Today we are going to take a small break and have a guest blogger. She is the writer of the blog Schizohuman and was kind enough to be my guest blogger. Take a look at her blog after you read this if you are interested in Schizophrenia. She has allot of information on the subject.
Guest Post: A look at Cultures
In one’s culture, different types of behavior can be considered insulting to another person from another culture. Because of this, understanding how different cultures work can be a tough subject to wrap one’s head around.
According to Adler and Proctor II (2007), non-verbal gestures have different meanings in various cultures, and we tend to filter others’ behaviors through our own by our backgrounds. “Cultural background also influences the way we interpret others’ emotions as well as the way we express our own” (2007).
Relating to Schizohuman, this makes it hard for those with mental disorders; any unintentional behavior from these disorders could be misinterpreted as offensive.
For example, if a person has catatonic symptoms of schizophrenia such as lack of movement or speech, a person from a culture that values eye contact and engagement in conversation might think it as inattentive or boredom.
Basic South Korean Nonverbal Gestures
In South Korea, many basic gestures are valued in communication. Simon and Martina of the Eat Your Kimchi website demonstrate in a podcast the appropriate and inappropriate gestures South Koreans use. Some are listed here.
Appropriate gestures:
- When calling attention to someone, all fingers in had must be used and pointing down towards the ground.
- When receiving a gift or object, both hands must be used when taking the object as a sign of respect
Inappropriate gestures:
- When calling to someone, it is insulting to use the index finger for pointing or beckoning.
- When calling to someone, it is insulting to have the fingers pointing upwards, even if using all fingers at once.
- When receiving a gift or object, it is insulting to use one hand.
Hand gestures and other nonverbal communication are important in any culture. It is vital to understand that gestures that are acceptable in one culture are not always accepted as appropriate in another. Learning the ways and communications of others cultures can help one understand their own culture and how it interacts with other people.
References:
(2011). In Eat Your Kimchi. Retrieved April 30, 2012, from http://www.eatyourkimchi.com/how-to-use-korean-hand-gestures/
Adler, R. B., & Proctor II, R. F. (2007). Looking Out, Looking In (12th ed., pp. 209-210). Mason: Thomson Wadsworth.
