Fast

published his work in 1970. In it, he summed up the

work of behavioral scientists in the field of non-

verbal communication. But even today, many people

are completely unaware of the existence of body

language, not to mention the important role that

language plays in their own lives.To immerse

yourself in the problem of non-verbal communication

in an intercultural environment, you need to

understand what it is. The term “non-verbal

communication” is commonly understood as a type of

communication through facial expressions, gestures,

pantomime, sensory and bodily contacts

(Esmurzaeva, 2008). Consider the main means of

non-verbal interaction.

Visual (the leading analyzer is the optical system

of the eye) - eye contact, direction of gaze, capturing

the body movements of the interlocutor.

Kinesthetic - physical contact with the

interlocutor (pat, handshake, etc.).

Skin - hyperemia, sweating.

Extralinguistic - coughing, breathing techniques,

laughter.

The main purpose of this type of communication

is to establish psychological contact between the

interlocutors, the regulation of communication, its

emotional enrichment.

All means of non-verbal communication in

psychology are combined into 3 groups:

a) kinetic (facial expressions, posture, gestures)

b) phonation (timbre, tempo, pauses, etc.)

c) graphic (can be traced in written speech).

Main part: Let's take a closer look at some of them

(Kolabinova, 2011). Facial expressions play an

important role in interpersonal communication. It is a

movement of the facial muscles of the face in order to

express various kinds of emotions. The properties of

facial expressions are individually colored and vary

depending on the individual. It can be mobile - a

dynamic, lively change in the state of the face;

sedentary - an inert change of facial expressions,

which usually characterizes a fairly constant and

reasonable person; facial expressions with a rare

change of forms, inherent in somewhat melancholic

faces, and conjugated facial expressions, which is a

symbiosis of individual expressions. The most

important category of facial expressions is the gaze,

through which the entire spectrum of internal and

external experiences is transmitted. “The eyes are the

mirror of the soul,” says a well-known folk wisdom.

The specificity of intercultural communication

lies in the fact that the choice of a particular language

system does not imply that, along with the language,

the communicant, for whom this language is not

native, will adhere to the appropriate communicative

style. In other words, a Russian speaking English with

a foreigner will not necessarily adhere to the non-

verbal norms of communication accepted in the

English linguistic culture. Most often, even if there is

a switch in verbal communication codes, there is no

switch in stylistic and non-verbal codes. This creates

certain risks, since for an English interlocutor, the

choice of his native language for communication

determines the system of expectations from the non-

linguistic side of communication: the choice of a

Nonverbal Communication in Intercultural Environment

phatic strategy, the nature of non-verbal

communication, etc. A Russian, speaking English,

can continue the communicative behavior

characteristic of his linguistic culture, which under

certain circumstances can deceive the interlocutor's

expectations. The same effect can also occur when a

Russian, speaking English with an Englishman,

makes purely linguistic errors (lexical, grammatical,

etc.): they catch the eye of a native speaker, which

spoils the overall impression of communication,

creates comic situations, sometimes hindering the

achievement of the set communicative goal.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Speech (verbal) communication is accompanied by

various kinds of non-verbal actions that help to

understand and comprehend the message. Therefore,

the perception of information from representatives of

other cultures largely depends on the understanding

of the so-called language of non-verbal

communication. If you do not know the language

spoken by your interlocutor well, you begin to more

closely monitor his intonation, gestures, facial

expressions, posture and, in the end, perceive, if not a

large, then the necessary part of the information that

he seeks to convey to you. Therefore, knowledge of

the language of non-verbal communication is

necessary for effective interaction with

representatives of other cultures. It is necessary to

separate non-verbal communication on the basis of

intentionality / unintentionality. Not every non-verbal

sign is intentional (we sneeze or blush not because we

want to, these are unintentional actions, but in the

same way we can inadvertently approach and move

away from the interlocutor, touch him). Based on the

signs of intentionality/unintentionality of nonverbal

communication, three types of nonverbal means can

be distinguished: 1) behavioral signs caused by

physiological reactions: blanching or redness, as well

as sweating from excitement, trembling from cold or

fear, etc.; 2) unintentional signs, the use of which is

associated with human habits (they are sometimes

called self-adapters): scratching the nose, swinging

the leg for no reason, biting the lips, etc .; 3) proper

communicative signs: signals that convey

information about an object, event or state. Speaking

of non-verbal communication, we will primarily

mean those phenomena that either serve as intentional

signals (for example, a wink, a handshake), or can

potentially be regarded by the interlocutor as

intentional (for example, a change in distance or

touch).

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TLLIC 2022 - I INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE "ACTUAL ISSUES OF LINGUISTICS, LINGUODIDACTICS AND

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION"