leaning forward to“communicate”that you are comfortable with him or her. Some-
thing as simple as walking can also send messages. Americans, particularly males, tend
to walk in a manner that is distinct from most other cultures. Stevenson highlights
this distinguishing gait thusly:“We walk big—swinging arms, letting our legs amble
wide—in a manner that’s fitting for folks from a country with plenty of empty space.
Citizens of densely populated Europe exhibit a far more compact posture, with elbows
and knees tucked tight and arm swings restrained.”^41
In attempting to understand the influence of body movement, a few points need
clarification. First, in most instances, the messages the body generates operate in com-
bination with other messages in somewhat instantaneous fashion. People may greet a
friend by smiling, saying“hello,”and even hugging all at the same time.
Richmond, McCroskey, and Hickson summarize this“multidimensional”notion of
kinesics in the following:
Researchers have studied these motions from many perspectives, but most nonverbal scholars
today agree that it is virtually meaningless, and probably inappropriate, to study kinesic
behaviors apart from their contexts. It is rare that a particular body movement symbolizes a
specific message outside the restrictive environs of the context or culture where it occurs.^42
Second, it is often difficult to control kinesic behavior. In most instances, you have at
least a fraction of a second to think about what you are going to say, but a great deal of
body action is spontaneous and linked to the moment. If you are hiking with friends and
without any warning, see a rattlesnake at your feet, your movements are certainly not
calculated but instead are controlled by adrenalin. Finally, there are thousands of distinct
physical signs that a person can make. Therefore, any attempt at cataloging them would
be both frustrating and fruitless. Our basic purpose is to point out that although all people
use movements to communicate, culture teaches them how to use and interpret the
movements. In the upcoming sections, we look at a few cultural differences in a person’s
(1) posture and (2) movements (gestures) that convey ideas and feelings.Body movements
can transmit both
intentional and
unintentional
messages.
© Kathleen K. Parker308 CHAPTER 9•Nonverbal Communication: The Messages of Action, Space, Time, and Silence
Copyright 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).