Shoutbox

1. What is your gender?
      Male
   
   
2. (Optional) Your age and what do you do by occupation?
      18, unemployed (student)
   
   
3. Where are you from (country and where in the country) ?
      The Netherlands, east part (see world map)
   
   
4. What is/are your native language(s)?
      Dutch
   
   
5. When you are talking, how far away do you usually stand (or sit) from people? Please give your answers for
   1. family members
         1-10 metres (varying by circumstance, e.g. when we're having dinner or when we're both doing different things at different parts of the living room)
      
      
   2. intimate friends
         1-10 metres (the more intimate, the closer together - however, when you're very intimate friends you can also talk to eachother when there's quite a distance between you, e.g. you wouldn't go shouting to a stranger at the other side of the street as easily as you would go shouting to a friend at the other side of the street)
      
      
   3. normal acquaintances
         approximately 1-5 metres (varying by circumstance)
      
      
   4. strangers
         1-3 metres
         Note: the distance is to illustrate that it is more common that there is a big space between two family members than between two strangers. Of course, we are usually closer together than e.g. 10 metres.
   respectively.
   
   
6. When you are talking, do you (consciously) touch the people you are talking to? If yes, how frequently? Please give your answers for
   1. family members
         Not or rarely
      
      
   2. intimate friends
         Occasionally
      
      
   3. normal acquaintances
         Not or rarely
      
      
   4. strangers
         Not
   respectively.
   
   
7. Continued: If people touch more frequently (than the answer you gave in the last question), how do you feel?
      Usually family members don't touch me. When they do (e.g. mother, sister) they're just playing around. Depending on how intimate friends are, they can touch eachother (e.g. lovers). Normal acquaintances touching me are in a good mood/playing around. Strangers touching me are weird
   
   
8. In your culture, do people usually look at others when in an elevator?
      Sometimes - it's not impolite or something, you can smile to someone, but it's also not uncommon to just ignore others (don't look at them).
   
   
9. In your culture, do people try hard not to touch others when in an moderately-to-much-crowded elevator?
      As a kind gesture, yes, but others will understand if you happen to touch them accidentally.
   
   
10. Do you look people in the eyes when you are talking to them? Note your answer may vary depending on whom you are talking to; please give your answer as detailedly as possible.
       I look everyone in their eyes (intimate friends, strangers, ...) when I'm talking to them. When they're talking to me I've noticed I either look into their eyes or focus on their mouth.
    
    
11. In your culture, do people maintain frequent (yet not excessive) eye contact when talking to others?
       Yes. Looking away/not looking at someone means the person is shy or embarassed.
    
    
12. In your culture, what do people do non-verbally, when they first meet someone new? (for example, exchanging handshakes, bowing, ...etc)
       When a stranger asks me the way we don't usually express non-verbal actions. When you'd meet someone like on a meeting you'd shake hands, but that's rather formal. When a mutual friend introduces you to a friend of him/her you'd either simply greet by waving your hand. Shaking hands would quickly be considered formal.
    
    
13. Give your ideas about the special meanings (if any) of the following hand/body gestures and facial expressions in your culture:
    1. The OK sign: forefinger and the tumb joining a circle
          "I've taken care of everything/arrangements were made. You don't need to worry about it."
       
       
    2. Crossing your fingers
          Hoping for the best, e.g. "good luck with your exams, I'll cross my fingers for you". It's also a lame thing to do when you do it behind your back and you're talking to someone, it then means you aren't serious.
       
       
    3. Shurgging your shoulders
          "I don't know/care"
       
       
    4. Winking
          To show that you're joking, not done to strangers/in formal encounters. Also to make eye-contact with someone.

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Thanks for your information and time spent

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