Myths about Gestures

 

Myth 1: Gestures are Universal

Reality: While some gestures have cross-cultural similarities, many are culturally specific and can lead to misunderstandings. For example, the "OK" gesture is seen as positive in the U.S. but offensive in countries like Brazil (Axtell, 1998; Kita, 2009).

Myth 2: Gestures are Primarily Used for Emphasis

Reality: Gestures serve multiple functions in communication, including conveying meaning, regulating interaction, and managing emotions (McNeill, 1992).

Myth 3: Women Gesture More Than Men

Reality: Research has shown that gender differences in gesturing can vary across cultures and contexts. While some studies suggest more gesturing among women, others find no significant differences or even more gesturing among men (Hall, 1984).

Myth 4: Gestures are Conscious and Deliberate

Reality: Many gestures are spontaneous and unconscious, reflecting underlying cognitive processes and emotional states (Kendon, 1990).

Myth 5: Crossing Arms Always Indicates Defensiveness or Disagreement

Reality: Although crossed arms can sometimes signal defensiveness, this interpretation is not universal. Depending on context and accompanying facial expressions, it can also indicate comfort or concentration (Harrigan, Rosenthal, & Scherer, 2005).

Myth 6: People Who Gesture More Are Less Articulate Verbally

Reality: Gesturing may enhance verbal articulation. Research suggests that children who gesture while explaining math problems are more likely to express new ideas verbally (Goldin-Meadow, Cook, & Mitchell, 2001).

Myth 7: Nodding Always Means Agreement

Reality: While nodding typically indicates agreement in many Western cultures, it can signify disagreement or refusal in parts of South Asia, such as Bulgaria and Greece (Pease & Pease, 2004).

Myth 8: Smiling is Always Positive

Reality: In some Asian cultures, smiling can convey a range of emotions, including confusion, embarrassment, or discomfort (Matsumoto, 2006).

Myth 9: Direct Eye Contact is Always Engaging

Reality: The appropriateness of eye contact varies significantly between cultures. In some Asian and African cultures, too much eye contact can be seen as disrespectful or aggressive, especially when interacting with someone of higher social status or older age (Hall, 1966).

Myth 10: The Mehrabian Myth (93% of Communication is Nonverbal)

Reality: Mehrabian's research specifically addressed the communication of feelings and attitudes when words do not match the tone or body language, not all communication. His findings often need to be more accurate, leading to overestimating the impact of nonverbal cues in every communicative scenario (Mehrabian, 1972).

 

References

Alibali, M. W., Nathan, M. J., & Fujimori, Y. (2014). Gestures in the mathematics classroom: What's the point? In L. D. Edwards, F. Ferrara, & D. Moore-Russo (Eds.), Emerging perspectives on gesture and embodiment in mathematics (pp. 175-196). Information Age Publishing.

Axtell, R. E. (1998). Gestures: The dos and taboos of body language around the world. John Wiley & Sons.

Carney, D. R., Cuddy, A. C., & Yap, A. J. (2010). Power posing: Brief nonverbal displays affect neuroendocrine levels and risk tolerance. Psychological Science, 21(10), 1363-1368.

Chaplin, W. F., Phillips, J. B., Brown, J. D., Clanton, N. R., & Stein, J. L. (2000). Handshaking, personality, and first impressions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(1), 110-117.

Chartrand, T. L., & Bargh, J. A. (1999). The chameleon effect: The perception-behavior link and social interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(6), 893-910.

Goldin-Meadow, S., Cook, S. W., & Mitchell, Z. A. (2001). Gesturing gives children new ideas about math. Psychological Science, 12(6), 467-472.

Hall, E. T. (1966). The hidden dimension. Doubleday.

Hall, J. A. (1984). Nonverbal sex differences. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Harrigan, J. A., Rosenthal, R., & Scherer, K. R. (2005). The new handbook of methods in nonverbal behaviour research. Oxford University Press.

Kendon, A. (1990). Gesture: Visible action as utterance. Cambridge University Press.

Kita, S. (2009). Cross-cultural variation of speech-accompanying gesture: A review. Language and Cognitive Processes, 24(2), 145-167.

Matsumoto, D. (2006). Culture and nonverbal behaviour. In V. Manusov & M. L. Patterson (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Nonverbal Communication (pp. 219-235). Sage Publications.

McNeill, D. (1992). Hand and mind: What gestures reveal about thought. University of Chicago Press.

McNeill, D. (2005). Gesture and thought. University of Chicago Press.

Mehrabian, A. (1972). Nonverbal communication. Aldine-Atherton.

Pease, A., & Pease, B. (2004). The definitive book of body language. Bantam.