When former president George W. Bush was inaugurated in 2005, he lifted his fist with his pinky and index finger extended—a symbol that, in the United States, represents the Texas Longhorn football team. A seemingly innocuous gesture in the U.S., for many other countries in the Mediterranean and Latin America—from Italy and Spain to Brazil and Argentina—this gesture is used to mean that someone’s spouse is cheating on them!
As one might imagine, this incident led to quite a (comical) kerfuffle amongst global reporting, and it goes to show that not even world leaders are immune to the potential confusion that comes with the multitudinous nature of body language. Fortunately, the many meanings associated with similar gestures around the world open doors for us to learn about other cultures as well as demonstrate greater inclusivity by making an effort to respect different cultural norms.
To appreciate these opportunities for knowledge, let’s walk through five examples of body language that vary in meaning around the world! Ready to dive in?
1. Thumbs Up & “OK”
Answer honestly now: did you react with a thumbs up or classic “OK” symbol (forming a circle with your thumb and index finger while extending the other three fingers) to the previous question? Watch out—these two gestures can have wildly different meanings depending on where we are in the world!
While both a thumbs up and the “OK” symbol tend to indicate approval or a job well done, these meanings are not universal. A thumbs up in France may simply indicate “one,” as in France many people count on their fingers by beginning with their thumb. In Malaysia, it’s common to point with one’s thumb instead of the index finger. But watch out—in Greece, a thumbs up can be seen as a rude insult meaning “Up yours!” The “OK” symbol carries a similar risk, as in Spain, Greece, and Brazil, this sign can come across as calling the other person an a-hole (pardon my censoring), a meaning I know I want to avoid. As such, when using a thumbs up or the “OK” symbol around the world, we must keep in mind that the message we’re intending may not be the message that’s received. Otherwise, we might get in trouble!
2. Handshake
Speaking of hands, an action as simple as a handshake comes with many different expectations and styles around the world! In the U.S. and much of Western Europe, a firm handshake is common, as it’s a sign of respect and authority. However, expect some frequency in the number of times we might actually shake the other person’s hand! In the U.S., as many as five to seven shakes is common, as compared to the U.K., where three to five tends to be the average range. In France and Germany, handshakes tend to consist of no more than one or two pumps—anything greater might come across as overeager and domineering!
In other regions, of course, handshakes are less common, such as in East Asia—e.g. Japan—where bowing to another person is the preferred signal of respect and greeting. On the opposite end of the spectrum are much of Central and South America, as well as parts of Southern Europe, where intimate handshakes are common; in these regions, “a handshake is longer and warmer, with the left hand usually touching the clasped hands or elbow.” Some parts of Africa even prefer a limp handshake as standard.
In other words—we need to study our handshake! We must practice flexibility when greeting people from around the world!
3. Eye Contact
Speaking of greeting others, this blog would be remiss without mentioning eye contact. In the U.S., maintaining eye contact during a conversation is a sign of respect, and to avoid eye contact is often considered rude. Spain and Greece, too, tend to prefer strong eye contact during a conversation. But this interpretation is not universal!
In Northern Europe, such as Finland, eye contact tends to only happen at the very beginning of a conversation; too much eye contact may come across as embarrassing as overly intense. Japan, too, has different norms of eye contact, as lengthy eye contact tends to be read as disrespectful.
As Hamlet famously said: to make eye contact or not to make eye contact—that is the question, and the answer will vary depending on where we’re at in the world!
4. Arms During Conversations
Not only do expectations for where our eyes go during a conversation vary among countries, but so too do expectations for how we use our arms. In the U.S. and especially Italy, it is exceedingly common for individuals to use their arms (if not their entire body) when speaking with another person—after all, there’s a reason we use the phrase “talking with your hands.” As someone born and raised in the Middle East, I can confirm that we also love to be expressive with our bodies when holding conversations, too!
But once again, such expressive movements are not standard across the globe. In much of Northern Europe, using one’s arms and hands when speaking is not preferred, as these exaggerated movements tend to be associated with over-dramatization and even insincerity. In Japan, using one’s arms for emphasis in conversation is often read as impolite. When traveling the globe, then, we need to check our arms—let’s only use as much movement as the other person seems to be comfortable with!
5. Personal Space
Last but certainly not least, norms related to personal space—particularly during casual conversations—greatly vary around the world, so much so that regions can be broadly classified as “high-contact,” “medium-contact,” and “low-contact” cultures.
Northern Europe and parts of Asia tend to be classified as low-contact cultures, meaning there is limited physical contact between people who don’t know each other well or are just meeting for the first time (be it a shared bow or a brief handshake). This norm doesn’t mean people need to stand several feet apart, but more that if we’re used to more casual contact, we should limit that instinct in these regions.
Much of North America, including the U.S., and parts of Western Europe are considered medium-contact cultures. Handshakes, for example, are common and are signs of respect, but we wouldn’t necessarily be hugging complete strangers or standing very close in casual conversation.
Latin America, in turn, as well as Southern Europe and the Middle East are broadly classified as high-contact cultures, meaning people tend to be very physically friendly with one another! In the Middle East, for example, it’s not uncommon for men to hold hands and kiss each other as a greeting (though these familiar greetings would not be seen between men and women). And who can forget the famous “la bise” of France—if you travel to France, you may not depart unkissed!
At the end of the day, the same body language can have a plethora of meanings around the world, meaning we should take caution to learn what a gesture means before we travel to a new country. While this task may seem daunting, I encourage us to view it as exciting—and often funny! What’s more interesting than getting to learn about how everyone in the world may read the same hand symbol as possessing a totally different meaning?
If you feel comfortable with the gesture, take my hand—we’ve got a whole world of body language to explore!
Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization. Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.
