Body-language and nonverbal communication

German romanticism….

17-05-2012

German romanticism….

German romanticism….….and Chinese!

It feels like this when I imagine Germans and Western people feeling excluded like me as I told you yesterday. Excluded by this so charming Chinese smile of a group. Watching the group, looking for some kind of contact, but just facing this smile.

I know about the importance of the group in Chinese social life. I know about the role of group cohesion and it´s relevance for social behaviour, for social functioning and I know about the role of group identity which gives personal orientation. Which also carries personal identity. Which shapes and characterizes identity at all. – In China……………………….

What is the secret?

By: Ulrich Sollmann

16-05-2012

intercultural

What is the secret?

…..I often ask myself, when facing this excluding smile, the secret recipee which can break down or open up the unseen wall of smile.

I remember what I read about the importance of group life in China. And the self-evidence of group behaviour. The group is important. The group gives relational orientation. The group makes sense for the Chinese. The group offers identity.

And the group is the base, the impulse and the structure for social life.

Well I am different. I am not Chinese. ……………………

Smiling also can exclude….

By: Ulrich Sollmann

15-05-2012

intercultural, nonverbal communication

Smiling also can exclude….

Some days ago I told you about having met three Chinese picking nettles. It was an interesting and charming encounter, though we did not understand their language. And they had problems to understand us. On the way home my wife and I talked about this experience whereas I remembered some other experience.

As usual, when going out for shopping on Saturday, I meet some Chinese groups near our university. Some Chinese students, male and female, stand together, talking, laughing and being busy shopping. They cling together and seem to be very happy, as happy as they seem to be on all those photos which can be seen on facebook or some other social media posting.

Well, remember the kind of friends they feel connected to on facebook for example. It´s almost Chinese only. For me it seems as if everybody knows each other. Every Chinese knows all other Chinese. ;-)……………………………..

cowardice or humility

By: Ulrich Sollmann

14-05-2012

nonverbal communication, psychology, society

cowardice or humility

yesterday there was election in one big state of Germany. Interesting in so far as in contrast to many other eöections we had a clear winner and a clear looser. Not the result struck my mind, not the winner or looser impressed me, but one little side phenomenon.

Some shade behind the spoken words.

Both politicians were asked about the importance of the politician as a person, not as representative of a special programm or party. Both answered the same way:………………

language is not language

By: Ulrich Sollmann

12-05-2012

News, psychology, science

language is not language

this morning a professor of philosophy critizised scientific language in an interview. The different sciences produce their own languages. This is understable concerning the field they are engaged in. This is understable regarding the various specialized issues they are busy with. This is understable because each science lives so to say in it´s own field, in it´ s own sphere. And this is understable because each social or scientific field needs to have it´s own language to communicate more easily and more quickly.

But it´s not understable when thinking about those who are not integrated in this field. Who are excluded by not being able to understand the specific language the one or other scientist is using…………………………..

back again…

By: Ulrich Sollmann

11-05-2012

News

back again….

from Berlin I am so sorry not having written the last two days. Tomorrow more. Promised. 😉

The body does not cry….

By: Ulrich Sollmann

09-05-2012

News, psychology

The body does not cry….

Young Chinese students dope themselves to get a good exam, I read today and was shocked. Middle school says the students are injecting amino acids to replace energy. Which the students needed to prepare well for the exams “gao kao”.

Going to school is truly very exhausting, the students say. We get up every day at 8:30 am, coming home at 10:30 pm at night.

On the one hand one could talk about the school system and the relevance to what learning means and how learning functions. On the other hand I would say something about what is happening to the body and the inner self of the students when they they do so……………………..

Gesture

By: Ulrich Sollmann

09-05-2012

Body language

Gesture

Gesture is a main topic of body language. It tells us stories about the person himself AND at the same time it is the beginning of nonverbal communication. More about the definition of gesture…………..see the following definition

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

Words and face and words……and understanding

By: Ulrich Sollmann

08-05-2012

Body language, intercultural, nonverbal communication

Words and face and words……and understanding

When my wife and I had a walk yesterday we met two Chinese women and one Chinese man picking some grass or so. Wondering what they really were picking up made us come closer and ask them. Quite a bit puzzled and uncertain how to react they smiled at us very openly and friendly.

No words followed. — More smile.

We repeated our question more slowly and smiled also a bit puzzled. And looked at the same time at their hands which held the stinging nettles. We now knew, but…..still stayed there not knowing whether to leave or to go on communicating.

Again no word. Some almost whispering words………………………….

To meet the strange in yourself

By: Ulrich Sollmann

07-05-2012

Body language, intercultural, nonverbal communication

To meet the strange in yourself

If one understands training as: organized activity aimed at imparting information and / or instructions to improve the recipient´s performance or to help him or her to attain level of knowledge or skill, training just is a necessary step on the way to improve.

Intercultural training as preparing yourself for meeting people from another culture means most of all especially in the beginning nonverbal communication. As you cannot speak the language or understand what is meant between the lines you are just open with all your senses: Your eyes look and try to figure out what it´s all about. Often you see but don´t understand. Your ears listen to some kind of strange sound which you probably have never heard before. Your nose smells extraordinary strange, ……………………………

Smiling also can exclude….

cowardice or humility

language is not language

back again…

The body does not cry….

Gesture

Words and face and words……and understanding

To meet the strange in yourself

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