Decyphering nonverbal language

[Nostromo]

I was wondering why Japanese nod their head so frequently. I found a nonverbal dictionary on the Net.

http://members.aol.com/nonverbal2/entries.htm#Entries

Here's the entry about headnods:

Gesture. 1. A vertical, up-and-down movement of the head used to show agreement or comprehension while listening. 2. A flexed-forward, lowering motion of the skull, used to emphasize an idea, an assertion, or a key speaking point.

Usage: Rhythmically raised and lowered, the head-nod is an affirmative cue, widely used throughout the world to show understanding, approval, and agreement. Emphatic head-nods while speaking or listening may indicate powerful feelings of conviction, excitement, or superiority, and sometimes even rage.

[...]

Evolution. Paleocircuits for the reptilian head-bobbing display (used aggressively by lizards, e.g., to affirm their presence in Nonverbal World) may underlie the nods we ourselves use to reinforce our words. The reptilian principle of isopraxism may explain why speakers and listeners often nod in synchrony.

RESEARCH REPORTS: 1. Though other types of affirmative head movements have been observed cross-culturally (LaBarre 1947), the affirmative head-nod is well-documented as a nearly universal indication of accord, agreement, and understanding (Darwin 1872; Eibl-Eibesfeldt 1970, 1971; Morris 1994). 2. "Others see it [the head-nod] as an abbreviated form of submissive body-lowering - in other words, as a miniature bow" (Morris 1994:142).

Neuro-notes. That we head-nod in agreement may be due, in part, to trapezius's origin as a "gut reactive" branchiomeric muscle for respiration and feeding (see SPECIAL VISCERAL NERVE). 1. Today, e.g., it assists movements of a baby's head in accepting the breast--a behavior some have used to explain the universality of the head-nod cue (e.g., Morris 1994:142). 2. Moreover, the accessory nerve (cranial XI, which innervates trapezius), has a relationship with the vagus nerve (cranial X, which innervates the larynx in producing "hmm," "uh huh," and other "digestive" vocalizations). Thus, the affirmative head-nod may reflect an agreeable response to food. 3. Regarding the emphatic head-nod, the strong physical emphasis during its downward phase suggests a separate origin from the "yes" nod, which begins with an upward motion.

But that doesn't explain why Japanese do it so often, nor why those who speak do it. I'm assuming they're not saying that they agree or understand with what they're saying.

[JohnT]

Maybe they're genetically akin to pigeons?

[Ecthy]

What about rumours about cultures where it means the exact opposite?

In Africa? In Romania?

[JohnT]

Mingapulco...?

[Asher]

It is to show respect in Japan.

[Nostromo]

Originally posted by Asher
It is to show respect in Japan.

But that would be the bow.

Around the world, people bow a. to greet, b. to defer, c. to show courtesy, and d. to pray. In some cultures the bow is a formal gesture, as in Japan, e.g., where people are judged by their bows. A casual hello to Japanese colleagues is a quick bend to a 15-degree angle; a respectful greeting to customers or superiors is a 30-degree bow; a formal apology involves a quick bend to a 45-degree angle, held to a count of three, with a slow return to upright posture.

[...]

Baseball. In Japanese baseball, pitchers remove their caps and bow toward home plate after hitting a batter with a ball.

Culture. 1. In Japan, the forwardness of one's bow reflects status; e.g., those higher in status bow less deeply to those lower in status. It is considered bad form for westerners to bow too deeply to lower status Japanese. 2. Among the Mossi of Burkina Faso, the most servile gesture is the poussi-poussi. "To poussi-poussi, Collett [1983] explains, one takes off shoes and headgear (which add height), sits with the legs 'tucked to one side,' lowers the body, and beats on the ground. (Historically, men also threw dust on their heads.)" (Givens 1986:155 ). 3. "In the Muslim world, the body kowtow--in which one kneels down and touches the ground with the forehead--is used in prayer to show humility before the deity (Morris 1994:11).

Humility. The English word humble means being "close to the ground." It comes via Old French's umble from Latin's humilis, "low, lowly." The word derives from Latin's humus, "earth," and is related to the English word human. In its original sense, being human meant being an "earthly being," as opposed to being an ethereal, immortal god in the sky (Ayto 1990). The Indo-European root for man is *dhghom, for on the ground is *dhghm, and for earth is *dhghom-o (Susan N. Skomal, personal communication).

Submission. Bowing at the boss's door is a common act inspired by the reptilian brain. Before entering a superior's inner sanctum, American workers may pause, bend at the waist, flex their necks forward, and lower their heads to peek in. Though without a formal tradition of bowing, they ritually lower themselves at the boss's door, as if doing so were written into the job description.

Maybe what I interpret as a headnod is actually a bow...

[Nostromo]

Originally posted by JohnT
Maybe they're genetically akin to pigeons?

Now, behave! You don't want to offend our Japanese friends. If you read my last post, on bows, you know what to do

[Asher]

It's a quasi-bow as I understand it.