Adeola Abdulateef Elega

Clothing and physical appearance: Appearance is a major nonverbal cue; 
meanings are attributed to things we wear across cultures. In Africa wearing bikini, 
bump shorts and body exposing clothes are seen as dishonor to womanhood. It is 
believed to promote indecency and immorality, as stated by Ojo and Odeleye (2008) 
“some of these clothing habits and what they portray is alien to our culture. Our 
culture does not support nudity or flaunting of bodies as if it is a product that is being 
put up for sale” (Ojo & Bidemi, 2008 p. 43). Colors are almost the next to types of 

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clothing, Koreans see red as a sign of bad luck but in China it is believed to be good 
luck. In the western world and in Africa black is the signature clothing for mourners 
but in Asian traditions whites clothes are used which shows how dissimilar they can 
be across cultures. In Nigeria for example green means fruitfulness, agriculture and it 
is a national color as it dominates major emblems of the country (Olaoye, 2013 p. 6). 
Olfactics: This is the study of communication through smell, what we smell and how 
we smell is very important for how the body operates and feels. Different cultures 
have what they think about smells. In some it is believed that you should remain the 
way you are avoiding the use of perfumes and body sprays and some others believe 
the body smells what you eat. Aromatherapy is used around the world especially in 
major countries like England, France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. 
Aromatherapy is the use of fluids and extracts from plants, oils for massage and 
keeping the body in shape. 
Oculesics: This is the study of communication with the eyes and they vary across 
cultures. In some cultures you shouldn’t gaze at women, it is disrespectful and sends 
a wrong message. A constant gaze is a sign of disrespect in Africa especially to older 
people or from a man to a woman but in some part of the world it means something 
else. In Africa, when men winks at women it means they want them. Julius Fast 
(1970) submits that out of all body movement that communicates. The eyes are the 
most important. He continues by saying looking at people is applicable worldwide. 
People look at people everywhere but how we look at this people in different cultures 
are different. An example is that of New York high school girl who is from Puerto 
Rico, she was caught with other troublesome girls smoking in the washroom and 
because she has a clean record. The principal called her up to interview her and 

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because all through the interview the 15 year old girl refuses to look straight into the 
eyes of the principal, the principal submits she’s guilty. And after a lot of issues as 
regards the real person of the girl, it was made known to the principal that the girl is 
good. She only couldn’t face the principal because it is wrong to look into the eyes of 
an elderly person in Puerto Rico (Fast, 1970. pp.139-147). 
Figure 6 Eye contact 
(http://www.citelighter.com/communications/communications/knowledgecards/eye-
contact) (Eye contact, 2014)