thanks very much so before I start I want to put the focus on all of you for
want to put the focus on all of you for
want to put the focus on all of you for a few moments so I’d like everyone to
a few moments so I’d like everyone to
a few moments so I’d like everyone to stand up so just ignore the previous
stand up so just ignore the previous
stand up so just ignore the previous warning and I want everyone to face a
warning and I want everyone to face a
warning and I want everyone to face a person next to you so make sure everyone
person next to you so make sure everyone
person next to you so make sure everyone is facing a person
and now I want everyone in your own way
and now I want everyone in your own way to give the person you’re facing are
to give the person you’re facing are
to give the person you’re facing are really friendly a really warm greeting
okay very good you my you may sit down
okay very good you my you may sit down again so I saw a few kind of awkward
again so I saw a few kind of awkward
again so I saw a few kind of awkward greeting moments in the audience and
greeting moments in the audience and
greeting moments in the audience and that’s what I’m talking about today so
that’s what I’m talking about today so
that’s what I’m talking about today so my earliest kind of memory of a really
my earliest kind of memory of a really
my earliest kind of memory of a really awkward greasing was when I was around
awkward greasing was when I was around
awkward greasing was when I was around 16 years old and I was on a family
16 years old and I was on a family
16 years old and I was on a family holiday in Norway and I remember being
holiday in Norway and I remember being
holiday in Norway and I remember being introduced to these guys they were in
introduced to these guys they were in
introduced to these guys they were in their 20s and like I was used to in
their 20s and like I was used to in
their 20s and like I was used to in Norway I put out my hand to greet them
Norway I put out my hand to greet them
Norway I put out my hand to greet them and they just looked at me no no no
and they just looked at me no no no
and they just looked at me no no no that’s not how we greet in Portugal and
that’s not how we greet in Portugal and
that’s not how we greet in Portugal and one after the other they approached me
one after the other they approached me
one after the other they approached me and embrace me with two or three kisses
and embrace me with two or three kisses
and embrace me with two or three kisses on the cheeks and I was so embarrassed I
on the cheeks and I was so embarrassed I
on the cheeks and I was so embarrassed I felt that they had completely intruded
felt that they had completely intruded
felt that they had completely intruded on my personal space and this is a
on my personal space and this is a
on my personal space and this is a memory I really I’ll never forget how I
memory I really I’ll never forget how I
memory I really I’ll never forget how I felt in that moment so this is what my
felt in that moment so this is what my
felt in that moment so this is what my research is about and um as the SEC said
research is about and um as the SEC said
research is about and um as the SEC said I’m em my background is Norwegian and
I’m em my background is Norwegian and
I’m em my background is Norwegian and Irish so I’ve always been interested in
Irish so I’ve always been interested in
Irish so I’ve always been interested in cultural related communication and also
cultural related communication and also
cultural related communication and also how I was interpreted in Norway and
how I was interpreted in Norway and
how I was interpreted in Norway and which was quite different and how people
which was quite different and how people
which was quite different and how people experience me in Ireland whereas my
experience me in Ireland whereas my
experience me in Ireland whereas my behavior didn’t necessarily change so
behavior didn’t necessarily change so
behavior didn’t necessarily change so since the greeting in Portugal and I’ve
since the greeting in Portugal and I’ve
since the greeting in Portugal and I’ve traveled a lot and lived in different
traveled a lot and lived in different
traveled a lot and lived in different cultures and countries and I’ve noticed
cultures and countries and I’ve noticed
cultures and countries and I’ve noticed that my own greeting habits have also
that my own greeting habits have also
that my own greeting habits have also changed quite a lot so actually nowadays
changed quite a lot so actually nowadays
changed quite a lot so actually nowadays I’m often the one that creates this
I’m often the one that creates this
I’m often the one that creates this awkward situation where I’m like hugging
awkward situation where I’m like hugging
awkward situation where I’m like hugging someone and then I realized mid-air that
someone and then I realized mid-air that
someone and then I realized mid-air that this is really not appropriate so I kind
this is really not appropriate so I kind
this is really not appropriate so I kind of make other people feel awkward in
of make other people feel awkward in
of make other people feel awkward in these moments and there are other
these moments and there are other
these moments and there are other moments as well you know in with
moments as well you know in with
moments as well you know in with business meetings when you go to shake
business meetings when you go to shake
business meetings when you go to shake the hand of the person and it’s like
the hand of the person and it’s like
the hand of the person and it’s like it’s either too hard or too loose or
it’s either too hard or too loose or
it’s either too hard or too loose or sometimes they squeeze your hands so
sometimes they squeeze your hands so
sometimes they squeeze your hands so much that it hurts and then
much that it hurts and then
much that it hurts and then oh yeah sometimes I go a bit too forward
oh yeah sometimes I go a bit too forward
oh yeah sometimes I go a bit too forward and I touched their shoulder and I
and I touched their shoulder and I
and I touched their shoulder and I realized and that wasn’t really
realized and that wasn’t really
realized and that wasn’t really appropriate and then it’s the kissing
appropriate and then it’s the kissing
appropriate and then it’s the kissing greasing so it’s like should I give one
greasing so it’s like should I give one
greasing so it’s like should I give one two kisses is it three four or even five
two kisses is it three four or even five
two kisses is it three four or even five and then it’s always the same question
and then it’s always the same question
and then it’s always the same question do I go right or left first and recently
do I go right or left first and recently
do I go right or left first and recently I had a really awkward nose crash with
I had a really awkward nose crash with
I had a really awkward nose crash with the French friend of mine I was so
the French friend of mine I was so
the French friend of mine I was so enthusiastic to greet him the French way
enthusiastic to greet him the French way
enthusiastic to greet him the French way so I really went for it and then we just
so I really went for it and then we just
so I really went for it and then we just banged our noses and it was really
banged our noses and it was really
banged our noses and it was really painful and quite awkward so I was
painful and quite awkward so I was
painful and quite awkward so I was interested to study this greetings
interested to study this greetings
interested to study this greetings basically in a more in my PhD but also
basically in a more in my PhD but also
basically in a more in my PhD but also in the area where i grew up in norway
in the area where i grew up in norway
in the area where i grew up in norway and close to the city of stavanger so i
and close to the city of stavanger so i
and close to the city of stavanger so i did a field work for my PhD study which
did a field work for my PhD study which
did a field work for my PhD study which included six different cultures and
included six different cultures and
included six different cultures and norwegian turkish Vietnamese and Golan
norwegian turkish Vietnamese and Golan
norwegian turkish Vietnamese and Golan Somali and Chilean participants and I
Somali and Chilean participants and I
Somali and Chilean participants and I wanted to have quite wide ranging
wanted to have quite wide ranging
wanted to have quite wide ranging cultures from different parts of the
cultures from different parts of the
cultures from different parts of the world but also that included different
world but also that included different
world but also that included different religions because our religious
religions because our religious
religions because our religious backgrounds also kind of influence our
backgrounds also kind of influence our
backgrounds also kind of influence our behavior so what I found was the people
behavior so what I found was the people
behavior so what I found was the people really enthusiastic to join the study
really enthusiastic to join the study
really enthusiastic to join the study because they wanted to represent their
because they wanted to represent their
because they wanted to represent their own culture from a firsthand perspective
own culture from a firsthand perspective
own culture from a firsthand perspective which you don’t often get a chance to do
which you don’t often get a chance to do
which you don’t often get a chance to do so they were very enthusiastic and here
so they were very enthusiastic and here
so they were very enthusiastic and here are some of the stills from some of the
are some of the stills from some of the
are some of the stills from some of the videos that I documented and this was
videos that I documented and this was
videos that I documented and this was kind of the base the core work that I
kind of the base the core work that I
kind of the base the core work that I used to create my visualizations so just
used to create my visualizations so just
used to create my visualizations so just to show you a few examples of some
to show you a few examples of some
to show you a few examples of some visualizations so here are three
visualizations so here are three
visualizations so here are three greetings between a male and a female
greetings between a male and a female
greetings between a male and a female and there are all strangers to each
and there are all strangers to each
and there are all strangers to each other so on the left you have a greeting
other so on the left you have a greeting
other so on the left you have a greeting between an a Norwegian male and then an
between an a Norwegian male and then an
between an a Norwegian male and then an Angolan female and then in the middle
Angolan female and then in the middle
Angolan female and then in the middle it’s two Norwegians and to the right two
it’s two Norwegians and to the right two
it’s two Norwegians and to the right two Chilean people so I wanted to look at
Chilean people so I wanted to look at
Chilean people so I wanted to look at gestures but also how in different
gestures but also how in different
gestures but also how in different cultures we use the space between us
cultures we use the space between us
cultures we use the space between us quite differently and then I was very
quite differently and then I was very
quite differently and then I was very interested in how much touch is
interested in how much touch is
interested in how much touch is appropriate in the greeting so you can
appropriate in the greeting so you can
appropriate in the greeting so you can start to compare and then this overhead
start to compare and then this overhead
start to compare and then this overhead view shows the use of personal space
view shows the use of personal space
view shows the use of personal space which i think is really interesting and
which i think is really interesting and
which i think is really interesting and using color coding you can start to kind
using color coding you can start to kind
using color coding you can start to kind of compare in different situations but
of compare in different situations but
of compare in different situations but also in different cultures what is kind
also in different cultures what is kind
also in different cultures what is kind of the appropriate use of personal space
of the appropriate use of personal space
of the appropriate use of personal space or people’s comfort levels so if you
or people’s comfort levels so if you
or people’s comfort levels so if you look at the Norwegian Angolan greasing
look at the Norwegian Angolan greasing
look at the Norwegian Angolan greasing and he was not it was actually a really
and he was not it was actually a really
and he was not it was actually a really funny moment because it was kind of like
funny moment because it was kind of like
funny moment because it was kind of like migrating in Portugal where she was
migrating in Portugal where she was
migrating in Portugal where she was going in for the kiss and he wanted to
going in for the kiss and he wanted to
going in for the kiss and he wanted to do a handshake and then you can see he’s
do a handshake and then you can see he’s
do a handshake and then you can see he’s not completely in her zone so he’s
not completely in her zone so he’s
not completely in her zone so he’s keeping a bit more distant where she’s
keeping a bit more distant where she’s
keeping a bit more distant where she’s really going in for a lot of physical
really going in for a lot of physical
really going in for a lot of physical contact so I was interested in how in
contact so I was interested in how in
contact so I was interested in how in many cultures you perceive touch and
many cultures you perceive touch and
many cultures you perceive touch and close proximity to another person as
close proximity to another person as
close proximity to another person as warm friendly behavior but what also
warm friendly behavior but what also
warm friendly behavior but what also became quite obvious and interesting was
became quite obvious and interesting was
became quite obvious and interesting was that in many cultures there are other
that in many cultures there are other
that in many cultures there are other ways to kind of display warm behavior so
ways to kind of display warm behavior so
ways to kind of display warm behavior so this is an example from Vietnamese
this is an example from Vietnamese
this is an example from Vietnamese squeezing where they said that in their
squeezing where they said that in their
squeezing where they said that in their culture it’s very important to show
culture it’s very important to show
culture it’s very important to show respect to elderly people so usually the
respect to elderly people so usually the
respect to elderly people so usually the younger person boughs a bit further than
younger person boughs a bit further than
younger person boughs a bit further than the older person to show respect and to
the older person to show respect and to
the older person to show respect and to them this is very warm behavior so you
them this is very warm behavior so you
them this is very warm behavior so you can see in contrast to the kiss
can see in contrast to the kiss
can see in contrast to the kiss increasing they have a lot of personal
increasing they have a lot of personal
increasing they have a lot of personal space and a lot of space between them
space and a lot of space between them
space and a lot of space between them but it’s still a very warm breathing so
but it’s still a very warm breathing so
but it’s still a very warm breathing so when we were discussing this with the
when we were discussing this with the
when we were discussing this with the Vietnamese participants one of the
Vietnamese participants one of the
Vietnamese participants one of the ladies said we do not use a lot of
ladies said we do not use a lot of
ladies said we do not use a lot of physical contact when we greet but that
physical contact when we greet but that
physical contact when we greet but that does not mean that we do not care about
does not mean that we do not care about
does not mean that we do not care about each other smiling is very important not
each other smiling is very important not
each other smiling is very important not hugging but eye contact and smiling
hugging but eye contact and smiling
hugging but eye contact and smiling shows a lot of respect so the more I got
shows a lot of respect so the more I got
shows a lot of respect so the more I got to know the people involved in my study
to know the people involved in my study
to know the people involved in my study the more
the more
the more are interested I got in how they
are interested I got in how they
are interested I got in how they experience the greeting so the other
experience the greeting so the other
experience the greeting so the other visualizations showed what’s happening
visualizations showed what’s happening
visualizations showed what’s happening the space the touch but it doesn’t show
the space the touch but it doesn’t show
the space the touch but it doesn’t show their experience of the greeting so I
their experience of the greeting so I
their experience of the greeting so I started working with graphic patterns to
started working with graphic patterns to
started working with graphic patterns to to start to visualize the subjective
to start to visualize the subjective
to start to visualize the subjective experiences so if we go back to
experiences so if we go back to
experiences so if we go back to migrating in Portugal for example you
migrating in Portugal for example you
migrating in Portugal for example you can see that I I perceive the other
can see that I I perceive the other
can see that I I perceive the other person as being intrusive they’re
person as being intrusive they’re
person as being intrusive they’re intruding on myspace whereas they
intruding on myspace whereas they
intruding on myspace whereas they perceive me as being distant so this it
perceive me as being distant so this it
perceive me as being distant so this it became very obvious working with these
became very obvious working with these
became very obvious working with these patterns and the greetings that in
patterns and the greetings that in
patterns and the greetings that in different cultures it’s easy to see how
different cultures it’s easy to see how
different cultures it’s easy to see how you can kind of clash across cultures
you can kind of clash across cultures
you can kind of clash across cultures because of our different backgrounds but
because of our different backgrounds but
because of our different backgrounds but then it was also quite interesting
then it was also quite interesting
then it was also quite interesting because one of the one of the greetings
because one of the one of the greetings
because one of the one of the greetings within the Turkish culture and they had
within the Turkish culture and they had
within the Turkish culture and they had very different religious backgrounds and
very different religious backgrounds and
very different religious backgrounds and they were from different regions in
they were from different regions in
they were from different regions in Turkey so you can also find a lot of
Turkey so you can also find a lot of
Turkey so you can also find a lot of cultural difference within the broader
cultural difference within the broader
cultural difference within the broader national cultures so this one was
national cultures so this one was
national cultures so this one was particularly interesting because the
particularly interesting because the
particularly interesting because the male was from he was a non practicing
male was from he was a non practicing
male was from he was a non practicing Muslim and the female was a quite
Muslim and the female was a quite
Muslim and the female was a quite religious Muslim and so he said that he
religious Muslim and so he said that he
religious Muslim and so he said that he usually greets his or of the other
usually greets his or of the other
usually greets his or of the other females with either a handshake or three
females with either a handshake or three
females with either a handshake or three kisses on the cheek where she prefers to
kisses on the cheek where she prefers to
kisses on the cheek where she prefers to not great other men than her husband she
not great other men than her husband she
not great other men than her husband she wouldn’t touch them then so there was a
wouldn’t touch them then so there was a
wouldn’t touch them then so there was a similar situation in Switzerland
similar situation in Switzerland
similar situation in Switzerland recently which was all over the media
recently which was all over the media
recently which was all over the media where two teenage Syrian refugee boys
where two teenage Syrian refugee boys
where two teenage Syrian refugee boys they refused to shake the hand of their
they refused to shake the hand of their
they refused to shake the hand of their female teacher and this really kind of
female teacher and this really kind of
female teacher and this really kind of went all over the media and it kind of
went all over the media and it kind of
went all over the media and it kind of sparked this conversation about
sparked this conversation about
sparked this conversation about integration about cultural difference
integration about cultural difference
integration about cultural difference religious difference sexual equality so
religious difference sexual equality so
religious difference sexual equality so it just shows that a greeting or a
it just shows that a greeting or a
it just shows that a greeting or a simple handshake can carry so much
simple handshake can carry so much
simple handshake can carry so much meaning it to different cultures and and
meaning it to different cultures and and
meaning it to different cultures and and that it’s really important to be aware
that it’s really important to be aware
that it’s really important to be aware that the other person
that the other person
that the other person experience is the greeting quite
experience is the greeting quite
experience is the greeting quite differently to you so working with these
differently to you so working with these
differently to you so working with these participants and cultures I learned a
participants and cultures I learned a
participants and cultures I learned a lot I learned that people are not either
lot I learned that people are not either
lot I learned that people are not either warm or cold friendly or rude respectful
warm or cold friendly or rude respectful
warm or cold friendly or rude respectful or disrespectful it’s just that we’ve
or disrespectful it’s just that we’ve
or disrespectful it’s just that we’ve been patterned differently by our
been patterned differently by our
been patterned differently by our cultural backgrounds and I think
cultural backgrounds and I think
cultural backgrounds and I think sometimes if tension arises it’s good to
sometimes if tension arises it’s good to
sometimes if tension arises it’s good to keep this in mind and so just consider
keep this in mind and so just consider
keep this in mind and so just consider that they’ve been brought up differently
that they’ve been brought up differently
that they’ve been brought up differently to you so maybe next time when you’re
to you so maybe next time when you’re
to you so maybe next time when you’re traveling or if you’re in a business
traveling or if you’re in a business
traveling or if you’re in a business meeting or maybe you made a refugee who
meeting or maybe you made a refugee who
meeting or maybe you made a refugee who has come a long way from a very
has come a long way from a very
has come a long way from a very different cultural background to you
different cultural background to you
different cultural background to you just keep in mind that these are the
just keep in mind that these are the
just keep in mind that these are the reasons why they’re greasing might be
reasons why they’re greasing might be
reasons why they’re greasing might be different and this also extends to other
different and this also extends to other
different and this also extends to other areas of life and other types of
areas of life and other types of
areas of life and other types of behavior and interaction so i encourage
behavior and interaction so i encourage
behavior and interaction so i encourage you to reflect on your greasing that you
you to reflect on your greasing that you
you to reflect on your greasing that you did at the beginning of the talk and
did at the beginning of the talk and
did at the beginning of the talk and maybe consider how you felt in that
maybe consider how you felt in that
maybe consider how you felt in that moment and then how the other person
moment and then how the other person
moment and then how the other person felt thank you
felt thank you
felt thank you [Applause]
”
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