The eyes are an integral part of the face when it comes to observing or conveying non-verbal information. Each of the seven universal expressions of emotion have some change in or around the eyes that can lead you to understand what someone might be feeling or thinking. When travelling, human interaction is inevitable, but depending on where you go, reading someone’s face for information may not be as easy to do. Since cultural norms guide behavior, people from different countries may communicate differently. The amount, duration, and interpretation of eye contact, for instance, will differ depending on where you are.
In the United States and other European countries like Spain, France, and Germany, using direct eye contact is accepted and considered to be a sign of attentiveness, honesty, confidence, and respect for what the other is saying. In Native American culture and most Latin-American, Asian, and African cultures, the opposite is true. Direct eye contact is considered to be impertinent, confrontational, and aggressive. Because these cultures follow the tradition of maintaining a social hierarchy, avoiding direct eye contact is a sign of respect to elders or bosses and is used to maintain harmony among people. For Muslim countries in the Middle East, direct eye contact is acceptable and considered to be a sign of sincerity and trustworthiness between people of the same gender. Direct eye contact between men and women, however, is not advocated and is kept to a minimum if it does occur.
If you are from a country where direct eye contact is normal, you may be offended or confused when someone is not making eye contact with you while you are speaking to them. Likewise, if you are from a country that avoids using direct eye contact, you may be taken aback that someone could be so brazen as to look at you straight in the eyes while you are speaking to them, especially if they are younger than you, subordinate to you, or are of a different gender. Being aware of these cultural norms in advance can facilitate communication by allowing people to accept, adapt, and adjust to each other’s cultural communication style. Knowing a culture’s norms can also help you sharpen your non-verbal communication skills by teaching you to pick up on or use different facial or body language cues if you cannot look directly into someone’s eyes.
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