Cultural Differences in Body Language and Universal Facial Expressions

Recognising cultural differences in interpersonal skills is essential to maintaining effective communication, within both the political and the global business worlds.

The late Edward T. Hall, a renowned social anthropologist, believed that more than 65% of social messages are shared through non-verbal communications, such as body language and facial expressions.

Cultural differences in body language

Master these five basic, non-verbal communication tools:

  1. Head nodding – We are familiar with nodding our head to indicate ‘yes’ and shaking our head from side to side to indicate ‘no’. And this interpretation is in most cases correct. However, in Bulgaria, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Albania for example, the reverse is true and nodding the head indicates “no”.
  2. Eye contact – A certain length of eye contact is considered polite in western cultures whilst refusing eye contact or dropping one’s eyes can be seen as impolite, untruthful or sly. In Japan, China and the Australian Indigenous peoples, however, eye contact can be seen as disrespectful or as a direct challenge to superiors or elders.
  3. Hand gestures – We interpret the OK gesture – a circle made with thumb and index finger and other fingers fanned or outstretched, as meaning “everything is alright” in many western countries. In Brazil, Russia, Germany and the Middle East, however, it is an offensive gesture. Beckoning with a curled finger can get you arrested in the Philippines and is seen as rude in China, Malaysia and Singapore.
  4. Touching – Shaking hands is practically a universal greeting, although Asian cultures still prefer to bow. In Arab cultures, religious instructions dictate that the left hand is not to be used for touching or eating. Touching the head, as with a child, is seen as a friendly gesture in western cultures but is inappropriate in many Asian cultures.
  5. Signals – In the Netherlands and Poland, tapping the centre of your forehead with your index finger indicates “craziness”, Italians use the back of their hand rather than their index finger, whilst tapping the forehead in Russia indicates intelligence.

NOTE: The best way to answer that nagging question about practice growth or marketing or patient volume in the back of your mind is to book a free 15-minute compatibility call. Get some options and go away with a clear idea of what’s possible.

Cultural differences in Facial expressions

In his groundbreaking research, Paul Ekman, an American Psychologist pioneered the study of facial expressions and created a montage of more than 10,000 different expressions.

He showed facial photographs to people in twenty different western cultures and eleven different isolated and pre-literate African groups. Results indicated that 95% of western respondents and 92% of African respondents were able to identify happy expressions; disgust and contempt showed similar findings.

In general, there are seven different facial expressions that correspond to distinct universal facial emotions:

  • Happiness: Raising and lowering of mouth corners, cheeks raised, and muscles around the eyes are tightened.
  • Sadness: lowering of mouth corners and raising an inner portion of brows.
  • Surprise: Arching of brows, eyelids pulled up and sclera exposed, mouth open.
  • Fear: Brows arched and pulled together, eyes wide open, mouth slightly open.
  • Disgust: Eyebrows lowered, upper lip raised, nose wrinkled, cheeks raised.
  • Anger: Brows lowered, eyes bulging, lips pressed firmly.
  • Rest: none of the above. Well-honed interpersonal skills are non-negotiable for anyone in a client- or patient-facing role.

Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

If you want more information concerning cultural differences, universal facial expressions or improving interpersonal skills within your medical business – email us at info@liveseysolar.com or fill in the enquiry form – we are happy to help.

About the author

Rod Solar
Founder & Scalable Business Advisor / fCMO

Rod Solar is a co-founder of LiveseySolar and a Scalable Business Advisor for its customers. Rod mentors and coaches eye surgery business CEOs/Founders and their leadership teams to triple their sales, double their profit, and achieve their “ideal exit”.

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Rod Solar

Founder & Scalable Business Advisor

Rod Solar is a co-founder of LiveseySolar and a Scalable Business Advisor / fCMO for our customers. Rod mentors and coaches CEOs/Founders and their leadership teams to double their sales, triple their profits, and achieve their “ideal exit”.

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Laura Livesey is the co-founder & CEO of LiveseySolar. She has developed powerful refractive surgery marketing systems that increase patient volumes and profits for doctors, clinics, and hospitals, since 1997.

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