Question

Jane was sent by her Chicago-based company to a business convention in Tokyo, Japan. While at lunch, she and several other Americans in attendance sat together at lunch. As they laughed and enjoyed themselves, Jane noticed that many people glanced at them uncomfortably and whispered to each other. When Jane asked the young waitress what was wrong, the girl avoided eye contact with her, shook her head without saying a word, and quickly walked back to the kitchen. Which of the following is most likely the cause of confusion in this scenario?
a.
The rules governing nonverbal communication in Japan are very different than those in the U.S.
b.
Nonverbal communication is ambiguous, and there are several people in this scenario who are all interpreting messages that seem foreign to them.
c.
The multiple channels involved and the many ways in which verbal and nonverbal communication integrate make this situation complicated.
d.
All of the above are likely causes of confusion in this scenario.

Answer 1

d. All of the above.

Explanation: The scene can be explained by cultural differences in nonverbal norms (e.g., loud, boisterous behavior may be frowned on in Japan), the inherent ambiguity of nonverbal signals (people can interpret the same cues differently), and the complexity added by multiple nonverbal channels interacting with verbal behavior. All three factors plausibly contribute to the confusion.