Body language and meanings
Think about the situation below:
You greet someone with a warm hug, thinking it shows friendliness – only to see them freeze up because, in their culture, physical contact with acquaintances is considered inappropriate.
Your intention was to connect, but it created discomfort instead.
Small misunderstandings like this highlight why learning social customs is key to building respectful relationships in new cultural settings.
Use the arrows and scroll through the different types of gestures below to learn how body language and meanings can differ across cultures.
Reflection exercise
Think about how the gestures above are seen differently in different countries and cultures.
- Which of these differences surprised you the most?
- Can you think of a gesture from your own culture that might be misunderstood elsewhere?
- How can you check whether a gesture is appropriate before using it in a new place?
Remember:
- Culture is best learned through doing.
- Mistakes are normal – they help learning.
- Be curious, respectful, open.