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Post by Groink on Aug 14, 2009 15:54:13 GMT -5
I thought this would be a bit relevant as they seemed to concentrate on (East...it is BBC, after all) Asian versus Caucasian. There's even a bit about emoticons. Where in the spectrum do you think you lie? I think I'm more caucasian in this regard. Have you ever had any misunderstandings with people based on this sort of thing? news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8199951.stm |
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Post by milkman's baby on Aug 14, 2009 16:36:55 GMT -5
Are these Asians and Caucasians from the same country? I couldn't figure out if they meant Asians everywhere focus on the eyes or if it's a cultural thing.
I guess I do tend to look at the entire face.
On a side note, I've been told many times that I have a very unapproachable, stern face. My lips and mouth are naturally downcast into a frown when in a relaxed state, so people are always asking why I'm sad or angry when I'm not. A white man once told me that he thinks Asian faces always look serious. I wonder if any of this is related to the study in some way...
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Post by palaver on Aug 14, 2009 21:38:32 GMT -5
It's not that facial expressions aren't global, it's that the words or meaning/reactions assigned to them are not global. It's more a difference of language than of expression/emotion.
For example, a smile is an expression of fear that's been modified into becoming an almost nonthreatening (submissive) expression.
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Post by Subuatai on Aug 23, 2009 8:21:22 GMT -5
I read the whole body, especially shoulders and posture.
Somehow I've never been mistaken of anyone's expression no matter who I meet or where they are from either Asia or Europe. Only thing is I once found the whole bowing/kneeling thing of both Asians and Europeans rather un-needed expression.
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Post by Ganbare! on Aug 23, 2009 9:14:35 GMT -5
It's not that facial expressions aren't global, it's that the words or meaning/reactions assigned to them are not global. It's more a difference of language than of expression/emotion. I think otherwise, there are feelings that are if not exclusive to some cultures, at least nearly non existent in others, think Japanese great solemnity for example. There are numerous other examples and I remember them been already discussed but I fail at using the search function effectively. |
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Post by toyomansi on Aug 25, 2009 11:53:18 GMT -5
To asians, a smile doesn't just mean that someone is happy or something is funny. Smiles are also used in when someone is embarrassed/shameful, in an awkward situation, when someone would rather not answer a question or rather not give criticism that could hurt someone, or when having to reject someone etc. But of course, one has to be able to read the whole face (esp. the eyes) to be able to understand what kind of smile a person is showing. ^_^
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Post by Ganbare! on Sept 30, 2009 21:38:48 GMT -5
During my trip in Asia, I noticed that body language is also very different. For instance, in Japan, physical contact is almost non-existent. Chinese bow when they greet each other and tend to stand still even for extended periods of time. Here, people move their hands continuously when they talk, drawing large circles and it usually doesn't even help understand them better  |
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Post by Pocky Monster on Oct 1, 2009 1:51:48 GMT -5
On a side note, I've been told many times that I have a very unapproachable, stern face. My lips and mouth are naturally downcast into a frown when in a relaxed state, so people are always asking why I'm sad or angry when I'm not. A white man once told me that he thinks Asian faces always look serious. I wonder if any of this is related to the study in some way... Same here. And the only solution? Go Chola.  nikkicrumpet.blogspot.com/2009/03/when-eyebrows-go-bad.html |
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