Body Language matters ..so does busting the Mehrabian-nlp-Myth!)
All the way back in the early 1970s there was some research undertaken that was to change communications thinking and teaching for more than 30 years.
It was undertaken by Professor Albert Mehrabian amongst volunteer students at UCLA and was published in 1971. Together they attempted to clarify, in very defined circumstances, the relative importance that attaches to words themselves (single words in his case) and the manner in which they were delivered in the process of communication. Known by its popular name of the 7%-38%-55% rule it is also known amongst communications experts as ‘Mehrabian’s Rule’. The findings, and so runs most popular thinking, proved that in any communication process only 7% of the ‘value’ attaches to the words themselves, 38% to the tone of voice, and, by default, 55% to the body language used.
It was and remains important, though limited, research – but the universality of the findings has been widely misinterpreted and the eagre generalisation of his ‘rule’ has been at pandemic levels for decades. Put plainly, there is no such universal rule.
The one fact, alas, that everyone can quote about the importance of Body Language in the communication process is wrong. It doesn’t apply to the overwhelmingly vast part of what goes on, and certainly not to that vital presentation or speech that’s looming. Sorry.
Most tellingly, Prof Mehrabian himself has stated that his findings have been wrongly interpreted and far too generally applied. See his own comments here (see ‘Silent Messages’). For a short general introduction to his findings and to the perpetuation of the ‘myth’ please also see the Wikipedia entry here.
The misinterpretation may initially have been down to misunderstanding. But the spread and spread of the ‘myth’ can only suggest that there is more than an appetite, there is a need, for formulae that can be applied to effective communication. A huge amount of research has been undertaken since the 1970s and, alas, for those in need, there is still no replacement formula. Common sense tells us that sometimes non-verbal communication is 100% of the message (think of an eyebrow flash across a busy room), sometimes much less than 50% and sometimes more.
Not much of a formula, I’m afraid.
Colin McLean
For additional info go to the Creativityworks.net & watch the ‘you tube’ video & I discovered a radio interview given by Mehrabian where he addresses the ‘myth’ as well. Clearly he’s careful not to fill his research full of holes, but still: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lyvz9. (It’s the last interview on that recording )
Colin
