148 Essential Skills for Health Careers Success
Gender Differences in Nonverbal
Communication
Studies have shown that men and women differ in their use of non-
verbal communication. Women use facial expressions to express emotion
more often than men. Women are more likely to smile and use facial and
body expressions to show friendliness. Men do not smile as much. Women
may demonstrate more friendly nonverbal cues, but their posture tends to
be tenser than men’s. Men seem more relaxed and will use more gestures,
whereas women tend to rely more on verbal communication.
Women tend not to stare, while men use staring to challenge a power-
ful person. Men will often wait for the other person to turn away from an
initial gaze, whereas women are more likely to avert their eyes. The dif-
ferences in nonverbal signals between men and women further add to the
complexity of communication.
Cultural Differences in Nonverbal
Communication
Hand and arm gestures, touch, and eye contact (or lack of eye contact)
are some aspects of nonverbal communication that can vary signifi cantly
depending on a person’s cultural background. Of course, it is important to
remember that, within cultures, there is great variation in communication.
This discussion can be used to guide you in your communication so that
you do not needlessly offend someone.
Gestures
Some gestures commonly used in the United States may be offensive
to someone from another culture. An example of this is the use of a fi nger
or hand to indicate for someone to “come here”. In some cultures, this ges-
ture may be used to call dogs. Pointing with one fi nger is not done in some
Asian cultures and may be considered rude. Some cultures use the entire
hand to point to something.
Touch
In the United States, it is common for someone to pat a child’s head
as an affectionate gesture. However, in some Asian cultures, this might be
considered inappropriate because they believe the head to be a sacred part
of the body. In many Muslim cultures, touch between persons of the oppo-
site sex who are not related is inappropriate.
Eye Contact
In Western culture, direct eye contact is understood as being attentive
and honest. In many cultures (Hispanic, Asian, and Middle Eastern for