Nonverbal messages play an important and significant role in the world of communication. There are many factors included in nonverbal communication, such as how you present your body, to how much eye contact you perceive, the way you express your facial features, the amount of space you leave between you and another person, and so much more. While communication is mostly verbal, nonverbal, on the other hand, can be seen as a support mechanism for all verbal communication.
In many different cultures,
nonverbal communication has a lot of connotations. For example, sitting close
to someone in one culture may indicate attraction, while in other cultures, it
could be preferred, even among strangers. Smiling, on the one hand, could be
interpreted as friendly and inviting in some places but for other places it
could be considered rude and/or inconsiderate. Despite these differences, it is
still important to not only learn but to also understand the nonverbal language
of different cultures for various reasons.
First and foremost, understanding
nonverbal language helps others to understand what you’re saying. For instance,
if you’re saying something that is important to know and you’re using serious
facial expressions and direct gestures, that can help someone to listen
carefully to what you have to say. Additionally, smiling and nodding your head
approvingly could communicate friendliness.
Body language and how you present
yourself physically can also help communicate nonverbally as well. It displays
a sense of confidence, which could be seen as attractive. By portraying that
confidence, one may have their shoulders back, head up, and make direct eye
contact. Additionally, it can help make a positive first impression. When
meeting someone new for the first time, first impressions are everything.
That’s why it is important to present yourself with the upmost formality to
gain a sense of trustworthiness through your body language and nonverbal cues.
When understanding nonverbal
communication, it can be a lot harder to depict the meaning of what someone is
trying to portray. A more common and potent obstacle in comprehending nonverbal
communication is cultural differences. Each culture has its own set of
gestures, facial expressions, and body language. Misinterpretations are
commonly known to arise in any culturally specific nonverbal cues. For example,
while a thumbs-up is generally considered a positive sign, especially in
western societies, it is viewed as offensive in some middle eastern regions.
While some barriers could be apart
from a whole culture, some could be seen as more individualistic. For instance,
some people could be more reserved or stoic than others, which could make their
nonverbal communication less expressive, often leading to misinterpretations by
others.
Social etiquette rules:
Before visiting a country, it is important to learn the culture’s social etiquette rules to appear respectful and obey by their customs. One of the most important nonverbal communication rules that I learned about Belgium is that when it comes to gestures and introducing people it is somewhat different than most cultures. For example, Belgians have the highest regard for formality and when it comes to greetings, they entail a great amount of it. Usually, a brief handshake is the most common greeting among people who don’t know each other very well. Once the relationship has developed though, three kisses on the cheek may replace the handshake. Specifically, it is more of air kisses rather than on the actual cheek and they start on the left cheek and alternate from then on. A little side note but the men never kiss other men; they always shake hands.
Apart of Belgium culture, is the
way that they appear to one another. For instance, appearances are important to
Belgians, they take pride in their cleanliness. They are often seen washing the
pavement or steps in front of their house or even sweeping the street. Not only
that, but Belgians take pride in their homes, and to be seen with overgrown
hedges or untidy gardens would disgrace their family and insult their neighbor.
In most Belgium societies, no one wants to be that person that doesn’t keep up with
all the demands that is expected in this culture because that would leave that
person to be disgraced and let alone embarrassed.
When it comes to personal space, it
can vary depending on the relationship between individuals and the context of
the situation. Many Belgians value their personal space and would prefer to
maintain a comfortable distance of at least an arm’s length when interacting
with others. The same goes with physical contact and how handshakes are a
common way to show respect and establish a relationship, while hugs and kisses
are reserved for more close friends and family members.
Being from the U.S. the cultural
norm of touch is relatively alike the physical contact norms in Belgium. For
example, both cultures use handshakes as a common way to introduce people in
professional and causal settings but still reserve those hugs and light touches
to close friends and family. With that, I would have no problem being
comfortable in this culture with this value that Belgium believes in as it is
often similar to the one that I grew up with in the United States.
When it comes to how a country
organizes time it’s important to understand if it is a monochronic or
polychronic culture. With Belgium, they tend to be more of a monochronic
culture as punctuality is highly regarded in Belgium, whether it’s for
meetings, appointments, or social gatherings. Belgians are often encouraged to
arrive on time which demonstrates respect for others’ schedules and
commitments.
Furthermore, it’s important to be
able to understand how each country organizes time because every single one
does it a bit differently and by knowing that it can help you know some of the
expectations that are expected in each culture. Additionally, it also shows
that you’re respectful to their culture because while visiting another country,
you are on time and should be expected to adjust to their norms and living
conditions while you're there.
References:
https://belgium-travel.com/cultural-manners-and-taboos/#On_time
https://excellentetiquette.com/social-etiquette-belgium/#12_Respect_Personal_Space_and_Limit_Physical_Contact
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