The coronavirus pandemic has been devastating for many reasons. Millions have been affected. Some have suffered the irreplaceable loss of friends & family members. Many have lost their livelihoods. Even more have suffered the mental health implications of having to isolate for months without physical interactions with loved ones.
Thankfully, lockdown restrictions are being eased in many parts of the world. There are still various restrictions in place and the guidelines are constantly changing; yet, the partial relaxation in rules brings hope. People are overjoyed at the prospect of meeting up with friends & family, even with social distancing measures in place.
Why Are Greetings Important?
While coronavirus remains a risk, we felt it was worthwhile to explore some alternative greeting methods. The act of greeting someone is a form of social etiquette and is important for several reasons. It sends the other person the message that you respect and acknowledge them and it is a way of welcoming people and making your presence known. The type of greeting used can suggest the level of social standing between the parties. For close acquaintances, greetings involving hugs and kisses show how deeply you care for them.
How Do People Feel About Greetings?
In July 2020, with this in mind, we asked the 10,000+ followers of Craig’s Facebook group ‘Understanding Body Language. Liars, Cheats and Happy Feet’ a question:”How would you feel about receiving a big hug and kiss from an excited friend/family member that you’ve not seen for months?”.
Below is a selection of the responses received:
“There’s no room for “feelings”, when it comes to avoiding a deadly viruses”
“I still hug people. And not going to stop”
“I would feel angry. This would mean a lack of respect and consideration from them. This would mean they’re so arrogant and ignorant they think they know better than what scientists who studied the disease have found, and don’t care about my health and my needs”
“I would still hug people if they had a mask on and I was pretty sure they weren’t carrying the virus. This bug is not going away anytime soon and we’re just going to have learn to deal with it.”
“I do find my self trying to stop myself from going in for a hug or I stand there and do an air hug and get funny looks from people, or I take a step back with my arms folded being my back“
The comments show that people are divided in their opinions on what is appropriate behavior during this global pandemic. They give further weight to the belief that despite the experts’ social distance recommendations, some will simply not alter their behavior to adhere to these. Some feel that disregarding this advice is downright reckless, while others believe that they do not need to modify their behaviour at all. Despite the research, in their mind coronavirus poses no real threat to them personally.
It’s worth remembering that when we asked this question, we didn’t take into consideration the location of the responder. Participants may live within an area where coronavirus levels are non-existent or exceptionally low, which would impact on their assessment of the risk.
Handshakes
So how do we acknowledge others and fulfil our social etiquette obligations without using our normal greetings? And which greetings are preferred and which could be offensive?
Research has shown (The Fist Bump: A more hygienic alternative to the handshake) that shaking hands transfers nearly twice as much bacteria as giving someone a high five. The prolonged period of contact & the large surface area provide the perfect environment for an exchange of germs. However, high fives still transfer three times the amount of bacteria as fist bumps.
Taking this one step further, elbow bumps have fast become the new handshake. They remove the need to press palms and the danger this brings. They give us the feeling of recognition we expect in a greeting; but, this gesture also comes with some level of risk. To effectively bump elbows, you need to stand close to the other person; plus we are encouraging people to cough and sneeze in to their elbows. Better than a handshake or high five, but still not perfect.
Hugs
Hugging, on the other hand, is about connection. Hugs flood our bodies with Oxytocin, making us feel happier and less anxious. Yet, during these times of social distancing, we need to reconsider wrapping our loved ones in bear hugs. One solution is the ‘air hug’, where each person wraps their arms around themselves while standing at a distance. This is a self-soothing gesture which can provide a similar boost of the feel-good emotion we get when receiving a hug from another.
The Wuhan Shake
Another greeting that has gained some popularity recently is the Wuhan Shake. This involves tapping the insoles of the feet together, one after the other. While better than bumping elbows, this greeting still brings you close to the other person. It is also very hard to execute while maintaining eye contact, an important aspect of Western greetings.
The Wuhan Shake also doesn’t allow us to prove we are unarmed, one of the original reasons handshakes were developed. While the chance of someone carrying a weapon is usually low, it is still a cultural aspect of the greeting. The Shake can be hard to coordinate and doesn’t communicate a level of love, care or respect. It can also be difficult to signal you intend to use this greeting when others aren’t expecting it.
Other Cultures
Rather than attempt to create new greetings, we can look to other cultures to see which greetings they have which may be effective. For example, the French have turned their double cheek kiss, bises, into a verbal greeting, stating “bises” or the more familiar “bisous” to greet each other from a distance.
The namaste, wai or bow from many Asian countries are all examples of non-contact greetings. These gestures involve bending the body in a bow, and in the case of namaste and wai, holding the hands in a prayer position in front of the body. Interestingly, while the hands and arms protect the front of the body, they are still considered welcoming gestures.
And in several Islamic countries there has been a revival of the greeting which consists of placing the hand on the heart and bowing slightly.
Otherwise, if you want to keep it simple, a smile and wave, a head nod or a thumbs up are all effective ways to greet and acknowledge another person while keeping your distance.
Finally...
On the 14th August 2020, there were 285,901 new cases of coronavirus reported worldwide (source Worldometers). This reveals the unwelcomed news that global cases are still rising. Being consciously aware of your behaviour (especially when greeting others) may be something you are doing already. If not, we sincerely hope this article has given you insight into the many other greeting displays you can safely utilise in an attempt to lessen the risk of coronavirus transmission.
Until there is a readily available vaccine, many of our interactions with other people will have to be modified; however, as seen in the Facebook comments (and possibly during conversations you’ve had with your friends and family), this belief is not universally shared by everyone. Whenever interacting with other people, do what you can to keep yourself and others safe. With the virus being invisible, and the extended period of impact, it can be easy to become complacent. This can lead to dire consequences for not only yourself, but also for your loved ones.
Keep safe everyone.
Best wishes
Craig James Baxter & Pippa Pech.