(H) 109-117 Hall & Hall

Body language is an important part of communication and how others interpret you. When being approached, people have different expectations of how the other person should behave around them. Unknowingly, we as humans each portray out thoughts and feelings through our body. Whether t forcefully make it known or not, body language can have a great effect on how the person on the other side of the interaction comes to think of you. Nevertheless, depending on the social background a person comes from, they each react differently to the same situations another person might react to. People tend to analyze situations and jump to conclusions no matter of its accuracy. This ill-judged decision comes from not understanding where other people come from and are not aware of different customs. Whether it may seem like a hostile or flirtatious setting, other may not understand fully what the intent in the situation is. The social setting can also bring up lots of misinterpretations if either party is unsure of what the normal customs are. Being unaware of what is and isn’t socially acceptable leads to misunderstanding and could be taken in the wrong way. Social standards can create both healthy and tense settings in where people use their non dialogue language to indirectly state what they’re thinking. Body language becomes a communicator on its own and gives the other person all the information they need about you. In American societies, body language tends to be short and closed off in public. Americans can portray themselves as very private and personal people. With this being said, many become uncomfortable when approached in public with an openness in their body language. Body language has become a direct way of demonstrating to others how to talk, approach, and treat each other.