Analysis of Differences of Nonverbal Communication between Chinese and American 浅析中美非语言交际差异.docVIP

Analysis of Differences of Nonverbal Communication between Chinese and American I. Introduction Human communication is usually divided first into verbal and nonverbal systems. We communicate more than we say. Actually, in everyday life, we spend a considerable amount of time on nonverbal communication. In addition, we receive much of our emotional meanings through nonverbal elements. Mehrabian, observing how feeling is transmitted in messages, found that as much as 93 percent of emotional meaning is transmitted nonverbally (Hickson Stacks, 1989: 6). Most researchers believe that Mehrabians 93 percent figure may be a little high, but at the same time, they do accept the relatively high impact of nonverbal communication. Another statistic figured out by Birdwhistells and Philpotts approximations, said that nonverbal communication accounts for 60 to 70 percent of what we communicate to one another (Tubbs Moss, 1991:137). It should be noted that this statistic has been widely accepted and reported by most contemporary nonverbal communication books. Since only about 30% of what is communicated in a conversation is verbal, nonverbal communication is of great significance. Whether we are truly successful communicators or not depends a lot on our awareness of the role that nonverbal communication played and our ability to use nonverbal skills appropriately. We should note that although many cultures share some nonverbal behaviors, nonverbal codes are influenced by culture. Cultural differences in nonverbal communication sometimes can lead to misunderstandings. With increasing contact between China and America, a better understanding between both cultures is of growing importance. Nonverbal communication influences how individuals from these two cultures interact and understand or misunderstand each other. Therefore, an understanding of the differences is vital for building harmonious relationships. The thesis is designed to help readers understand and appreciate the dif