A Psychological Study of Non-Verbal Communication Differences Between Men and Women in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Non-verbal communication refers to the use of body language, facial expressions, gestures, and the tone of voice to convey meaning without the use of words. Non-verbal cues can include things like eye contact, posture, hand movements, and facial expressions. These cues can often communicate more information than verbal communication alone, and can also convey emotions, attitudes, and intentions. Non-verbal communication is a crucial aspect of human communication and can greatly influence how we perceive others and how we are perceived in return. It is also an important area of study in fields like psychology, anthropology, and communication studies. This research aims to psychologically investigate non-verbal communication differences between females and males in Sri Lanka. For this study, 100 girls and boys between the ages of 20 and 25 were selected from the two main faculties of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Sri Lanka, The Faculty of Management and Commerce and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. A sample of 50 girls and 50 boys was selected from each faculty using the random sampling. The observation method was used to collect data from students. In this research, a qualitative analysis method was used for data analysis. According to this study, same-sex and mixed-sex students randomly observed their communications with each other. During the data collection, students observed non-verbal communication methods such as hand and foot movements, eye contact, facial expression and, standing posture, distance during the conversation, and touching each other. Every part of this study, which was conducted using male and female university students, confirmed that women were ahead of men in non-verbal communication. Although academics have offered sociological, biological, and psychological reasons why women use more non-verbal communication tactics compared to men, according to the study, psychological reasons are more common. Accordingly, it was recognized that women use these non-verbal communication strategies to satisfy the natural characteristics of women, such as female attraction, the need to talk more, and the desire to join groups.