Learning Social Conduct: An Application of Behavioral Psychology and Nonverbal Communication to Business Advertising and Geopolitical Diplomacy

Abstract

This article investigates how we subconsciously learn and mimic social conduct from a young age from the people around us, and how this observational learning can be adapted to adult learning. It explores how people often make the wrong first impressions when faced with new cultures or new experiences by providing an analysis for how we learn social conduct with a focus on behavioral psychology, cultural context, nonverbal communication, and body language. It also examines unspoken communication strategies with application to business advertising and politics, in particular rude luxury brand salespeople and the first televised presidential debate in the United States. This article concludes with recommendations for how people can improve nonverbal communication and body language as adults, shifting from subconscious to active learning in an ever-evolving global environment.