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2 – These three elements account differently for the meaning of the message: – Words account for 7% – Tone of voice accounts for 38% and
– Body language accounts for 55% of the message.
It seems that many people who quote Mehrabian’s research seem unaware that this second conclusion was NOT a general observation relevant to all communications.
Mehrabian reached this second conclusion in the context of experiments dealing with communications of feelings and attitudes. Thus the often quoted disproportionate influence of tone of voice and body language is only really true when someone says they like/dislike something/someone but their tone of voice or body language implies the opposite. Commonly this will mean that two or more of the three elements are ambiguous. Such ambiguity appears mostly when the words spoken are inconsistent with the tone of voice or body language of the speaker.
This would be the case for example when someone says “I do not have a problem with you!” whilst at the same time their closed body language says the opposite and they avoid eye-contact and sound anxious.
In such situations Mehrabian’s research showed that the receiver of the communication will accept the predominant form of communication, the non-verbal (38% + 55%), rather than the literal meaning of the words (7%).
Let’s face it – that conclusion IN CONTEXT is not really a surprise is it?
On his website Mehrabian specifically states: “Please note that this and other equations regarding relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages were derived from experiments dealing with communications of feelings and attitudes (i.e., like-dislike). Unless a communicator is talking about their feelings or attitudes, these equations are not applicable.”
My view, despite this clarification, is that it’s important to be congruent when we communicate. That is, our body language and tone of voice should be consistent with the words we use. Otherwise we can confuse people and reduce the prospect of getting our message across so that it is understood. We have to take responsibility ourselves for any failure to communicate effectively. It’s OUR fault and not the fault of our listeners.
The words we choose to use ARE generally more important than is often assumed. Certainly, when making a presentation we need to pay just as much attention to the words we say as we do to the way in which we will present them – how we will move and the variations in our tone of voice.
This is good news as most people will spend far more time working out WHAT they are going to say, than rehearsing HOW they are going to say it and HOW they will move when they are talking. Speaking personally I tend to focus on all aspects of my presentations and talks. I consider each of them to be a performance. I want to inform, inspire and entertain my audiences. And feedback suggests that I’m generally pretty successful in this regard.
Perhaps one reason why Mehrabian’s research is quoted so often though is that body language and tone of voice are evidently important aspects of communication. And in the absence of any other validated research we have to quote Mehrabian to make the point – even if we do so out of context. Such quotes are generally effective though – maybe because of the tone of voice the speaker uses and their body language when they tell us about the “7%-38%-55% Rule”.
Now all I have to do is to communicate the benefits of my Tax Advice Network more effectively! As a start I now reference the website as FindATaxAdviser.online
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In communication, a speaker’s words are only a fraction of his efforts. The pitch and tone of his voice, the speed and rhythm of the spoken word, and the pauses between those words may express more than what is being communicated by words alone. Further, his gestures, posture, pose and expressions usually convey a variety of subtle signals. These non-verbal elements can present a listener with important clues to the speaker’s thoughts and feelings and thus substantiate or contradict the speaker’s words.
The most commonly and casually cited study on the relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages in personal communication is one by Prof. Albert Mehrabian of the University of California in Los Angeles. In the 1970s, his studies suggested that we overwhelmingly deduce our feelings, attitudes, and beliefs about what someone says not by the actual words spoken, but by the speaker’s body language and tone of voice.
In fact, Prof. Mehrabian quantified this tendency: words, tone of voice, and body language respectively account for 7%, 38%, and 55% of personal communication.
The non-verbal elements are particularly important for communicating feelings and attitude, especially when they are incongruent: if words and body language disagree, one tends to believe the body language.
I have two arguments against the oversimplified interpretation of the “7-38-55 Rule.” In the first place, it is very difficult to quantify the impact of tone of voice and body language on the effectiveness of communication. Secondly, such quantifications are very subjective and cannot be applied as a rule to all contexts. Prof. Mehrabian himself has cautioned,
“Total Liking = 7% Verbal Liking + 38% Vocal Liking + 55% Facial Liking. Please note that this and other equations regarding relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages were derived from experiments dealing with communications of feelings and attitudes (i.e., like—dislike). Unless a communicator is talking about their feelings or attitudes, these equations are not applicable.”
This study is a convenient—if not accurate—reminder that nonverbal cues can be more valuable and telling than verbal ones. Therefore, to be effective and persuasive in our verbal communication—in presentations, public speaking, or personal communication—it is essential to complement our words with the right tone and voice and the appropriate body language.
Chapter 12 Study Questions
60. Good speech delivery
a. is accompanied by frequent gestures.
b. requires that the speaker have a strong voice.
* c. sounds conversational even though it has been rehearsed.
d. draws the attention of the audience away from the message.
e. is best achieved by reading from a manuscript.
61. Good speech delivery
a. has a conversational quality.
b. does not call attention to itself.
c. requires a strong voice.
d. all of the above.
* e. a and b only.
62. Communication based on a speaker’s body and voice, rather than on the use of words, is called
a. implicit communication.
* b. nonverbal communication.
c. unintentional communication.
d. instinctive communication.
e. physical communication.
63. In which situation would a speaker be most likely to read from a manuscript?
a. a speech accepting an award at a company banquet
b. a speech in honor of a retiring employee
* c. a speech on international policy at the United Nations
d. a speech on the activities of a church social committee
e. a speech of welcome to new members of the Rotary Club
64. A political candidate is running for office and must give a speech that will lay out the details of her platform. The speech will be widely covered by newspapers and television. What kind of delivery is the candidate most likely to use?
* a. manuscript
b. impromptu
c. monotonous
d. colloquial
e. memorized
65. When speaking from a manuscript, you should
a. practice aloud to make sure the speech sounds natural.
b. be certain the final manuscript is legible at a glance.
c. work on establishing eye contact with the audience.
* d. all of the above.
e. a and b only.
66. According to your textbook, the speaker delivers a speech with little or no immediate preparation.
a. colloquial
b. extemporaneous
c. conversational
* d. impromptu
e. declamatory
67. In which situation would a speaker be most likely to recite a speech from memory?
* a. when making a toast at a wedding
b. when responding to questions during a class lecture
c. when reporting earnings to the yearly stockholders’ meeting
d. when presenting a lengthy proposal to the city council
e. when rallying a group to work for lower tuition
68. Which of the following does your textbook mention as an advantage of extemporaneous delivery?
a. It requires only a minimal amount of gesturing by the speaker.
b. It reduces the likelihood of a speaker making vocalized pauses.
c. It improves a speaker’s ability to articulate difficult words correctly.
d. It requires little or no preparation before the speech is delivered.
* e. It allows greater spontaneity than does speaking from a manuscript.
69. According to your textbook, a speech that sounds spontaneous to the audience no matter how many times it has been rehearsed has a strong quality.
a. impromptu
b. memorized
* c. conversational
d. kinesic
e. formal
70. The speaker uses only brief notes or a speaking outline to jog the memory.
a. after-dinner
b. commemorative
c. informative
* d. extemporaneous
e. persuasive
71. A speech that is fully prepared in advance but that is delivered from a brief set of notes or a speaking outline is called a(n) speech.
* a. extemporaneous
b. declamatory
c. impromptu
d. manuscript
e. vocalized
72. Erik is giving a speech in his art history course. He has carefully prepared his presentation and plans to deliver it from a brief set of note cards. What kind of delivery is Erik using?
a. informal
b. memorized
* c. extemporaneous
d. impromptu
e. formal
73. Speaking extemporaneously
a. gives more control over language than does speaking from memory.
* b. is adaptable to more situations than is speaking from manuscript.
c. offers more spontaneity and directness than does speaking impromptu.
d. all of the above.
e. b and c only.
74. According to your textbook, the skilled extemporaneous speaker
a. has a conversational tone.
b. prepares and practices the speech carefully.
c. uses brief notes while delivering the speech.
* d. all of the above.
e. b and c only.
75. “Conversational quality” in speech delivery means that the
* a. speech sounds spontaneous even though it has been rehearsed.
b. speaker is not speaking from memory.
c. speaker talks the same as she or he would in ordinary conversation.
d. all of the above.
e. b and c only.
76. The relative highness or lowness of sounds produced by the human voice is called
a. rate.
* b. pitch.
c. tone.
d. quality.
e. volume.
77. According to your textbook, inflection refers to the
a. dialect of a speaker.
b. speed at which a person speaks.
* c. changes in the pitch of a speaker’s voice.
d. clarity of a speaker’s articulation.
e. loudness or softness of a speaker’s voice.
78. Changes in the pitch or tone of a speaker’s voice are called
a. phonemes.
b. polytones.
c. enunciations.
* d. inflections.
e. accents.
79. It is the of your voice that reveals whether you are asking a question or making a statement, whether you are being sincere or sarcastic.
a. spontaneity
b. variety
c. resonance
* d. inflection
e. rate
80. The best rate of speech depends on the
a. vocal attributes of the speaker.
b. mood the speaker is trying to create.
c. composition of the audience.
* d. all of the above.
e. a and b only.
81. Which of the following would probably call for a faster speaking rate than normal?
a. expressing sadness or contempt
b. describing the winning touchdown in last week’s game
c. summarizing information already familiar to an audience
d. all of the above
* e. b and c only
82. If you hoped to convey to your audience the excitement of steering a kayak through a river rapids, you should probably
* a. speak at a faster rate.
b. use more vocalized pauses.
c. break eye contact with your audience.
d. gesture less frequently.
e. avoid using dialect.
83. A public speaker who frequently says “uh,” “er,” or “um” is failing to make effective use of
a. vocal variety.
* b. pauses.
c. pitch.
d. rate.
e. inflection.
84. According to your textbook, “uh,” “er,” “um,” and similar expressions in a public speech are referred to as
a. vocal fillers.
b. signposts.
c. intonations.
* d. vocalized pauses.
e. inflections.
85. Malcolm said “um” or “uh” every time he got to a new PowerPoint slide in his informative speech. His instructor told Malcolm to reduce the number of _________________ in his next speech.
a. fillers.
b. vocal inflections
c. intonations
* d. vocalized pauses
e. inflections
86. Changes in a speaker’s rate, pitch, volume, and pauses are referred to as
a. vocal direction.
b. vocal credibility.
c. vocal pronunciation.
d. vocal contact.
* e. vocal variety.
87. Forming particular speech sounds crisply and distinctly is called
a. verbalization.
* b. articulation.
c. vocalized pausing.
d. pronunciation.
e. intonation.
88. According to your textbook, saying “dunno” instead of “don’t know” is an error in
a. accent.
* b. articulation.
c. vocalization.
d. intonation.
e. emphasis.
89. According to your textbook, saying “pas-ghetti” instead of “spaghetti” is an error in
a. articulation.
b. description.
c. intonation.
* d. pronunciation.
e. inflection.
90. Carl’s mother is from England and calls oregano a “herb,” but his father is from the U.S. and calls it an “erb.” According to your textbook, this difference in how the word sounds is a matter of
a. inflection.
b. enunciation.
c. personal choice.
d. intonation.
* e. dialect.
91. What does your textbook say about speech dialects?
a. Most languages have dialects.
b. Dialects are usually based on regional or ethnic speech patterns.
c. No dialect is inherently better or worse than another dialect.
* d. all of the above
e. a and b only
92. According to your textbook, when people in one region of the country say “warter,” while people in another region of the country say “water,” the difference is a matter of
a. inflection.
b. verbalization.
* c. dialect.
d. enunciation.
e. intonation.
93. Nonverbal communication includes a speaker’s
a. gestures.
b. eye contact.
c. rate of speech.
* d. all of the above.
e. a and b only.
94. Nonverbal communication is based on a speaker’s
a. language.
b. vocal delivery.
c. bodily actions.
d. all of the above.
* e. b and c only.
95. Research has shown that
* a. when speakers’ nonverbal signals are inconsistent with their words, listeners often believe the nonverbal signals rather than the words.
b. the best rate for effective speechmaking is 170 words per minute.
c. smooth, graceful gestures are vital to effective speechmaking.
d. listeners usually find a somewhat slower than normal speaking rate to be more credible than a slightly faster than normal rate.
e. some dialects are inherently better than others.
96. What does your textbook advise regarding the use of gestures in a speech?
a. Gestures should be suited to the audience and occasion.
b. Speakers should have a vast number of graceful gestures.
c. Gestures should appear natural and spontaneous.
d. all of the above
* e. a and c only
97. The study of bodily motion and gestures is part of a subject called
a. cybernetics.
b. kinetics.
c. cryogenics.
* d. kinesics.
e. cryonics.
98. __________ is the study of body motions as a form of communication.
* a. Kinesics
b. Gesturals
c. Physiography
d. Anatomics
e. Mimetics
99. Sandy is giving
a presentation in her physics class and is worried about what she
should do with her hands. Which of
the following recommendations would she
find in your textbook?
a. Gesture toward the audience with an open palm during the introduction.
b. Hold your hands tightly in front of you to prevent distracting gestures.
* c. Focus on communicating and your gestures will usually take care of themselves.
d. all of the above
e. a and c only
100. Ivory will be giving a presentation for her company to a group of prospective customers at an international trade show, and she is deciding what to wear. According to your textbook, which of the following statements about the role of personal appearance in speechmaking should she keep in mind when making her decision?
* a. A speaker’s personal appearance should be in keeping with the occasion of the speech.
b. Research has shown that bright-colored clothing has a more favorable impact on listeners.
c. In most cases, listeners’ attitudes are not influenced by the way a speaker is dressed.
d. all of the above
e. a and b only
101. In which of the following situations will the personal appearance of the speaker have an impact on the audience?
a. a politician presenting a campaign speech
b. a business executive giving a financial report
c. a professor giving a lecture
* d. all of the above
e. a and b only
102. What does your textbook say about eye contact for public speakers who address audiences in the United States?
a. To appear credible and trustworthy, a speaker should gaze intently at one section of the audience.
b. In classroom speeches, it is most important to maintain steady eye contact with the instructor.
* c. Speakers should look at the audience about 80 to 90 percent of the time they are talking.
d. Speakers who establish strong eye contact with the audience lose credibility as a result.
e. Even with a large audience, engaging the eyes of each person is preferable to scanning the audience in general.
103. During her speech on malpractice insurance, the head of the local branch of the American Medical Association consistently avoided making eye contact with her audience. According to research on the role of nonverbal communication in public speaking, the audience was likely to perceive her as
* a. insincere.
b. trustworthy.
c. inexperienced.
d. credible.
e. inconsistent.
104. What advice does your textbook give for practicing speech delivery?
* a. Record the speech to check how it sounds.
b. Prepare a speaking outline at the end of your rehearsal process.
c. Try to limit yourself to a single practice session.
d. all of the above
e. a and c only
105. What does your textbook recommend regarding the last step of practicing delivery for a speech?
a. Listen to a tape of the speech and make last-minute changes in it.
b. Practice the speech in front of a mirror to check your body language.
c. Prepare your speaking outline so it is brief and easy to read at a glance.
* d. Rehearse under conditions as close as possible to the actual speech situation.
e. Time yourself as you practice the speech out loud and as you use visual aids.
106. What does your textbook recommend as the first step of practicing delivery?
a. Record your speech and listen to it so you can refine your delivery.
b. Prepare your speaking outline so it is brief and easy to read at a glance.
* c. Go through your preparation outline aloud to see if what is written works orally.
d. Rehearse your speech in front of a mirror to check your body language.
e. Do a dress rehearsal in the room where you will present the speech.
107. When approaching the lectern and beginning your speech, you should
a. start immediately so your audience does not become impatient.
b. create a bond with the audience by acknowledging your nervousness.
* c. establish eye contact with the audience before you start to speak.
d. all of the above.
e. a and b only.
108. When you get to the lectern at the start of a speech, you should
a. take time to arrange your notes how you want them.
b. create a bond with the audience by acknowledging your nervousness.
c. stand quietly and wait to make sure everyone is paying attention.
d. all of the above.
* e. a and c only.
109. As your textbook explains, when preparing for a question-and-answer session, you should
a. anticipate possible questions.
b. write out your answers in full.
c. practice the delivery of your answers.
* d. all of the above.
e. a and c only.
110. Which of the following are
mentioned by your textbook as guidelines
for managing a question-and-answer session?
a. direct answers to the entire audience
b. be honest and straightforward
c. stay on track
* d. all of the above
e. a and b only
111. When conducting a question-and-answer session, you should
a. allow each questioner to ask as many follow-up questions as they wish.
b. try to bluff your way through when faced with a question you can’t answer.
* c. direct your answers primarily to the audience as a whole.
d. all of the above.
e. a and b only.
112. When conducting a question-and-answer session, you should
* a. view the session as one more opportunity to communicate your ideas.
b. respond to hostile questions in a defensive and argumentative manner.
c. allow each questioner to ask as many follow-up questions as they wish.
d. all of the above.
e. a and c only.
113. The Dean of Students is introducing a new campus policy on alcohol use. After the presentation, he will respond to questions from students, local residents,
and reporters. To prepare for this question-and-answer session, the Dean should
a. ask his staff to anticipate potential questions.
b. write out answers to potential questions.
c. practice the delivery of his answers.
* d. all of the above.
e. a and b only.