Gesture, Pointing, and Cultural Variation: A Multidisciplinary Study of Non-Verbal Communication Across Cultures

Gesture, Pointing, and Cultural Variation: A Multidisciplinary Study of Non-Verbal Communication Across Cultures

Ishika Set, Tiyas Bhattacharya, Debasmita Roy

Pursuing Msc in Applied Psychology (Final year)

Sister Nivedita University

Kolkata, India

Abstract

This research explores the cultural variations in pointing gestures, an integral form of non-verbal communication, by integrating insights from linguistics, semiotics, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience. Using a mixed methods approach, it aims to examine how cultural contexts shape the interpretation, adaptation, and significance of pointing gestures in communication. The study includes 78 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Kolkata, aged 18-25, utilizing a 16-item close-ended questionnaire. The findings provide an in-depth understanding of cultural nuances in gestures and the challenges of cross-cultural communication, offering key insights into the cognitive and psychological processes underpinning these communicative practices.

Keywords

Pointing Gestures, Cultural Variation, Cross-Cultural Communication, Linguistics, Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience, Semiotics