American and Arab Verbal and Non-Verbal Behavior - Research Paper Example

Differences and Similarities between American Verbal and Non-Verbal Behavior and That of Arabs There are many similarities and differences between American and Arab verbal and non-verbal behavior and this is based on the differences of culture between them. These are cultures which have developed under different conditions and circumstances and it is because of this that some gestures or terms from one culture can be mistaken for something else in the other culture. However, there are also quite a number of similarities between these cultures which one would find to be surprising. It has therefore become essential for these similarities and differences to be studied so that there can be better understanding between individuals from both cultures when interacting. In both American and Arab cultures, it is generally acceptable to stare unswervingly into one another’s eyes when conversing. This is because in both cultures, direct eye contact is a means of displaying sincerity, informality, and equality between those individuals having a conversation. In both cultures, when an individual does not have direct eye contact during a conversation, shifting and avoiding meeting the eyes of the person who is addressing him, this is considered to be bad manners (Kharkhurin 226). This is because it is interpreted as a sign of disinterest in conversation or that the individual is doing so because he is deceptive. While a lack of direct eye contact may be a sign of humility and respect in other cultures, in both American and Arab cultures, this is normally not the case, and in most cases, people from these two cultures often find this behavior to be disturbing (Aprahamian et al 80). However, in Arab culture it is considered to be inappropriate to have direct eye contact when having a conversation with a member of the opposite sex, and such contact is normally kept at a minimum. This is a culture which is concerned with maintaining the social hierarchy as well as some distance between the men and women in the society (Wardeh 192). Such is not the case in American culture because of the ideals of equality between men and women and the fact that men and women in this culture tend to work side by side in their daily lives. In the American culture, nodding of the head it considered to be a sign of acknowledgement or acceptance but this is not normally the case in Arab culture where nodding can be used to get different meanings. For example, in Arab culture, nodding can be interpreted in two ways; nodding down is a sign of acknowledgement while nodding up is usually interpreted as a sign of disagreement (Staal 732). This is not the case in American culture where nodding in general means acknowledgement and similar to Arab culture, it may also mean that an individual is listening intently to the conversation. In both cultures, silence is normally a sign of disagreement and it is normal for an individual to nod but keep silent when being addressed as a sign of showing that although he or she is listening, he does not agree with what the speaker is saying (Fitzgerald 63). Nodding is one of the basic behaviors of Americans when having a conversation and while it is common among Americans, this gesture might be misinterpreted by people from other cultures. Nodding, while it is used to a certain extent in Arab culture, is not an essential part of communication in this culture, with a preference being for an individual to express acknowledgement verbally. When one considers body language, it is a fact that most Americans tend to be more or less expressive, gesturing without restraint in certain instances but seeming restrained when contrasted to Arab culture. To an American, the exaggerated use of gestures by an individual might be mistaken for a high level of excitability or distress and it will be responded to accordingly (Kipp et al 162). This is not the case among Arabs who are a very expressive people and who use gestures during their conversations to emphasize what they are saying, or the message that they are attempting to communicate. Thus, if a person uses vigorous gestures throughout a conversation with an Arab, this is most likely not to be noticed since such behavior is a part of Arab culture and to have a conversation without them would seem odd. The use of fewer gestures, however, might be interpreted as a lack of interest in the conversation and this might be considered offensive by an Arab. Under such circumstances, especially when negotiating a business deal, it is possible that it will fail since the Arab negotiator might take offense (Gould 45). However, the use of gestures during conversations is an essential part of making conversation in both American and Arab cultures and this, it can be said, is the reason why people from these cultures might be surprised if an individual makes conversation without even a hint of a gesture. The use of humor, smiles and laughter are acceptable features of both American and Arab cultures when making conversation. However, one has to be careful concerning the extent of the use of humor when making a conversation with an Arab. What is considered funny in the American context, such as poking fun at oneself or at an Arab, might not be interpreted as funny by the latter (Nassar-McMillan and Hakim-Larson 159). In fact, an Arab might take offense at what the American’s attempt at humor. The same might be considered true of an Arab attempting to translate a joke into English, since it will most likely lose its context. The differences in how humor is used tend to be based on the cultural background of the people involved. This is especially seen in American culture where people are highly individualistic and confident, and this tends to make them make humor which is might be considered to be aggressive or an attempt to establish dominance by an Arab. Among Arabs, where close attention is normally paid to the preservation of the dignity of all the people involved during a conversation, the individualistic nature of Americans during conversations can be confusing (Attar-Schwartz and Khoury-Kassabri 160). While to an American, poking fun at oneself during a conversation would be taken for granted, to an Arab, it would be confused for aggression and this might lead to a loss of trust for the American, since his or her intentions would come to question. Such an instance would result in the breaking down of the trust that was present at the beginning of the conversation, especially to an Arab, as a result of the misunderstanding developed from cultural differences. In conclusion, it can be said that there are many differences, in addition to the ones named above, which are prevalent in both American and Arab verbal and nonverbal behavior. The ways through which the people of these cultures behave are at times similar and at times different. However, it should be recognized that there are certain verbal and nonverbal behaviors which are universal in both of these cultures and it is these which can be said to be a uniting factor among them. Among these is the fact that both of these cultures recognize the need of courteousness especially when having a conversation with a person who is older and more experienced. This is especially true in the Arab culture where older people and the elderly are always held in high esteem and any form of disrespect aimed at the, whether verbal or nonverbal, is often considered to be the highest form of impertinence. Thus, it can be said that while there are some similarities between Arab and American cultures, the former tend to be more conservative in their practices than the latter. Works Cited Aprahamian, Mireille, et al. "The Relationship between Acculturation and Mental Health of Arab Americans." Journal of Mental Health Counseling 33.1 (2011): 80-92. Attar-Schwartz, Shalhevet, and Mona Khoury-Kassabri. "Indirect Versus Verbal Forms of Victimization at School: The Contribution of Student, Family, and School Variables." Social work research 32.3 (2008): 159-70. Fitzgerald, Thomas K. Metaphors of Identity: A Culture-Communication Dialogue. New York: Suny Press, 1993. Gould, Miriam Robinson. "Arab Folklore: A Handbook." Voices 34.3 (2008): 45-6. Kharkhurin, Anatoliy V. "Bilingual Verbal and Nonverbal Creative Behavior." The International Journal of Bilingualism 14.2 (2010): 211, 226, 275. Kipp, Michael et al. Multimodal Corpora. New York: Springer, 2009. Nassar-McMillan, Sylvia, and Julie Hakim-Larson. "Counseling Considerations among Arab Americans." Journal of Counseling and Development : JCD 81.2 (2003): 150-9. Staal, Mark A.. "Assessing Iraqi Arab Personality using the Nonverbal Personality Questionnaire." Military medicine 177.6 (2012): 732-9. Wardeh, Nadia M. "From Ali Ahmad Said to Adonis: A Study of Adoniss Controversial Position on Arab Cultural Heritage (Turath)." Asian Culture and History 2.2 (2010): 189-212. Read More