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2.2 Verbal and Nonverbal Behaviors
The verbal and nonverbal behaviors between China and America are also highly distinguished. Chinese are in the high-context culture, and American people are in the low context culture. People in high-context cultures prefer to communicate indirectly and they use many nonverbal behaviors to express meaning. Meanings are internalized in the context of message and must be inferred to be understood. There is a large emphasis on nonverbal clues, such as facial expression, movements, speed of the interaction and other subtle forms of nonverbal communication. Low-context communication is like a computer program, which requires that everything must be specified in the coded message or the computer will not run. While In the United States, common expressions and sayings such as “get to the point” and “say what you mean” reveal that the Americans emphasize the content above context. For them, the environment is less important and non-verbal behaviors are often ignored, and communication has to be made more explicit. Feelings and thoughts are expected to express in precise words, and information is more readily available. Such culture usually values a direct, clear style and dislikes ambiguity. In contrast, China, which has a relatively high-context focus in communications, has sayings “be aware of people’s faces and observe the hue of their voices” stressing the need to see beyond the surface and to be discreet rather than plainspoken.
This difference existing in verbal and nonverbal behavior can explain why American negotiators often consider their Chinese counterparts overly rhetorical and “inscrutable” in the way they speak. On the other hand, the Chinese are likely to consider Americans somewhat simplistic and naive. If the negotiation parties don’t understand the context culture difference of each other, misunderstanding will occur.
2.3 Customs
With the historical development, every country has established their own languages, customs and habits. They also have their own characteristics in the social life. Customs include some social activities. Chinese people are sensitive about their reputation in the daily life. They are very concerned about their images among people. They are afraid of being joked or discussed by others. But Americans do not care much about other people’s views. Americans will not ask about one’s age, income, and marriage when they talk with others. They think that it is a violation of people’s privacy. However, people often ask these questions in China.
In another aspect, Americans like to express their opinions frankly and directly, but Chinese people like to express their opinions euphemistically. Generally speaking, Americans will give a specific answer to people who ask about some certain things. However, Chinese people advocate the view that silence is gold. In the United States, it is common to see that the elders and younger generation kiss and pat the shoulder on each other when they meet, while in China people will not do like that. Americans are very punctual when doing anything. But Chinese people can often understand and forgive the lateness which cause by some reasons. So the different habits and customs between China and the United States are still obvious.
So the negotiators under different cultural backgrounds will show different attitudes toward things. Thus it may affect the negotiations and cause unnecessary misunderstandings. For example, Chinese people often depreciate themselves to praise others in order to show their humility. While Americans advocate self-affirming, they are grateful to hear and accept the praise by others. So it’s difficult for Americans to understand why Chinese people often deny the praise by others. They think that Chinese people are some kinds of hypocritical. And definitely, the difference of customs can cause some misunderstandings in negotiations.