Final answer:
The question pertains to nonverbal communication, specifically the use of gestures when describing noncodable images. People may use more gestures as a compensatory method to convey messages that are hard to verbalize due to cultural differences and the situational context.
Step-by-step explanation:
Do people gesture more or less if the image is hard to describe (noncodable)? This question is related to the study of nonverbal communication and cultural norms in the context of social interactions. Gesture is a significant aspect of nonverbal communication. It represents ideas or emotions that may not always be straightforward to articulate in words, especially when the image or object in question lacks a direct verbal equivalent or is 'noncodable.' People from different cultures might use a varied number of gestures to communicate, depending on their cultural practices and the context of the conversation. As noted in research by Iverson & Goldin-Meadow (2005), gestures can pave the way for language development and are integral to how humans communicate and understand each other. When it comes to difficult-to-describe images or objects, it's possible that more gestures are used as a compensatory measure to aid in expressing the intended message, since such images do not readily lend themselves to verbalization.