Abstract

Body language is a part of everyday life and the nonverbal cues associated with body language provide important sources of interpersonal information in a variety of environments and especially in the context of cultural diversity. The intent of this thesis is to understand how certain nonverbal cues can affect leadership within different cultures. The nonverbal cues studied will be body posture, facial expressions, and distance. The cultural regions studied are represented by China, France, Brazil, and Egypt. The appropriate nonverbal cues were identified and discussed based on the cultural context. Research suggests that positive and erect body posture would be beneficial for leaders in all four regions in regards to self-perception and workers' perceptions of leadership. Careful selection of specific facial expressions and direct eye contact would be favorable in all regions for self- and workers' perception of leadership. Considering distance, having less distance and initiating a handshake for self- and workers' perceptions of leadership would be an advantage, but friendly touching is culturally specific. Becoming aware of how certain nonverbal cues may influence the display and interpretation of body language serves to enhance the development of leadership and the promotion of positive attitudes and loyalty in business settings.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2014

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Salas, Eduardo

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Sciences; Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic

Format

PDF

Identifier

CFH0004549

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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Included in

Psychology Commons

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