What is the 7 %- 38 %- 55 rule?
Adrain Spinka
2025-07-21 02:33:57
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Albert Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Communication model says that 7% of the meaning of feelings and attitudes takes place through the words we use in spoken communications, while 38% takes place through tone and voice and the remaining 55% of communication of these factors take place through the body language we use. Based on research, Albert Mehrabian has concluded that only 7% of feelings and attitudes takes place through the words we use in spoken communications, while 38% takes place through tone and voice and the remaining 55% take place through body language. We are often told that tone, body language, nuance and facial expressions play a huge role in our communications. Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Communication Model shown as a pie chart illustrates this concept. We convey huge amounts of information through tone and body language, not just our words. We are slightly wary of the precise numbers within Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Communication Model from a work context, but that’s not really the point of the model. Even Professor Mehrabian called out words of caution around the absolute accuracy of these percentage in his work. He noted that his research focused on the communication of emotions and feeling, and acknowledged that contributing factors will be quite different when different topics are being discussed. Regardless of the exact accuracy of the model, or the specific topics of conversation that it relates to, we like it.
Myrna Rogahn
2025-07-21 01:51:27
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The original research to which everyone refers was undertaken in 1971 by Albert Mehrabian. He reached two conclusions:
1 – There are basically three elements in any face-to-face communication:
• words
• tone of voice and
• body language.
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.
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.
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.”
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%).
This is sometimes described, inelegantly, as facial or bodily leakage when someone’s face or body ‘leak’ the truth as to how they really feel when this is distinct from what they are saying.
An obvious example who would be 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.
Jessika Stokes
2025-07-21 01:26:53
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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. In fact, Prof. Mehrabian quantified this tendency: words, tone of voice, and body language respectively account for 7%, 38%, and 55% of personal communication. 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. This study is a convenient—if not accurate—reminder that nonverbal cues can be more valuable and telling than verbal ones. 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. If a speaker’s words and body language differ, listeners are more likely to believe the nonverbal communication of the speaker, not his words. For example, if a person states, “I don’t have a problem with you!” while avoiding eye-contact, looking anxious, and maintaining a closed body language, the listener will probably trust the predominant form of communication, which according to Prof. Mehrabian’s findings is non-verbal (38% + 55%), rather than the literal meaning of the words (7%).
Donny Powlowski
2025-07-21 00:31:18
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: 10
The rule, as it’s usually cited, states that 7 percent of communication is conveyed by our words, 38 percent comes via our tone of voice, and 55 percent comes through body language.
As Mehrabian explained on his own website, “Total Liking = 7% Verbal Liking + 38% Vocal Liking + 55% Facial Liking” and other similar equations were derived from experiments specifically focused on the communication of feelings and attitudes.
The bottom line is Mehrabian’s rule applies only to feelings, not factual content.
And it only works when different signals are in conflict.
The 7-38-55 rule is a catchy way to remind yourself that, if you want to improve these skills, how someone says something is at least as important as what they say.
While the 7-38-55 rule may be wildly overapplied, it’s still incredibly useful for focusing attention on what’s most likely to provide us accurate and valuable intel in situations where it’s hard to read others’ intent or emotions.
When in doubt, lean more heavily on tone of voice and body language than words.
It’s also useful to keep in mind when you’re trying to get your own feelings across.
Words do matter, but they’re far from the only thing you need to consider.
If what you say is in conflict with your tone or your body language, people will believe their eyes over their ears.
Porter Legros
2025-07-20 22:56:20
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The 7-38-55 rule is a concept concerning the communication of emotions. The rule states that 7 percent of meaning is communicated through spoken word, 38 percent through tone of voice, and 55 percent through body language. It was developed by psychology professor Albert Mehrabian at the University of California, Los Angeles, who laid out the concept in his 1971 book Silent Messages. According to the 7-38-55 rule, 93 percent of meaning is communicated non-verbally. Your tone of voice and body language are much more important than what you’re actually saying. Remember that their spoken words only account for seven percent of their communication and look for nonverbal cues that contradict their words.
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