A Study of Nonverbal Communication Based on Kinesics through Movies: Cultural Comparison among Korea, U.S. and Japan

Takase, Fumihiro; Ryu, Young A

Article

Journal of English Teaching through Movies and Media 2002;3(2):227-243.
Published online December 30, 2002.

A Study of Nonverbal Communication Based on Kinesics through Movies: Cultural Comparison among Korea, U.S. and Japan

Abstract

Learning nonverbal communication is very important when communicating in English. Therefore, teaching students nonverbal communication, would help our them understand the culture of the target language and the concept of communication. Korean, American and Japanese movies were compared and used to illustrate the points of this paper. To demonstrate the similarities and differences (Kinesic universals) of nonverbal communication between these three countries, movie scenes covering eight categories were chosen. Next, the selected scenes were sorted using 10 comparison criteria. By using movies in the foreign language classroom, students can observe the patterns of human behavior, both verbal and nonverbal, and appreciate that these patterns demonstrate both similarities and differences across cultures.