From birth, we struggle to be understood. We flail our arms, cry, scream, smile, frown, and make sounds and gestures to attract attention or to communicate our wants or needs. By adulthood, each of us has developed a unique way of communicating through gestures, words, expressions, and body language. Different cultures have different ways of expressing feelings and using body language. Members of some cultures gesture broadly; others maintain a closed body posture. Some are offended by direct eye contact, and others welcome a steady gaze.
Although people differ in communication, this does not mean one sex, gender, culture, or group communicates better. We must be willing to accept differences and work to keep lines of communication open and fluid.
Read the following scenarios and indicate how each describes you according to the following rating scale:
5 = Would describe me all or nearly all the time
3 = Would describe me sometimes, but it would be a struggle for me
1 = Would describe myself as never or almost never