Question #6 Nonverbal behavior can be influenced by gender, culture, and media cues that may cause people to misunderstand each other. Explore the ways you rely on nonverbal cues when communicating with others. How much do you depend on the actual words used in a conversation versus the tone, Facial expressions, gestures, and mannerisms of the conversationalists? Do you think your nonverbal behavior is influence by your gender? Explain.
Misunderstandings happen to everyone, I see it happening due to gender, culture, and media every day. I rely on nonverbal communication, everyday but nonverbal behaviors for me are the number one cause of misunderstandings. When communicating with a person in everyday life, I don’t depend on the actual word. I am always listening for tone and looking for facial expressions, gestures, and mannerisms of the person I am talking with. I feel that the number one difference in nonverbal behavior is influenced by the person’s gender; I say this because it’s okay for women to make specific nonverbal behaviors versus man can’t make the same ones, which women can.
When communicating with family and friends nonverbal communication is natural and part of your culture, and for the most part there aren’t any misunderstandings. For example, I know when my father has had a bad day at work by the way he is walking, and then I just let him be. Or when I am with one of my good friends, Roxy at a party and she gives me a sideways glance I know it’s time to leave or something bad going to happen. When communicating in a public with co-workers or strangers nonverbal communications can be misunderstood very easily. For example, when you are having a communication at the supermarket with the cashier if you give them a sideway glance it’s a little awkward, no matter what gender and the cashier can get the wrong impression. There are things that family and friends will always know about you and understand but co-workers or strangers won’t understand.
Location of where a person is from is a key to understanding their nonverbal communication. In America it’s okay to shake with your left hand but in Middle East it isn’t okay to shake with your left hand. In the Middle East is a sign of disrespect. If I was to travel across the word, I would have to learn the type of communication that goes on in the country I am visiting. I rely on nonverbal communication every day, for example when I am in a line at the bank I wait for a cashier to make eye contacted to let me know that it’s my turn. Nonverbal communication is everywhere and for the most part is so natural you don’t always realize you are doing nonverbal communication.
Verbal communication is just as important as nonverbal communication. When I am communicating with someone I am listening for the tone I their voice, tones say everything about how they feel about you and how they communicate. For example when my boyfriend gets home from school, I ask him how his day was and I don’t listen to actual words, I am always listening to see what tone he has. The tone tells me if his day was bad or good and if he is mad, happy, or sad. When talking with a co-worker I listen for their tone but also look for their facial expressions, gestures, and mannerisms. All of those things tell me what is going on with them. For example after a co-worker meets with the boss I know it went bad if their tone in their voice got weaker, if their trying to hold a smile, if they are moving more quickly and if they are holding back. Those things are more powerful than their actual word. Think of someone doing all those things but tell you everything went great with the boss. I feel that tones, facial expressions, gestures, and mannerisms are more important than actual words.
In America gender plays a big role in nonverbal communication, what is acceptable for women to do and what is acceptable for men to do differs. If a man gives a dirty look, no one thinks twice about but if a woman gives a dirty look, we all think what up her ass? In the work place, if something happens and someone wants to comfort them it’s okay for a woman to rub the top of someone’s be it a girl or boys back, but it’s okay for a man to only pat the top of someone back. Those are pretty much the same gestures with the same meaning behind them but it’s completely different for the different genders. Its okay for high five at sporting events for all genders but if a woman gives a high five for any other event, it’s just not natural. Men can give a high five any time and it is not weird. In the end gender makes a difference with nonverbal communication. I feel the American culture let it happen. As a young child you’re taught that girls are girls and boys are boys. Boys are given cars to play with and girls are given dolls. It’s America’s nature to see man as man and woman as woman.
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