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The familiar idiom “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” reinforces the idea that judgments of
attractiveness and beauty are independent of the object. In other words, beauty is a characteristic
we ascribe to things, not an innate quality of the thing itself. Compare this to Plato’s conception
of beauty which was independent of both the object and the observer. Most students have fairly
strong opinions about the question of what is or is not beautiful so the goal here is to get students
to examine their pre-existing beliefs.
The class before the activity, ask students to find a picture of a person who he or she thinks is
beautiful and bring it to class. Depending on the size of the class, the pictures can be passed
around or posted on the chalkboard. Before beginning the discussion, have students look
through the pictures. Questions to prompt discussion include:
• What similarities do you see in the pictures?
• What differences do you see?
It is likely that the process of identifying differences will prompt support for a receiver-oriented
definition of beauty. However, we want students to critically evaluate their assumptions so we
introduce two compelling models for a physical definition of attractiveness: Facial Averaging
and Geometric Profiling.
Facial averaging is a line of research exploring facial attractiveness through the
amalgamation of facial characteristics and features. In other words, researchers take
large numbers of human faces and average them together to create the face that most
closely resembles all of them. Lisa DeBruine and Ben Jones, a pair of experimental
psychologists at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, have a great website devoted to
this type of study (http://www.faceresearch.org). Consider bringing the website up in
class and mixing combinations of faces and ask students to rate them on attractiveness.
What is interesting is that facial averaging tends to produce a facial structure that is rated
as more attractive regardless of race or culture. Visiting the website in class allows for
students to merge pictures together.
Another interesting line of research has attempted to quantify facial attractiveness. There
are several different variants of this research, but I want to spend a few minutes talking
about one in particular: Marquardt Beauty Analysis (http://www.beautyanalysis.com/).
MBA defines attractiveness mathematically based on facial dimensions and geometry.
MBA uses a ratio known as phi (1.618:1), also known as the “Golden ratio.” This ratio
seems be consistently present in things that are seen as beautiful. What is interesting
about the human facial geometry based on the phi ratio (also known as the mask) is that
individuals who have facial structures that closely conform to the mask are consistently
rated as more attractive regardless of race or culture. If you have an interest in it, the
website actually provides instructions downloadable printouts of the mask so that you can
compare your facial structure to the mask itself. Of course, the mask won’t tell you
whether you’re beautiful or not—your loved ones do that.
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After reviewing both techniques, return to the idiom, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Is it
true, false, or a bit of both?
SUPPLEMENTAL FILMS AND VIDEO
A World of Gestures (1991, 30 minutes)
In this video, international differences in gestures, and cultural differences in nonverbal
communication, are discussed. The video examines gestures that display anger, friendliness,
openness, obscenities, and other gestures that communicate emotion. In addition, the video
examines the development of gestures in children, and gestures used by gangs and secret
organizations.
Ability Issues in the U.S. (1992, 60 minutes)
This instructional video discusses the culture of the disabled, issues of accessibility, and
problems of social interaction. The video also suggests what society must do in order to provide
people with disabilities with the same opportunities available to other citizens.
Better Together Than Apart (1996, 62 minutes)
In this instructional video, Dr. Bennett discusses verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as
acculturation, ethnocentrism, cultural values, stereotyping, and intercultural competence.
Body Language: Introduction to Nonverbal Communication (1993, 30 minutes)
This instructional video illustrates how gestures and postures mirror emotions and communicate
messages. The video also examines smiling, unwritten rules of eye contact, as well as use of
personal and public space.
Japanese Nonverbal Communication (1978, 20 minutes)
This instructional video depicts common Japanese facial expressions and gestures in formal and
informal social and business settings. It examines differences between Japanese men and women
and explores seating arrangements, greetings, and food service.
Positive Images: Portraits of Women with Disabilities (1989, 58 minutes)
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This film provides positive and realistic images from the lives of women with disabilities.
Despite the fact that 20% of Americans have disabilities, the social, economic, and political
issues confronting people with disabilities are striking and worthy of discussion.
Reading People: The Unwritten Language of the Body (1997, 23 minutes)
This instructional video shows how paralanguage, eye contact, touch, space, and time affect
communication. It shows how reading facial expressions is harder than many realize, explains
how touch varies from culture to culture, and discusses what volume, speed, and inflection reveal
about the speaker.
TEST ITEMS: CHAPTER 09
Multiple-Choice
1. If you scowl because you are angry, or frown because you are sad, what function of
nonverbal communication are you engaged in? (A) expressing internal states;
(B) regulating interaction; (C) repeating; (D) conforming display; (E) informing
2. If a person say’s “ok” while gesturing with a ‘thumbs-up’ or ‘a-ok’ sign, what is the
function o the nonverbal communication? (A) regulating; (B) repeating; (C) substituting;
(D) creating identity; (E) conforming display
3. If a server asks you if you’d like a refill and you nod in agreement because your mouth is
full, what is the nonverbal communication function demonstrated by the nod?
(A) regulating; (B) repeating; (C) substituting; (D) conforming display; (E) B and D
4. The definition of nonverbal communication offered by the authors of the text includes all
of the following concepts except: (A) all nonverbal stimuli with potential message value
generated by the source; (B) all nonverbal stimuli with potential message value generated
by the receiver; (C) all nonverbal stimuli with potential message value generated by the
source through his or her use of the environment; (D) A and C; (E) A, B, and C
5. Identify the “unintentional” example of nonverbal communication: (A) smiling to let a
friend know you’re happy; (B) giving a “thumbs up” sign when asked about how you did
on your intercultural communication test; (C) looking at your watch because you want to
leave a conversation; (D) looking at your watch to see what time it is; (E) A and C
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6. If you scratch your head because you have an itch, but an observer thinks you are
scratching your head because you’re confused about something, what type of nonverbal
communication has occurred? (A) unintentional; (B) intentional; (C) emergent; (D) non-
emergent; (E) none
7. Most people smile when they are happy, but some people smile when they are nervous.
This directly reflects the idea that: (A) multiple factors influence nonverbal
communication; (B) nonverbal communication includes cultural universals;
(C) nonverbal communication can be ambiguous; (D) A and C; (E) A, B, and C
8. According to the text, which of the following is true about beauty? (A) what is beautiful
in one culture may be hideous in another; (B) although the U.S. tends to view muscular
men and tall slender women as beautiful, this is not true in all cultures; (C) throughout
history, people have done things to their body in the name of beauty; (D) A and B;
(E) A, B, and C
9. Which of the following is true regarding the nonverbal message value of clothing? (A) it
can convey social and economic status; (B) moral standards; (C) belief system;
(D) athletic abilities or interests; (E) A, B, C, and D
10. While all people use various movements to communicate, (A) some movements are more
common than others; (B) culture teaches people how to use and interpret those
movements; (C) actors are better at it than others; (D) it is only those movements that are
innate; (E) A, C, and D
11. Gestures include all of the following except: (A) crossing your fingers; (B) thumbs up;
(C) laughter; (D) pointing at a person; (E) A, B, and D
12. Gestures that are found in one culture and are a property of that specific culture are
referred to as: (A) idiosyncratic gestures; (B) monomorphic gestures; (C) universal
gestures; (D) proprietary gestures; (E) orts
13. The correct way to beckon or call someone over to you nonverbally is with: (A) one hand
palm up, fingers together, moving toward the body; (B) cupping a hand palm down
pulling fingers in toward the body; (C) right hand up palm out fingers opening and
closing; (D) A, B, and C; (E) it depends on the cultural rules
14. Which of the following is true about agreement gestures? (A) they mean the same thing
in every culture; (B) always indicates agreement; (C) are culturally based; (D) A and C;
(E) none
15. Which of the following is true about smiles? (A) a universal act; (B) people are born
knowing how to smile; (C) what produces a smile is the same across cultures; (D) A and
B; (E) A, B, and C
16. All of the following statements are true about eye behavior in the dominant U.S. culture
except ____. (A) direct gaze signals a positive connection; (B) direct eye contact reflects
a lack of interest; (C) avoiding eye contact is often associated with deceit; (D) prolonged
stare often perceived as a signal of interest or sexual suggestion: (E) A and B
17. If you are getting your hair cut, what type of touch will the stylist be likely to use?
(A) professional; (B) accidental; (C) incidental; (D) social-politeness; (E) intentional
18. In the U.S., ____. (A) women touch more than men do; (B) African Americans engage in
more interpersonal touch than whites; (C) Black females touch each other twice as much
as white females; (D) B and C; (E) A, B, and C
19. Vocal qualities include all of the following except: (A) volume; (B) tempo; (C) dialect;
(D) resonance; (E) none
20. Examples of vocal characteristics include: (A) “ums”; (B) “errs”; (C) groans; (D) “uhhs”;
(E) A, B, C, and D
21. Vocal segregates include: (A) “ums”; (B) “errs”; (C) moans; (D) groans; (E) A and B
22. According the spatial rules of the dominant U.S. culture, two people standing
approximately 3 feet apart are likely to be: (A) family or a close friend; (B) business
acquaintances; (C) intimate partner or significant other; (D) strangers; (E) colleagues
23. The invisible bubble that surrounds a person expands and contracts based on a person’s
relationship is referred to as: (A) intimate distance; (B) personal space; (C) mobile
territory; (D) variable territory; (E) transitional territory
24. Identify which of the following statements regarding U.S. gender differences in use of
space is/are true: (A) men more frequently walk in front of female partner; (B) men claim
more space than women; (C) men more actively defend their territories; (D) under
conditions of high density, men are more aggressive in their attempts to regain space;
(E) A, B, C, and D
25. If a person in the U.S. tells a child, “I’ll be there in a minute,” what type of time are they
referencing? (A) formal; (B) social; (C) informal; (D) professional; (E) rational
26. A conceptualization in which time is viewed as a finite, scarce resource which must be
rationed and controlled is referred to as: (A) m-time; (B) bounded time; (C) p-time;
(D) unbounded time; (E) f-time
27. Cultures with a polychronic time orientation ___. (A) view time as linear; (B) are not
concerned about doing more than one thing at a time; (C) define time by events rather
than a clock; (D) A and C; (E) B and C
28. All of the following are purposes of silence except: (A) give participants time to think;
(B) provide feedback; (C) reward; (D) punishment; (E) suppress an emotion
29. What recommendations do the authors offer to improve nonverbal communication?
(A) monitor nonverbal actions; (B) monitor feedback; (C) look for patterns of
universality; (D) A and B; (E) A, B, and C
30. What dimension of nonverbal communication puts an increased burden on you whether
you are the sender or the receiver? (A) nonverbal sensitization; (B) nonverbal ambiguity;
(C) nonverbal monomorphism; (D) nonverbal polymorphism; (E) nonverbal sensitivity
31. Because communication is rule-governed, improving the nonverbal aspects requires:
(A) being sensitive to context; (B) knowing your culture; (C) being aware of nonverbal
ambiguity; (D) monitoring feedback and your nonverbal actions; (E) A, B, C, and D
Answer: E Content: pg. 305
True/False
1. Many of the critical meanings generated in human encounters are elicited by touch,
glance, vocal nuance, etc., with or without accompanying words.
2. Whether it is fear, joy, anger, or sadness, your posture, face, and eyes convey your
feelings without you having to utter a word.
3. Nonverbal behavior has little role in regulating interactions.
4. If you say “good job” while giving the ‘thumbs up’ sign, you are substituting the message
with nonverbal communication.
5. Nonverbal communication is always intentional.
6. It is virtually impossible to separate verbal and nonverbal behavior into two separate and
distinct categories.
7. The majority opinion among scholars is that there are universal facial expressions for
which people have similar meanings.
8. Appearance is important because it often determines whether an interaction will occur or
not.
9. Decorating the body appears to be a unique to certain cultures.
10. People use a person’s attractiveness to make inferences about that individual’s
intelligence, gender, age, approachability, etc.
11. Hijabs tend to generate more controversy in non-Muslim nations than Burqas.
12. There are so many nuances to bowing in Japan that young children begin to learn this
nonverbal behavior at a very young age.
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13. Gestures are a nonverbal vocabulary that people use, both intentionally and
unintentionally, to share their internal states.
14. The “thumbs up” sign is considered positive in the U.S. as well as in Australia and West
Africa.
15. An example of an idiosyncratic gesture would be the French, who often will pull the skin
down below their right eye to indicate distrust, disbelief, or suspicion.
16. Indians will indicate agreement by tossing their heads side to side, in contrast to
Americans, who nod up and down.
17. The Japanese and Chinese restraint of strong feelings is considered to be a sign of
immaturity and foolishness.
18. The many rules implicit in our culture about looking at others are a tacit admission that
eye contact is perhaps the single most important facial cue.
19. Mexican Americans consider sustained eye contact when speaking directly to someone as
rude.
20. If a cashier touches your hand while giving you change, this is referred to as professional
touch.
21. Muslim women seldom touch or are touched by members outside of their family.
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22. African Americans tend to use less inflection and vocal range than most white
Americans.
23. When we talk about the pitch, tone, rate, and tempo of speech, we are referring to vocal
characterizers.
24. Umms, ers, likes, and you knows in a stream of speech are referred to as vocal
segregates.
25. Laughing and crying are both considered vocal characteristics.
26. According to Hall’s distance zones, 4 ft. to 12 ft. is considered to be social distance.
27. Because of the business standard, American offices and furniture are arranged in much
the same way as they are in China, Japan, France, Germany, etc.
28. Scheduling a job interview for 2:00 pm is an example of formal use of time.
29. During negotiations, Americans have similar expectations with regard to small talk as
their Japanese counterparts.
30. People of the Asian world tend to think of time as something fixed in nature.
31. P-time, or polychromic time, is an orientation common in Arab, African, and Latin
American cultures.
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32. A silent reaction to a business proposal would seem negative to American, French, and
German executives, but not Arabic executives.
Answer: False Content: pg. 302
Short Answer/Essay
1. List and describe the functions of nonverbal communication. Provide an intercultural
3. What is the role of intentionality in nonverbal communication?
4. Are there cultural universals in nonverbal communication? Justify your answer.
5. Discuss the relationship between culture and appearance. Include the concepts of beauty
and skin color.
6. Provide at least three examples of attire associated with the Muslim faith. Discuss the
meaning of these items within the culture as well as how they might be perceived by non-
Muslim cultures.
7. How does the communicative value of body movement vary across cultures? Include
examples of both posture, and gestures.
8. Differentiate between idiosyncratic, agreement, and beckoning gestures. Be sure to
demonstrate cultural differences for each.
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9. How does the frequency and intensity of gestures vary across cultures?
10. Identify at least three cultures which have different interpretations or rules of facial
expression when compared to the United States. Be sure to identify both the culture and
the nonverbal “rule.”
11. Compare and contrast the concepts of eye contact, gaze, and staring. Include examples
both within and outside the U.S.
12. List and describe the six different types of touch identified in the dominant U.S. culture.
13. Compare the cultural norms of touch in the U.S. to at least two other cultures. Be
specific.
14. What is paralanguage? What are its primary components?
15. Describe an interaction in which vocal qualities, vocal characteristics, and vocal
segregates are involved. Identify each instance and explain why they exemplify each
concept.
16. Identify Hall’s distance zones for defining personal space rules in the U.S. How might
individuals from other cultures benefit from knowing them? How can it help with other
cultures?
17. How do the rules of seating differ from culture to culture and what does seating
communicate? Include at least two specific examples.
18. Compare and contrast the concepts of formal and informal time.
19. What is meant by a culture’s orientation toward punctuality and pace? Define each
concept and provide examples.
20. Explain what is meant by monochronic time, or M-time. Name at least two cultures that
have this orientation and provide two examples that demonstrate the relationship.
21. What is meant by the term polychromic time, or P-time? Identify two cultures that share
this orientation and provide examples that demonstrate the relationship.
22. What is the role of silence in communication? How is it used in different cultures?
23. Based on the recommendations offered in the text, what steps should you take to help
improve your nonverbal communication skills?
