Against the widespread belief that facial expressions are universally understood, I argue that smiling is a socially and culturally dependent phenomenon. The awareness of the perception and appropriateness of smiling in another society can be crucial to communicating successfully in an intercultural situation.
This paper first gives a theoretical overview of the topic, followed by a brief glimpse of the evolution of smiling. Then, attention is given to the exploration of smiling in different cultures. Furthermore, the connection between smiling, gender and power relations is displayed. Before concluding, the impact of lying on smiling is discussed.
Work completed under the supervision of Dr Dorottya Holló in fulfilment of the requirements of the Module Intercultural Communication, Eötvös Loránd University, 2018.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Scientific Background
3. The evolution of smiling
4. Smiling in different cultures
5. Power relations and gender
6. Lying
7. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper explores the multifaceted nature of smiling as a non-verbal communication tool, challenging the common misconception that facial expressions are universally understood. The central research question examines how social and cultural factors, alongside power dynamics and gender, influence the perception and appropriateness of smiling in intercultural interactions.
- Cultural dependency of facial expressions and the "WEIRD" society bias.
- Evolutionary roots of smiling vs. socially learned behavior.
- Comparative analysis of smiling norms across different high-context and low-context cultures.
- The influence of gender roles and power structures on non-verbal communication.
- Techniques for detecting deception and the role of "FACS" in decoding human smiles.
Excerpt from the Book
4. Smiling in different cultures
Although body language is a universal cultural phenomenon, the cues to understanding it are not universal and are therefore culture-bound (Bernstein, 2017). Especially with the case of facial expressions such as smiling, it is culturally dependent whether smiles are expressed or masked (Weinberg and Konert, 1984). Therefore, it is inconsiderate of Motsumoto (as cited in Pogosyan, 2017) to assume that smiling is always a safe and positive sign in intercultural communication.
Keeping in mind that a mother’s behaviour is “in accordance with local norms and cultural expectations” (Goldschmidt, 1997, p.241), the basis of the positive/negative connotation of smiling is laid at a very early stage in development. For instance, it is part of Sebei culture to maintain emotional detachment. Consequently, Sebei mothers rarely smile at their children (Ibid., p.237). Another rather extreme culture-bound example is the display of a smile in moments of loss, i.e. the death of a son in war, which women of Sparta and Samurai where expected to show (Ekman and Keltner, 1997, p.28).
The difficulty when talking about smiling is that for a long period of time most of the research has been conducted in so called “WEIRD”-societies (Western-Educated-Industrial-Rich-Democratic), which are not representative for the world (Krys, 2016; Petersen, 2016). Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind that even within a “WEIRD”-culture, there are personal differences among individuals, for even Darwin mentioned “the large class of idiots who are … constantly smiling” negatively (as cited in Krys, 2016).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction establishes the cultural dependency of facial expressions and outlines the paper's goal to provide a theoretical overview of the evolution, cultural variance, and sociopolitical influences on smiling.
2. Scientific Background: This chapter defines the biological and non-verbal framework of smiling, differentiating between real and false smiles while identifying the various functions a smile can serve.
3. The evolution of smiling: This section traces the evolutionary origins of smiling in humans and primates, distinguishing between innate reflex-like behaviors and socially learned cultural adaptations.
4. Smiling in different cultures: This chapter investigates how cultural context dictates the interpretation of smiles, highlighting the differences between "WEIRD" societies and high-context cultures regarding social appropriateness.
5. Power relations and gender: This analysis explores how social hierarchy and patriarchal norms affect smiling frequency and intent, specifically discussing the perceived submissiveness of women in diverse cultures.
6. Lying: This chapter examines the relationship between facial micro-gestures and deception, evaluating scientific methods like FACS and EMG used to detect faked versus genuine expressions.
7. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, emphasizing that successful intercultural communication requires an awareness of the culturally relative functions of facial behavior.
Keywords
Body language, Intercultural communication, Smiling, Duchenne smile, Facial expressions, WEIRD societies, Non-verbal communication, Power dynamics, Gender roles, Cultural norms, FACS, Deception, Social intelligence, Emotional expression, Cultural adaptation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The paper examines the phenomenon of the smile as a culturally dependent form of non-verbal communication, rather than a universal sign of happiness.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The key areas include evolutionary biology, cultural variations in social etiquette, the impact of power and gender on behavior, and the detection of deception through facial analysis.
What is the main objective of the author?
The goal is to highlight the necessity of cultural awareness in communication to avoid misunderstandings that arise when assuming that facial expressions have consistent global meanings.
Which scientific methodology is primarily utilized?
The author employs a comprehensive literature review and comparative analysis, drawing upon foundational studies in psychology and non-verbal behavior, such as those by Ekman and Keltner.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body details the evolution of smiling, how different cultures (e.g., Japan, USA, Russia) interpret smiles, and how social variables like status and gender influence these expressions.
Which keywords best characterize this document?
The document is best characterized by terms such as intercultural communication, non-verbal behavior, cultural norms, and the sociology of facial expressions.
How does the "WEIRD" classification impact the research?
The author argues that much of the existing psychological research is skewed because it focuses on Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic societies, which often fails to represent global communication norms.
What role does the "Facial Action Coding System" play?
The FACS is identified as a scientific tool developed to objectively decode over 40 facial movements, helping researchers differentiate between spontaneous Duchenne smiles and voluntary, faked ones.
Does the paper conclude that smiling is inherently submissive?
No, it suggests that while smiling can be used to signal subordination or to navigate patriarchal norms, it is also a complex social tool influenced by cultural values and specific situational contexts.
- Citar trabajo
- Christina Haupt (Autor), 2018, Body Language.The Smile in Intercultural Communication, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/424846
