Body Language In The Culture Of Asian Countries

Research on body language usually just entail the general meanings and indications of the most common gestures and body movements that most people us in their daily lives. However, these signals of communication may mean differently in other countries and cultures. These are cultures that use a certain gesture as a positive sign, but there are other cultures, specially in Asian countries, that may see it as a rude act. This article would discuss the accepted gestures of touch, forms of greeting, and signals of summoning in different Asian countries, specifically China, Japan, Korea, and Philippines. China China is one of the most conservative countries in Asia, thus touching is rare. You can rarely see public display of affection. Holding hands is alright, but only as a sign of friendship. Chinese have small personal spaces, thus unintended slight bumping or shoving does not need an apology. Chinese usually greet themselves with a bow or nod of the head. Handshakes are also being used. They rarely use hugging or kissing during greeting. Greeting cards are also exchanged, but it must be handed with both hands. In terms of beckoning or summoning, they face their palms downwards and move the fingers back and forth. They believe that summoning with the palms facing upwards is rude and is only used to animals. Posture is also very important in China. One must not slouch or put feet on stools or tables. They also try to prevent saying no to other people. They simply simply opposition by tilting the head back and sucking in air loudly through the teeth. Japan Japan, just like China, is not a touch-oriented country. Thus avoid public display of affection, especially prolonged touching. Japan is famous for their graceful bows as a form of greeting. Handshakes are also accepted, but bowing is a better sign of showing respect to another person. The lower and longer the bow, the stringer you are showing respect, humility, or gratitude. H In greeting Japanese people, avoid kissing, hugging, or staring at them. Prolonged eye contact can be intimidating for them, thus they consider it as rude, as well as putting your hands in front of the pocket when greeting. Summoning gestures in Japan are similar with that of China palm facing down. Acts of body language that one must avoid in the public in Japan is spitting or blowing of the nose,

opening the mouth, such as in yawning and laughing. Korea Bowing is the traditional way of greeting and departing in Korea. For men, they usually shake hands, bu for women, they just give a slight nod of the head. Korea is a conservative country, thus hugging and kissing is not acceptable when done in public. They beckon people with the palm facing downwards as well. They also rise when an elder person enters the room as a sign of respect. Knocking before entering and good posture is important as well in Korea. Philippines Unlike in other countries in Asia, Philippines is a touch-oriented country. Public display of affection is accepted, but with minimal limit as a consideration. When greeting, they do handshakes or simply raise their eyebrows quickly. In beckoning a specific object, Filipinos tend to point it with their mouth. Respect to the elderly is always shown, usually by placing their forehead onto the back of the hand of the elderly. When interacting with Asian people or visiting the said countries, it is essential for you to be sensitive to their culture and acceptable body language. You may think that what you are doing is all right since it is accepted in your country, but Asian people may think you are being rude.
http://body-language.bafree.net/body-language-in-the-culture-of-asiancountries.php

Public displays of affection (PDA or PDOA) are acts of physical intimacy in the view of others. What are acceptable displays of affection vary between cultures as well as to time and context. Which acts are acceptable have also varied over time. Displays of affection in a public place, such as the street, is more likely to be objected to, then similar practices in a private place with only people from a similar cultural background present. Mild forms of physical intimacy, such as holding hands, hugging or kissing, are regarded as unobjectionable forms of public displays of affection in many cultures and contexts, but objectionable in others. Maintaining eye contact can be regarded socially and psychologically as analogous to touching in some cultures. In some contexts, such as in bars, nightclubs, and strip clubs, more extreme forms of physical intimacy are sometimes acceptable. In these places, acts such as grinding and french kissing are common,[citation needed] but acts of a sexual nature, such as frotteurism and groping, are normally unacceptable physical contact. Physical contact is common during couple dancing, but acts of physical intimacy are normally avoided. It is traditional at the conclusion of a Western wedding for the couple to kiss.[1] If the partners enjoy being seen affectionate towards each other in public, it may be considered a mild form of exhibitionism. Alternatively, the partners may be indifferent that others see them,

and therefore are not inhibited by it. Finally, the partners may prefer more privacy, but may simply tolerate being seen by others. Some may find it pleasant to view others public displays of affection, which may be considered a form of voyeurism.

[edit] Worldwide
In most of the Western world, such as Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States, it is very common to see people holding hands, hugging and kissing in public. In nightclubs, it is also common for people to "grind" (a form of dancing) or dance closely.[citation
needed]

In Latin America, the practice of teenagers gathering in public parks to kiss, caress or even have oral sex has caught the attention of United States media, strikingly because of the lack of political content in this "sexual awakening".[2][3] Particularly, in urban Mexico, it is common for people to show their affection in public, whereas these actions could still be frowned upon in rural areas, small towns or among more traditional Mexican ethnic groups. However, Mexicans are generally tolerant of this behavior and in some milieus it is even encouraged. [4] In South Africa, it is against the law for anyone under the age of 16 to take part in a public displays of affection. This has led to large protests across the country by teenagers, culminating in kiss-a-thons in public places across the country.[5] In India, the public display of affection is a criminal offense under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 with a punishment of imprisonment of up to three months, or a fine, or both. This law has been used by the police and lower courts to harass and prosecute couples engaging in PDAs.[6][7] However in a number of landmark cases the higher courts have dismissed obscenity proceeding against kissing couples.[8][9] Attacks by vigilante groups also are a danger for those displaying affection.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_display_of_affection

A public display of affection (PDA) is any gesture, which culture suggests is sexual or romantic in nature, taking place in arenas open to other members of the public. Some PDA gestures include handholding, touching, kissing, or hugging, and public venues can be schools, public streets, restaurants or bars, or community parks. Exactly what determines a public display of affection has to do with personal taste, cultural and religious beliefs, and any laws applying to a specific region. There is wide variance in what gestures are considered PDAs, and whether they are acceptable, tasteful or legal. In much of the Western world, there is daily evidence of the public display of affection in a variety of permutations. People kiss, hug, hold hands or perhaps are even more overt to signify sexual or romantic liking. There are etiquette experts that recommend individuals, who are not perhaps parting for many years, keep their PDAs tasteful or PG rated. This doesnt necessarily mean taste or discretion always dominates.

More extensive expression of PDAs sometimes leads to city ordinances, and especially to laws in junior highs and high schools about what behavior is welcome or not. A pronounced public display of affection like kissing or fondling could be discouraged, and some schools enact particularly rigid laws that forbid students to hug, hold hands, or in other ways show affection. Removed from the schoolyard, the Western world has a tendency to view affectionate gestures as quite common. Again, its argued that even legal gestures that are extremely obvious, such as prolonged open-mouth kissing, are sometimes not viewed as tasteful. In other parts of the world, there can be much less permissiveness for a public display of affection. For instance, in some countries in South Asia and Africa, even married people may be fined for kissing on their wedding day or could be arrested for holding hands. Some of the individuals who face these fines argue forcefully for changing the laws. When stories like these come to the attention of the Western world theyre likely to be read with some shock. Its hard to remember that laws or traditions regarding PDAs come from deepseated religious or cultural beliefs that may have lasted for centuries or even millennia. This makes it difficult not to judge these reactions by Western standards, though a little historical research often shows less cultural permissiveness in the American and European past, too. For example, when the waltz was introduced in the 1700s, the closed hold or the embrace of dancing couples was thought shocking. What constitutes good taste, cultural practice, and legality constantly evolve in any culture because of the dynamic nature of human relationships and interactions. This means its difficult to define every public display of affection and how humans might respond to it. Its easier to observe that the most rigidly constructed definitions are unlikely to invite much touching or interaction between men and women, or perhaps between same gender participants, even if there is no romantic intent. Some members of the culture are likely to feel oppressed by rigid standards. In contrast, looser and more encompassing definitions of the public display of affection are likely to be present in more permissive cultures. Fewer laws may regulate these gestures. On the other hand, the taste of some members of the public may be offended by particularly overt displays, which may sometimes lead to calls to more closely regulate how humans romantically or affectionately behave.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-public-display-of-affection.htm http://oemanagement.com/data/_files/affection.pdf

A public display of affection (sometimes abbreviated PDA) is physically demonstrating affection for another person while in the view of others, for example, holding hands, sex,or kissing in public (for more far-reaching forms, see indecent exposure). While PDA is a USA specific term, every culture has written and unwritten rules for showing affection in public. This behavior is sometimes considered in bad taste, and in some jurisdictions it may even be criminal.

If the partners enjoy being seen, it may be considered a mild form of exhibitionism. Alternatively, the partners may be indifferent to what others can see, and therefore not inhibited by it. Finally, the partners may prefer more privacy, but put up with being seen because they have no better place, or do not want to bother to go there, or to wait until they are there. The same amount of intimacy is a lesser form of PDA if it is in a secluded place with few people around, in a dark place such as a movie theater, in a car, etc. Some people disapprove of or are disgusted by it, but some find it pleasant to view, in a mild form of voyeurism. In some societies, certain couples need to be quite careful about public displays of affection. For example, homosexual couples would be at risk of encountering aggression from homophobic onlookers. As a result of this, many gay rights activists have used public displays of affection as a means of defiance, treating them as political acts. For example, at McGill University, the Queer McGill organization stages "kiss-ins" in which homosexual couples get together on the steps of the Arts building and kiss. In many places around the world, couples of differing race, religion or tribe may be subject to similar problems. Sometimes partners differ regarding how they like or dislike giving or receiving public displays of affection. Ones who don't do anything in public are considered prude.

Public displays of affection around the world

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In India, the Supreme Court of India - the seat of the highest authority of the law of the land, has described "PDA" to be in bad taste and an unacceptable act, which may be considered an act of public nuisance, and sometimes leading to conviction and/or fine from the involved parties. Despite it, the Indian film industries, Bollywood and South Indian Movie Industry, use PDAs as a sure shot means of promoting the films amidst the masses. In Europe and Israel it is normal to see people holding hands or kissing in public places and public events. Petting (or even heavy petting) is often seen as normal in parks and nightclubs. It is banned in many high schools and middle schools in USA in order to teach social standards that the school's administration finds acceptable. This rule may also serve to protect the school from being implicated in sexual harassment lawsuits among students. There is a proposed law in Indonesia outlawing kissing in public places.
http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Public_display_of_affection http://sexuality.about.com/od/talkingwithpartners/ht/want_more_public_displays_aff ection.htm http://sexuality.about.com/od/glossary/g/public_display_of_affection.htm