Words = What is actually said
Tonality = How it said
Body Language = Movement of body
It is said that all three elements are conveyed at the same time and that body language is most often used. Mehrabian said that the words that we say take up about up to 7% of the overall message, our tonality takes up about 38% and the remaining 55% is taken up by body language. Apparently, this is particularly true when expressing feelings and attitudes. However, many misunderstand this theory and generalize it to all forms of communication. This is inaccurate. The theory Mehrabian discovered is suppose to be applied to communication involving expression of feelings and attitudes. Other forms of communication varies from this.
REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE!!
I went to a camp once and they did an activity that explains this theory. We were given partners randomly and for the first round, we were to speak with out hands tied to the back and our body cannot move. It was difficult and constraining. Some people even felt that lost their train of thought! That's probably because 55% of our message as cut off.
The second round we were asked to speak monotonously and to do our best to maintain our tonality. The recipient actually got the message wrong and it was too open to interpretations. Some people even claim it sounded sarcastic. Again, this was probably because 38% of our message was not there.
The third round was when we could only use our body. No words and no tones. It was the hardest to get the other person to know what we want to tell. Knowing that words only take up 7%, why was it so hard to convey the message with body language being 55% of the message.
Two reasons
The first was tonality comes with words. If there are no words, there is no tonality. Therefore 45% of the message was actually cut off.
The second was this theory only applies to expression of feelings and attitude. Not when talking or discussing about something. Worst off, given instructions. This proves the misunderstanding that has been happening around about Mehrabian's theory.
What was discovered during the activity was people with better communication skills could actually get at least 60% of the message across in all three settings. They use very standard and universally understood key signs to sent the message across.
TRULY AMAZING
Signing off,
MARCUS LIM WUI CHUEN
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