Blog Post Submitted for the course Group Dynamics, Emerson College

Emiliya Radeva

Gestures Across Cultures: Thumbs-Up

Gestures do not have a universal meaning across cultures. Thus, be careful when using body language in your business and social interaction and make sure you understand your audience. While the thumbs-up sign might show approval in the Western world, it might be interpreted as obscene in other cultures. In some Middle Eastern countries this sign traditionally translates as the foulest of gesticular insults. In Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, and Thailand thumbs-up is an obscene gesture, equivalent to the use of the middle finger in the Western world. In Italy, in the right context, it can simply indicate the number one. In Russia and Finland the meaning of this expression is good, or well done. In the England, a single-handed thumbs-up sign can be used as a farewell or greetings gesture between young males. In Egypt and Israel, it means perfect or very good. In fact, Facebook users encounter the same thumbs-up sign every day. The most popular Like button allows members of the social-networking site to show their appreciation to status updates, photos, videos and links by putting a thumbs-up. But do you think this feature communicates the same message worldwide? I doubt it. Let me know what you think in the comments section. Tags: body language, communication, culture, facebook, gesture, obscene, thumbs-up

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