Amanda Wesely CAPS #3

Contact Culture vs. Noncontact Culture

Culture can be described as contact or noncontact cultures. Contact cultures in a sense have smaller personal bubbles. People touch while speaking more, eye contact stronger, face-to-face body orientation, and use closer proximity. These cultures can generally be found in South America and Southern Europe. On the other hand, Northern Europe and the United States are non contact cultures. Noncontact cultures have larger personal bubbles. People like to keep more distance when talking, touch less often and have weak eye contact. If we look past regional factors, there are more important factors determining our contact culture: gender, age, ethnicity, context, marital status, etc.

The United States in general likes personal space. The video below is a great example of the etiquette excepted by individuals in our culture. In elevators go to the space farthest away from others and do not dive into conversations. We value our space and privacy. 

  

Below is a link that talks about China’s contact culture. Where people stand closer together and even bump into one another purposely.

http://secondchina.com/Learning_Modules/AWARE/content/AWR_space_everyday.html

Context is one of the factors that can contribute to whether a communication is contact or noncontact. There is a major difference between contact with your significant other and contact with a stranger in an elevator. I would say most people are closer to a ‘contact culture’ with a loved one and ‘noncontact culture’ with a stranger. Although this is just one of many other factors that create a culture’s contractual norms.

This idea of different personal boundaries affects all my past and future international travels. I went to Ecuador for a summer and at first I felt uncomfortable with the touching and petting. Some people had never seen red hair so strangers would grab my hair and pet it. After awhile I realized it was their natural contact culture and it did not bother me as much. I think preparing to divulge into new cultures requires research on etiquette and behavior when communicating. I would probably hate China if everyone kept pushing me and I thought they were showing anger. However, researching their contact culture would prepare me to know that they were just making walking way for themselves in a crowded city.

Works Cited

Florida, U. o. (2009). Cultural Awareness. Retrieved February 2012, from China: http://secondchina.com/Learning_Modules/AWARE/content/AWR_space_everyday.html

Martin, J., & Nakayama, T. (2010). Intercultural Communication in Contexts. New York: McGraw Hill.

Personal Space Etiquette. (2008). Retrieved 2012, from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s39BrB9oLQ