The Role of Gesture in Multimodal Communication
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ejl.1769Keywords:
Gesture, Multimodal Communication, Communication Effectiveness, Theory Integration, Practice Implications, Policy Recommendations, Cognitive Mechanisms, Interdisciplinary CollaborationAbstract
Purpose: The general objective of the study was to examine the role of gesture in multimodal communication.
Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive's time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the role of gesture in multimodal communication. Preliminary empirical review revealed that that gestures play a crucial role in multimodal communication, serving as more than mere supplements to verbal discourse. Through theoretical frameworks like social semiotics and empirical research across various contexts, it was found that gestures enhance comprehension, memory retention, and social interactions. The findings emphasized the importance of recognizing and leveraging gestures in communication, urging educators, communicators, and policymakers to develop strategies that harness the full potential of multimodal communication for fostering understanding and connection in diverse settings.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Cognitive Load theory, Symbolic Interactionism and Social Semiotics model may be used to anchor future studies on the role of gestures in multimodal communication. The study recommended integrating gesture theories within existing communication frameworks, enriching theoretical discourse and offering new perspectives on multimodal communication dynamics. Practically, it advocated for incorporating gesture-based interventions in education and professional settings to enhance communication effectiveness and build rapport. At the policy level, it called for the integration of multimodal communication strategies into educational curricula and workplace training programs to support inclusive and effective communication practices. The study also suggested further research into the cognitive mechanisms of gesture production and comprehension, alongside the development of technology-mediated communication tools and guidelines for inclusive communication practices. Additionally, it proposed interdisciplinary collaborations to advance understanding of multimodal communication processes and drive innovation in the field.
Downloads
References
Adendorff, R., Babiker, M., & du Plessis, A. (2016). The potential of African indigenous languages for multimodal education: Perspectives from South Africa. Language Matters, 47(2), 195-215. DOI: 10.1080/10228195.2016.1169869
Akinboye, S. O. (2018). Gesture in African traditional theatre: A semiotic analysis. African Identities, 16(4), 359-371. DOI: 10.1080/14725843.2018.1485531
Almeida, D. R. (2017). Ethnolinguistic vitality and language attitudes: A study of Brazilian Indigenous peoples. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2017(246), 43-62. DOI: 10.1515/ijsl-2017-0021
Blumer, H. (1969). Symbolic interactionism: Perspective and method. University of California Press.
Brown, T., Johnson, M., Garcia, R., & Martinez, L. (2019). The Impact of Gesture on Persuasive Communication in Political Discourse. Political Communication, 36(2), 214-230. DOI: 10.1080/10584609.2018.1533887
Costa-Lopes, R., MartÃn-Salom, P., & Moore, E. (2019). "For every gesture we have a name": Creating meaning in L2 multimodal interaction. Journal of Pragmatics, 139, 103-118. DOI: 10.1016/j.pragma.2018.11.006
Drew, P. (2013). The Conversation Analytic Role-play Method (CARM): A method for training communication skills as an alternative to simulated role-play. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 46(1), 1-17. DOI: 10.1080/08351813.2013.752551
Enfield, N. J. (2013). Relationship thinking: Agency, enchrony, and human sociality. Oxford University Press.
Garcia, M., Rodriguez, A., Martinez, P., & Lopez, S. (2017). Gestural Patterns in Cross-Cultural Negotiation: A Comparative Analysis. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 48(5), 689-706. DOI: 10.1177/0022022117701586
Goldin-Meadow, S. (2014). How gesture promotes learning throughout childhood. Child Development Perspectives, 8(3), 155-159. DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12077
Halliday, M. A. K. (1978). Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning. Edward Arnold.
Holliday, A. (2013). Understanding intercultural communication: Negotiating a grammar of culture. Routledge.
Iwasaki, S. (2015). Gesture, silence, and the indexicality of consciousness in Japanese conversational interaction. Pragmatics, 25(2), 269-301. DOI: 10.1075/prag.25.2.06iwa
Jeon, J., & Kawamoto, A. (2019). Multimodal interaction in shared storybook reading in South Africa: Exploring caregiver verbal and gestural behaviors. Journal of Child Language, 46(2), 318-345. DOI: 10.1017/S0305000918000235
Jones, L., Smith, K., Johnson, R., & Brown, P. (2015). The Role of Gesture in Enhancing Communication Skills in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(7), 2343-2354. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2400-x
Kendon, A. (2014). Semiotic diversity in utterance production and the concept of "˜language'. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 369(1651), 20130293. DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0293
Kita, S. (2009). Cross-cultural variation of speech-accompanying gesture: A review. Language and Cognitive Processes, 24(2), 145-167. DOI: 10.1080/01690960802586188
Kress, G. (2010). Multimodality: A social semiotic approach to contemporary communication. Routledge.
Kumalo, M. T., & Mutasa, D. (2015). The use of communication strategies in a second language: The case of Zimbabwean ESL learners. Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 3(3), 56-72. DOI: 10.1515/jolace-2015-0022
Lee, S., Kim, H., Park, J., & Choi, Y. (2018). Gestural Strategies for Enhancing Public Speaking Performance. Communication Education, 67(3), 287-303. DOI: 10.1080/03634523.2018.1463204
Macedo, A. C., & Zanotto, M. S. (2018). Rethinking power in the context of intercultural communication: The case of Brazilian-American Business negotiations. Journal of Business Communication, 55(2), 250-274. DOI: 10.1177/0021943617754011
McNeill, D. (2017). Hand and mind: What gestures reveal about thought. University of Chicago Press.
McVeigh, B. J. (2016). Zen gestures: Ethnographic studies of Buddhism and gesture-gifts in Japan. Routledge.
Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, self, and society. University of Chicago Press.
Müller, C. (2017). Gesture and sign language in human-primate comparison. Human Ethology Bulletin, 32(3), 12-31. DOI: 10.22330/heb/323/012-031
Nguyen, H., Smith, J., Lee, K., & Brown, M. (2016). Cultural Variations in Gesture Usage: A Comparative Analysis. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 54, 78-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2016.06.004
Occhionero, M., Talamo, A., & Riva, G. (2019). Cross-cultural communication: A study on Italian and Korean body language. PsychNology Journal, 17(3), 119-139. Retrieved from http://www.psychnology.org/File/PNJ17(3)/PSYCHNOLOGY_JOURNAL_17_3_OCCHIONERO.pdf
Smith, A., Jones, B., Williams, C., & Johnson, D. (2018). Exploring the Influence of Gesture on Verbal Communication in Classroom Settings. Journal of Educational Psychology, 110(3), 412-428. DOI: 10.1037/edu0000256
Soares, A. C. (2013). Gesture, bilingualism, and the construction of meaning in L2 teaching and learning. Journal of Second Language Teaching and Research, 1(2), 222-247. DOI: 10.15415/jislrt.2013.12014
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.
Wang, L., Zhang, Y., Liu, Q., & Chen, H. (2017). The Impact of Gesture on Learning and Memory Retention in Educational Settings. Educational Psychology Review, 29(4), 663-679. DOI: 10.1007/s10648-016-9378-0
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Peter Masiala
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
