Hand Greetings
Westerners often include a handshake in their greetings or to signal the conclusion of business or negotiations. Where the handshake is appropriate, it should be a firm grasp with a bare hand and most often with the right hand. A weak or limp handshake is seen as insincere. ome societies and secret groups have unique handshakes to signify … Keep Reading → membership. While this may seem appropriate in the West, in many cultures physical contact is to be avoided particularly between members of the opposite sex. In some Asian countries, the handshake has become understood and is often reciprocated, but their natural preference is for a small head bow as a greeting gesture. In some cultures, the handshake includes shaking both hands, often called a handclasp. Rejecting a handshake is considered insulting unless there is a legitimate reason such as an injured hand. Other hand gestures such as the thumbs up, clenched fist, crossed fingers, the finger, a fist bump, high five, telephone, V sign or ILY have meanings that vary dramatically between cultures and should be used cautiously in cross-culture communication to avoid problems. Find out more about the appropriate use of hand gestures in this Hub.
