Disscusion Q 2: Cultural Nonverbal Communication

A number one nonverbal message that has an interesting variation between many countries and cultures is the smile. Many cultures frown upon smiling (no pun intended). While others naturally incorporate it all the time. Some cultures view smiling as a sign of shallowness. Many asian cultures do their best to suppress as much facial expression as possible. Eye contact is another nonverbal message that varies in many cultures. America sees eye contact as a sign of respect and Arabic cultures see prolonged eye contact as a sign of respect, while Japan, Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean avoid eye contact out of respect. I can see where people who aren't aware of these cultural differences may take offense if they have an experience where these cultural variations come into play. For example, when thinking about the differences of "touch" which is another form of nonverbal communication,  look at the miscommunication between cultures in America. If an African American man went into a business ran by an asian culture, he might get a little annoyed when the woman puts his change on the counter instead of handing it to him. Although in many asian cultures, people don't usually touch strangers, especially of the opposite sex, the man may see it as another example of discrimination. Therefore, I believe it is so important for people to educate themselves on the differences between cultures.