Explanations of Non-verbal Behaviour » Evidence for Learned Behaviour

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

How non-verbal behaviours can be learned through observation and experience
Key studies supporting the learned behaviour explanation
Cultural differences in non-verbal communication
The role of socialisation in developing non-verbal behaviours
How to evaluate evidence for learned non-verbal behaviour

Evidence for Learned Non-verbal Behaviour

Have you ever wondered why people from different countries might greet each other differently? Or why your family has certain gestures that others don't understand? Many psychologists believe that a significant portion of our non-verbal behaviour is learned rather than innate. This means we pick up these behaviours from watching others and through our experiences.

Key Definitions:

Non-verbal behaviour: Communication without words, including facial expressions, gestures, posture and eye contact.
Learned behaviour: Actions or responses acquired through experience, observation, or teaching rather than being innate.
Social learning theory: The idea that we learn by observing and imitating others.
Cultural transmission: The passing of behaviours, customs and knowledge from one generation to the next.

📚 Observational Learning

Albert Bandura's famous Bobo doll experiments (1961) showed that children learn behaviours by watching others. Children who saw adults acting aggressively toward a doll later copied these actions. This supports the idea that non-verbal behaviours can be learned through observation and imitation.

🌎 Cultural Differences

If non-verbal behaviours were entirely innate, we would expect them to be universal. However, many gestures and expressions vary across cultures. For example, nodding means "yes" in the UK but "no" in some parts of Bulgaria and Greece. This suggests these behaviours are learned within cultural contexts.

Key Studies Supporting Learned Non-verbal Behaviour

Eibl-Eibesfeldt's Research (1972)

Eibl-Eibesfeldt studied blind-deaf children who had never seen facial expressions. He found they still displayed some basic expressions like smiling, suggesting these might be innate. However, more complex non-verbal behaviours were absent or different, indicating that many non-verbal behaviours need to be learned through observation.

Case Study Focus: The Blind Children Study

Eibl-Eibesfeldt found that blind children who had never seen others smile still smiled when happy. However, their smiles were less nuanced and they lacked many other non-verbal behaviours that sighted children display. This suggests a mix of innate and learned components to non-verbal behaviour.

Ekman's Cross-Cultural Studies (1960s-1970s)

Paul Ekman's research initially seemed to support innate explanations when he found that basic emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise) were recognised across cultures. However, he also discovered that display rules - when and how to show emotions - varied significantly between cultures, suggesting these aspects are learned.

Real-World Example: Japanese vs. American Display Rules

Ekman found that Japanese participants masked negative emotions with polite smiles when an authority figure was present, while Americans were more likely to display their true feelings. This shows how cultural learning shapes the expression of even basic emotions.

How We Learn Non-verbal Behaviours

👀 Observation

We watch others and copy their behaviours. Children observe their parents' facial expressions and gestures and begin to imitate them from an early age.

💡 Reinforcement

When our non-verbal behaviours get positive reactions (like smiles or approval), we're more likely to repeat them. Behaviours that lead to negative outcomes are less likely to be repeated.

🏫 Socialisation

Schools, families and peer groups actively teach appropriate non-verbal behaviours. Children are often told to "sit up straight," "look people in the eye," or "stop making that face."

Cultural Evidence for Learned Non-verbal Behaviour

Different cultures have distinct non-verbal behaviours that would be difficult to explain if these behaviours were purely innate:

Personal space: In the UK, people typically maintain about an arm's length of personal space. In Latin American cultures, closer proximity is normal, while in some Asian cultures, greater distance is preferred.
Eye contact: In Western cultures, direct eye contact is seen as respectful and attentive. In many East Asian cultures, prolonged eye contact with authority figures can be considered rude.
Gestures: The thumbs-up sign is positive in the UK but offensive in some Middle Eastern countries. The "OK" hand gesture is positive in the UK but considered rude in Brazil.

Research Spotlight: Matsumoto's Studies

David Matsumoto (1990) found that Japanese and American participants recognised the same basic emotions in facial expressions, supporting the idea that some expressions are universal. However, Japanese participants were much less likely to recognise anger and disgust, emotions that are discouraged from being displayed in Japanese culture. This suggests cultural learning influences even how we perceive emotions.

Evidence from Family Studies

Families often develop unique non-verbal communication patterns that are passed down through generations:

👪 Family-Specific Gestures

Many families develop their own "private" gestures that have meaning only within the family. These gestures must be learned, as they aren't universal. For example, a family might have a specific hand signal that means "time to leave" at social gatherings.

🏠 Twin Studies

Research with twins raised apart shows they develop different non-verbal behaviours based on their adoptive families, suggesting these behaviours are learned rather than genetically determined. However, some similarities remain, indicating a possible genetic component to some expressions.

Evaluating the Evidence

Strengths of the Learned Behaviour Explanation

Explains cultural differences in non-verbal communication
Supported by observational studies showing children learning through imitation
Accounts for changes in non-verbal behaviour over time and across contexts
Explains how people can learn to control and modify their non-verbal behaviours

Limitations of the Learned Behaviour Explanation

Doesn't fully explain universal expressions found across cultures
Some non-verbal behaviours appear in blind children who couldn't have learned them through observation
Doesn't account for similarities in non-verbal behaviour between relatives who haven't met
May overestimate the role of learning and underestimate biological factors

A Balanced View: Nature and Nurture

Most modern psychologists believe non-verbal behaviour results from an interaction between innate tendencies and learning. Basic expressions like smiling may have an innate component, while more complex behaviours like greeting rituals are primarily learned. This explains why we see both universal patterns and cultural variations in non-verbal communication.

Key Takeaways

The evidence strongly suggests that many non-verbal behaviours are learned through:

Observation and imitation of others
Cultural transmission of appropriate behaviours
Reinforcement of "correct" expressions and gestures
Family and peer socialisation

However, this doesn't mean all non-verbal behaviour is learned. The most likely explanation is that we have some innate tendencies that are shaped and modified through learning and cultural influences. This helps explain both the similarities and differences we see in non-verbal communication across cultures and individuals.

🧠 Test Your Knowledge!