Innate Gestures vs. Cultural Emblems

Innate Gestures (Smiling, Sucking)

Certain non-verbal signals are not learned, but innate or genetically carried. That is, we are born with them.

Smiling is a prime example; it is a facial expression that the brain triggers as a reflection of positive feelings such as happiness.

The proof that it is innate is that children who are born blind, and therefore have never been able to copy a smile, smile in the same way when they feel happy.

Another fundamental innate gesture is the sucking reflex. A baby seeks to suck not only to feed, but because the action itself evokes a calming effect, restoring a sense of security.

The refined innate gesture (The pen in the mouth)

This sucking reflex does not disappear in adulthood; it is refined and becomes more sophisticated and less obvious.

An adult who feels distressed or under pressure will not suck his thumb.

Instead, his brain will seek to replicate that comforting gesture by bringing a substitute object to his lips or mouth.

Common examples include biting on a pen, eyeglasses temples, smoking, or bringing any object within reach of the mouth.

This reaction is usually instantaneous and involuntary when the person is faced with an uncomfortable situation or needs to analyze something.

Often, the person is totally unaware of this habit until someone else points it out to them.

The danger of emblems (culturally specific gestures).

At the opposite end of the spectrum from innate gestures are emblems. An emblem is a gesture that has a specific and direct cultural meaning, which substitutes for a word or words.

The danger of emblems is that they are not universal. The "OK" gesture (joining the thumb and forefinger to form a circle) is a clear example. In the United States it means "all right".

However, in countries such as France or Belgium, it can mean "zero" or "worthless." In Japan, it is interpreted as "money" (because of the form of currency). And in some Mediterranean cultures or in Brazil, it is an obscene insult.

Similarly, the "thumbs up" gesture, used for approval in many cultures, is a serious insult in parts of the Middle East or Greece.

The case of crossing arms

Even gestures that seem universal, such as crossing the arms over the chest, have an innate, genetic basis.

Most people have a default way of doing it (always the same arm over the other).

If you consciously try to reverse the crossing, the posture will feel strange, awkward and unnatural.

This shows that it is a gesture over which we have no conscious influence.

It is believed that the brain instinctively sends this command when we feel insecure, intimidated or at odds.

The evolutionary function is twofold: to protect the vital organs (the heart) and to provide us with a "self-hug" that restores a sense of comfort and security.

Summary

Certain nonverbal signals are innate or genetic, not learned. Smiling is a prime example, present even in blind children. The sucking reflex is also innate.

In adults, sucking is refined: biting on a pen, eyeglasses or smoking are comfort gestures under pressure. They are instantaneous and involuntary reactions in very uncomfortable situations.

Emblems, on the other hand, are cultural gestures that substitute for words. They are not universal; the gesture "OK" means "good" in the USA, but "zero" in France or is an insult in Brazil.