Looking at Filipino NVC by Xyzma Kryshel Bober

Defining traditions

xsbober1 — 2021-11-15 04:22:35 UTC

"A picture paints a thousand words" quite literally...

xsbober1 — 2021-11-15 04:27:44 UTC

This painting by Juan Luna is a work of art that cannot be left unmentioned when studying Dr. Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere. We can find numerous analysis of this work online by professionals and students alike. The most prevalent of them all points out the shape and posture of the Parisian Lady in picture---a symbolic interpretation of the lady's geographical likeness to the mirrored-image of the Philippine archipelago.

Interestingly, in nonverbal communication speak, we also deal with symbolic interpretations of nonverbal cues and behaviors. However, we cannot and should not separate other features present in a communication context, in this case, the painting. (i.e. the lady's clothes, the group of men to her left, their facial expressions, and hers as well, etc.) The roots and histories of nonverbal communication, which Masunov 2016 labels as heritages, have been intertwined since time immemorial.

One cannot simply explore one's nonverbal cues and not take into account the influence of the other heritages to another.

The understanding of these heritages have been hiding themselves in plain sight as intangible traditions---ones you learn through assimilation. If we think about it, we designate a meaning to nonverbal communication almost automatically with no in-depth effort of identifying its sociological, psychological, much less its ethological aspects. It's almost as if the factors we have to take into consideration before decoding them are already hard-wired in our brain.

"Mano po, Ninong. Mano po, Ninang."

ldguevarra — 2021-11-20 02:17:19 UTC

Pagmamano is a unique Filipino gesture done as a sign of respect to or acceptance of a blessing from the elders. It is strictly followed by most Filipino families, especially that the Philippine culture has high regard for social hierarchy based on age. It is passed down from generation to generation by teaching children at an early age.

A culturally learned tradition, social interaction influences the creation and transmission of understanding of this nonverbal behavior.

Particularly during Christmas Day, pagmamano is commonly associated with pamamasko or receiving gifts from elders or family members. Through a process which Thorndike (1913) referred to as trial and error, children may learn that they will receive money or gifts when they greet the elders on Christmas Day. Children may form a cognitive association between the stimuli (pagmamano) and response (receiving gifts), which subsequently may add meaning to their gesture or give them a sort of expectation.

However, it is critical to note that certain cognitive associations may be incompatible in different settings or situations. And that culture, class, religion, and other social factors are important determinants in the modification of the behavior and its meaning.

Sociocultural approach to Filipino NVC

ldguevarra — 2021-11-20 02:33:02 UTC

References:

ldguevarra — 2021-11-20 02:41:18 UTC

Guerrero, Laura, and Kory Floyd. “Nonverbal Communication in Close Relationships.” 17-56. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2008.

Matsumoto, David, Hyisung C. Hwang, and Mark G. Frank. 2016. “ A History of Research on Nonverbal Communication: Our Divergent Pasts and Their Contemporary Legacies .” In APA Handbook of Nonverbal Communication, 3-12. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Tanenbaum, Joshua, Magy seif El-Nasr, and Michael Nixon. “Nonverbal Communication in Virtual Worlds: Understanding and Designing Expressive Characters.” 20-23. ETC Press, 2014.

Yuhico, Matthew, and Koh Ewe. “Why do Filipinos Point With Their Mouth?” Vice.com. Accessed December 14, 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/xgxq7j/why-filipinos-point-mouth-explained

(Image) Sources:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJ8jvmYU8AAX1MF.jpg

https://dodotjetrow.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/mano-po.png

Lip pointing with Ekman & Friesen

xsbober1 — 2021-11-26 11:28:27 UTC

Their framework is the most comprehensive and descriptive system for categorizing and coding kinesics (Tanebaum & Nixon, 2014)

Ekman and Friesen described the three fundamental issues in nonverbal communication, namely usage, origin, and coding. These help in analyzing and coding nonverbal behavior which is used in the example above.

look to the right and take a peek at our analysis of the infamous Filipino lip pointing with the help of Ekman and Friesen!

ldguevarra — 2021-12-14 00:22:51 UTC

It would be no surprise for a fellow Filipino to see another person pointing his/her lips and not take it as an invitation for a kiss.

Lip pointing is a type of nonverbal behavior that is intrinsically coded, meaning the actual act or behavior is not separated from the meaning it signified (Tanenbaum, El-Nasr, & Nixon, 2014, pp. 20-23).

In the Filipino NVC context, the act of pointing the lips directly signifies that one is pointing to someone or somewhere. Its usage is universal to all Filipinos—to indicate a direction or signal someone to look at something.

Instead of using their hands, Filipinos employ lip pointing in particular situations such as: (1) when they are too lazy to lift their arms which requires more energy; (2) when pointing at someone using the index fingers would be rude or disrespectful; (3) when you want to point at someone or something without being obvious; and (4) when your hands are full.

This clearly shows that the use of this nonverbal behavior is conscious and intentional.

However, lip pointing is commonly used in casual interactions alone, such as with peers and friends, as it would be deemed inappropriate and disrespectful if one is communicating with someone older or of a higher position.

Many theories surround the origin of lip pointing. Some say that it originated from necessity when farmers work with both of their hands occupied. Some speculate that it was started by multitasking mothers. Some believe that it stems from the pronunciation of the word “doon.” While others postulate that it began during pre-colonial times when pointing using fingers would be disrespectful to nature.

While there is no clear and definite origin of this gesture, it is clear that it is learned through a shared experience. It is passed on as a culturally unique gesture; people learn through experience and/or observation during a communication process.