Introduction to

1
Lecture 6

• Introduction to
• Non-verbal Communication,
• and the
• Concept of Time in Culture

2
Field of Nonverbal Communication

• Following are some of the areas in which
  nonverbal communication is studied
• Time (chronemics)
• Distance behavior (proxemics)
• Touching behavior (haptics)
• Body behavior (kinesics)
• Physical qualities
• Appearance
• Artifacts
• Environmental factors
• Paralanguage

3
Overview of NVC

• Estimated that only about 30 to 45 of what is
  communicated in a conversation is verbal (coming
  from the voice and words themselves).
• This is based on two persons from the same
  culture speaking their native language.
• The other 55 to 70 comes from NVC.
• Upon hearing nonverbal communication most
  people envision gestures and body language.
• But, nonverbal communication is so much more than
  that and so very complicated,

4
Characteristics of NVC (compared to verbal)

• Many people do not realize nonverbal
  communication differs in each culture.
• No dictionaries of nonverbal behavior.
• Cannot ask someone to repeat a nonverbal
  behavior.
• Generally difficult to hide ones nonverbal
  behavior.

5
Time Orientations

• Cultures can be categorized in terms of how they
  perceive that time is related to human life.
• 3 types
• Past orientation
• Present orientation
• Future orientation
• All cultures must have a concept for all three of
  these, but it appears that one of these three
  tends to dominate in each particular culture.

6

• Past Orientation common in cultures
• where tradition is very important.
• that worship ancestors or place an emphasize on
  strong family ties. (many Asian countries)
• where aristocracy is important (Great Britain,
  Japan)
• Present Orientation common in cultures
• where people pay very little attention to what
  has occurred in the past or what might happen in
  the future.
• The past is seen as unimportant and the future is
  seen as vague and unpredictable.
• Future Orientation common in cultures
• where change is highly valued. The future is
  generally viewed as bigger and better. Being
  old-fashion is not a good thing. (i.e. United
  States)

7
Time Patterns

• In addition time orientations, people also
  develop patterns for doing certain things (i.e.
  sleeping, eating, arriving for meetings, etc.),
  as well as how many things it is appropriate to
  do at the same time.
• Two way of categorizing
• Monochronic
• Polychronic

8
Monochronic Time Pattern

• Involves compartmentalization of time.
• Schedule events, see or do things one at a time
• Use agendas during meetings
• Must wait ones turn
• At a party, things are organized and planned to
  the minute. Order is important.
• Japanese, White American and most Western
  Europeans tend to be in this pattern.
• Relatively speaking, cultures with low levels of
  involvement among their people

9
Polychronic Time Pattern

• Does not involve compartmentalization.
• People tend to do several activities at the same
  time in an interwoven manner.
• Lack of schedules.
• At a party, people constantly come and go as they
  please.
• Afro-American, Latin America, Middle Eastern,
  East Indian, Malaysian, Chinese tend to be in
  this pattern.
• Relatively speaking, cultures with high levels of
  involvement among their people