According to the blog post on Japanese body language, prolonged eye contact in Japan is generally considered polite. Maintaining another eye level, such as for example the individual's neck, is rather considered very rude.

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The question presents a statement about Japanese body language from a blog post: that prolonged eye contact in Japan is generally considered polite, and maintaining eye level with someone else’s neck is considered very rude.
Option 1: True. This would assert that the blog’s claim is correct as stated. To evaluate, we must consider common cultural norms: in Japan, direct, prolonged eye contact can be interpreted as confrontational or disrespectful in certain social contexts, especially with authority figures or strangers. Therefore, saying that prolonged eye contact is generally polite would be an oversimplification and is typically considered inaccurate for many formal or hierarchical interactions. This makes the True position unlikely to be correct.
Option 2: False. This aligns with a more nuanced understanding of Japanese nonverbal communication, where eye contact duration and placement can convey respect or social standing, and excessive or prolonged eye contact can be perceived as rude or intrusive. Similarly, avoiding eye level focus on sensitive areas (like neck level) would be a reasonable expectation to maintain appropriate distance and respect. In this light, the claim that maintaining another eye level such as the neck is very rude fits the idea that inappropriate gaze direction or duration can offend, whereas appropriate gaze is more subtle and context-dependent.
Option 1 (True) tends to rely on a universal, simplistic view of eye contact as always polite, which contradicts the broader cultural emphasis on subtlety and context in Japan. Option 2 (False) correctly captures the complexity that eye contact in Japan is not simply “prolonged = polite.” It emphasizes context, hierarchical cues, and appropriate gaze behavior, making it the more accurate interpretation of the blog’s claim as presented in the question.
Option differences summary: The True claim is overly rigid about eye contact being polite in all prolonged forms, disregarding situational norms. The False claim recognizes that eye contact norms in Japan are nuanced and highly dependent on social context and relationships, and that directing gaze toward certain areas (like neck level) could be considered rude in some contexts. Consequently, the statement in the blog post is not universally accurate, aligning with the False option.

OLET1115 (OL) Summative quiz on modules 1-4

According to the blog post on Japanese body language, prolonged eye contact in Japan is generally considered polite. Maintaining another eye level, such as for example the individual's neck, is rather considered very rude.

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