Koreans and Germans: Cultural Differences in Hand Movement Behaviour and Gestural Repertoire

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe present study compares hand movement behaviour and gestural repertoire between the Korean and German participants. Video clips of the hand movement behaviour of participants during description of their appreciation of dance stimuli were analysed with NEUROGES system. The German participants in general executed significantly more gestures than the Koreans. Concerning gesture repertoire, however, the Germans showed more emotional and emphasising gesture, and gesture presenting motion quality, while the Koreans displayed more pointing and pantomiming gestures. These differences are discussed in the context of the differences in cultural dimensions such as Individualism and Power Distance between both cultures.