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There has been an overwhelming amount of research into the power of verbal communication. Perhaps most famous of all are the formulas which resulted from linguistic and anthropological research by renowned psychologist Albert Mehrabian. Mehrabian is currently a Professor of Psychology at UCLA in California; he is a man who has dedicated his life to demonstrating that how we are perceived by others depends on more than the words coming out of our mouths.
Mehrabian famous rule involved three factors which contribute to the communication of information between human beings. He argues that in the overall experience which leads us to liking or being inclined to listen to a person, 7% of such communication is verbal, 38% depends on the tone of voice of the person involved and an astonishing 55% counts for body language. In conclusion, then, Mehrabian’s rule seems to reinforce ancient ideas about the effects of another person’s physical appearance on our impression and judgement of them.
So what happens when that crucial 55% body language and ‘facial liking’ (to use Mehrabian’s term) is taken away? Clearly the psychologist’s research cannot be seen to extend to situtations where the confluence of voice and body occurs. It is ironic that, in this day and age, we spend more time engaged in conversation with disembodied voices.
More succinctly, surely we need to re-investigate the findings of Mehrabian all over again given the rise and rise of mobile telephones and the internet: is there another set of rules which applies solely to the voice when it emerges through the miniscule earpiece of a phone? Perhaps it takes a little longer to get to know someone when that 55% facial communication and body language is taken out of the occasion.
Knowing this, it becomes easier to understand why mobile networks from giants like Vodafone to independent businesses just starting out are constantly offering a glut of mobile phone deals to tempt customers into less face-to-face communication. Such actions are redefining the way we communicate – and at the same time, with so many free minutes and texts, teaching us how to get closer to people without even seeing them! For more information on the topical treats offered by companies, visit the Vodafone website for more on their mobile phone deals.
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