Nonverbal Communication

As of recently, the media has been flooded with positive interpretations of beauty standards all over the world. According to various sources, beauty ideals, in women especially, are socially constructed in order to judge a person’s value based on physical attractiveness; therefore, it is highly encouraged that people pay attention to their looks and take care of themselves, in order for others to create a positive first impression of one’s character. It is no secret that beauty standards vary from one culture to the next and it is difficult to establish a universal principle of what is considered beautiful. Many countries’ ideals contrast one another and, as a result, allow for stereotypes to emerge. This is the case between American

To me interpersonal communication describes the exchange of verbal and nonverbal messages between two different people. Joseph DeVito states that “interpersonal communication is inevitable, irreversible, and unrepeatable” due to these things effective communication is a necessary skill for us to function in our day to day lives (p. 20). Therefore, I have created a theory for interpersonal communication that goes as follows; To experience effective communication you must understand: your culture, the other person’s culture, and how to listen effectively. By knowing these three things you can consistently avoid misunderstandings and promote understanding in your interpersonal and intercultural relationships.

Non-verbal communication consists mainly of the things people do with their body language. There are times where words are expressed and non-verbal communication could help emphasize the message. A few examples of nonverbal communication are hand gestures eye contact, facial expressions as well as tone and volume. I was given this assignment to observe a situation and take note of the nonverbal communication that occurred. I also had to observe whether the non-verbals were able to execute the message and if the behavior was acceptable.

African Americans have different beauty ideals than European aesthetic; women with extra weight are viewed as sexy, thick, stacked, and curvy. The idea of being thin is considered for White women (C.S.James, 2012; Awad, 2014; Taylor, 2013). Research showed that Black men have a preference for heavier women compared to White men, and Black womens’ ideal body weight is heavier than White womens’ prefered weight. However, African American women do not assess beauty primarily by weight, but by overall appearance, such as: how one carries themselves, hairstyles, makeup, and clothes. These characteristics are given more concern than traditional body image issues (Chithambo, 2012; Awad, 2014). With this high tolerant attitude towards weight, it puts African Americans at higher risks for obesity (Baturka, 2000).

1. Is beauty a cultural construction? What are some Physical characteristics admired in one culture but not the other? Can you think of another physical trait that Americans esteem that other cultures do not?

They found that black women overall prefer a more voluptuous and robust body shape; the women seem to correlate this with wealth, stature and fitness across cultures (Ofuso, Lafreniere, Senn, 1998). Another study that looked at how women view their bodies supports these findings. This study shows how perceptions of body image vary between African American and Caucasian women. African American women tended to be happier with themselves and have a higher self esteem. The women were all college women from two small community colleges in Connecticut; this is very important that their surroundings are essentially the same (Molloy, Herzberger, 1998). Although these studies reveal that African American and Black women across the world have different cultural constraints and body image ideals than other ethnic groups, other studies urge researchers not to forget that Black women are not unsusceptible to eating disorders and low self esteem. One literature review cautions that the dominant culture of a society may impose its views on individuals and cause a deterioration or change in values and perceptions (Williamson, 1998). Interestingly, Black women with high self-esteem and more positive body images also possess more masculine traits than other women studied.

what is considered beautiful. Other societies do not share the same opinion and may believe extra body

Body language (the process of communicating nonverbally through conscious or unconscious gestures and movements). People all of the world use body language or gestures to communicate nonverbally. I personally think that nonverbal communication and body language are one of the biggest barriers in communication especially between one culture to other. Body gestures can be misinterpreted as rude or disrespectful depending on the country, region, or even the city you’re from.

Physical beauty is constructed by the society that we live in. We are socialized from a very young age to aspire to become what our culture deems ideal. Living in the United States, as in many other Western cultures, we are expected to be well-educated, maintain middle-class or upper-class status, be employed as well as maintain a physical standard of beauty. Although beauty is relative to each culture, it is obvious that we as Americans, especially women, are expected to be maintain a youthful appearance, wear cosmetics and fashionable clothes, but most importantly: not to be overweight. Our society is socially constructed to expect certain physical features to be the norm, anything outside this is considered deviant. Obesity is defined

Ideal body image is a concept that is socially constructed based on the culture that is considered most dominant in a society. The prevalence and exaggeration of beauty standards in media often encourage many people to have issues with self-esteem, body image, and even eating disorders. The way beauty is portrayed in media is becoming a focal point of these public health issues every day. China is a particular nation where the culture embraces the thin ideal body more so than almost every other country that is actually dangerously affecting young people in its society. On the other hand there are countries in Eastern Europe, such as Romania, where a thicker body type is more acceptable. The cultural difference between the different body ideals

Thinness is an aesthetic trait that has been highly valued in American media. The next section of analysis focuses on how body size is displayed and interpreted in Glamour.

The aspect of nonverbal communication has been studied extensively for at least four decades. During the 1960s, volumes were printed about "body language." While that label has become trite to the point of jokes, the subject itself is valid and has been given a more appropriate label: nonverbal communication. Words, in and of themselves, do not convey the entire message in any communication interaction. There are always nonverbal cues. Even in a telephone conversation, there is are cues in terms of voice inflection, tone, volume, speed. Loudness and/or a harsh tone, for instance, communicates hostility and/or anger. Whether the speaker means to convey that message or not is immaterial because it is the listener's interpretation that will set the tone for the rest of the conversation.

Over this summer course I have learned a lot about communication. I learned how significant nonverbal and verbal communication is, along with listening. I never fully understood how big communication is in our daily lives. I now realize that it is a huge aspect of how we continue in our lives. This course has showed me different levels of communication.

I think that it is all about perception, each culture have their idea of what is beauty, for example in Africa, man are more attracted to woman on the bigger side because they believe they are easier to reproduce. Where in here in america in the media the thin girl are what we think beauty should look like example our

Standardized beauty in any culture highly affects an individual's appearance because a country can have different ideals of what is considered beautiful. In the