Abstract
This paper focused on the action of looking at a mobile phone display as a type of nonverbal behavior/ communication and compared it cross-culturally. The diversity of nonverbal behavior/communication was considered to be caused by the difference between Western and non-Western cultures. The questionnaire was conducted in three countries (the USA, Hong Kong and Japan), and a total of 309 subjects participated. The participants were required to record their opinions for the action according to the situation with ‘co-present’ familiar persons. The analysis declared that the difference between the USA and Japan was more pronounced as the relationship with the ‘co-present’ person was more intimate. The results of the Hong Kong sample were intermediate between those of the other two countries. The diversity was discussed in terms of independent/interdependent self in the perspective of cultural comparison and of mobile phone usage. The analysis revealed that the action as a form of nonverbal behavior/communication has functioned in human relationships and has been deeply embedded into culture in the mobile phone era.
Highlights
In 2014, the ITU reported that the number of mobile cellular subscriptions for developed and developing countries had, respectively, reached 1.5 billion and 5.4 billion, which corresponds to approximately 120% and 90% per inhabitants
People who look at their mobile phone display to use various functions in public spaces are apt to pay less attention to their surroundings and, sometimes cause traffic accidents
There have been affirmative studies claiming that mobile phone usage in public spaces can be connected to new social and cultural activity [5,6,7]
Summary
In 2014, the ITU reported that the number of mobile cellular subscriptions for developed and developing countries had, respectively, reached 1.5 billion and 5.4 billion, which corresponds to approximately 120% and 90% per inhabitants. Nakamura studied the function and/or meaning of the action to look at a mobile phone display He interpreted this action as nonverbal behavior/communication, referring to face-to-face interaction theory [8,9,10]. The human body sends various types of signals, such as height, gender, race, look, line of sight, hair, clothing, footwear, belongings, voice, tone, language, loudness, scent, and action, and 'copresent' people receive some of the signals even if they do not want to Goffman called such perpetual and unavoidable communication 'face-to-face interaction'. In the view of face-to-face interaction, mobile phone usage, including the action to look at a mobile phone display, should send some signals This means that the action can be considered to be nonverbal behavior/ communication. Nakamura listed three motivations to look at a mobile phone display in a situation with familiar persons as follows [9]; A: To check the time or receive communication notifications
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