Non-verbal communication is strongly influenced by culture.

Looking someone in the eye, for example, varies in meaning from culture to culture.

In the USA, people are encouraged to look directly at others when speaking to them.

It is considered to convey honesty and interest in what the other person is saying.

However, people in Japan and South Korea have a tendency to avoid making long eye contact.

They think it is more polite to look to the side during a conversation.

Moreover, people in Lebanon stand close together and look firmly into each other’s eyes.

They think that it can show sincerity and make their counterparts understand their desires better.

Body positioning is also a kind of non-verbal communicaton.

For example, an upright position shows confidence.

A slumped position shows sadness and a lack of confidence.

Moreover, our tone of voice, clothing, and physical distance are considered non-verbal communication.

Non-verbal communication differs greatly from place to place.

It is easy to misundertand the gestures or expressions of foreigners.

For instance, smiling expresses happiness or friendliness in North America.

In East Asia, it can be a sign of discomfort or embarrassment.

Shaking one's head may mean "No" in England.

There are many differences in even common expressions such as a smile and eye contact.

People traveling and working abroad ought to learn about non-verbal communication in other cultures.

One helpful method is to watch foreign movies on TV shows.

It is also a good idea to ask people directly what they mean if their gestures or expressions are unclear.

Because people use non-verbal communication unconsciously, they are not usually aware of what messages they are sending to others.

Before communicating with people from other countries, consider your own non-verbal communication.

Misunderstandings may make your friends angry or make you lose business opportunities.

Understanding both your own and others' non-verbal communication can help you communicate better and avoid miscommunication.