In August 2009 the BBC Radio 4 magazine programme, ‘More or Less’, included the following interview with Prof Albert Mehrabian on the topic of ‘that formula’. So just what did his research set out to find, and what does the man himself make of the misplaced assertions that have dogged his findings for over 40 years?

Listen in as Tim Harford puts the questions to Albert Mehrabian (5 mins):

Mehrabian_Radio4_Aug09

Hands and, in particular, arms. Odd isn’t it? They go about their daily routine not bothering you a jot but the moment you drag them up onto the stage they take on an awkwardness, shyness and general incapacity to function that is often very disconcerting.

So, what do we do with them? Short of lopping them off we have to have a strategy and it needs to be simple.

Three bits of advice on this topic:

- Depending on the formality of the occasion one hand in a pocket is not too casual a look for most speakers. If it has the benefit of getting one of the culprits out of the way then it’s fine, at least by me. Both hands in pockets is definitely not on, however. It looks just too laid back and louche for one thing. More importantly, however, it may well hinder your fluency as a speaker since words and gestures are inextricably linked. In fact the speaker who is properly ‘in the moment’ always gestures just fractionally ahead of the word he’s gesturing to support. The coached politician, by contrast, gestures momentarily afterwards. Subtle but important differences which we notice without always realising.

There are even theories that the gesture itself helps us to find the word we’re seeking. In conversation with one or more people, for example, a gesture will often prompt one of the listeners to suggest the word we’re seeking. There’s a lovely story about two friends on a bitterly cold day in Rusia walking and talking as they go. At least one of the friends talks, the other just nods and adds monosyllabic responses. When his friend questions his taciturn behaviour the other simply replies “I forgot my gloves”. Inhibiting indeed.

- Find gestures that are natural and don’t overdo them. No gesturing above the neckline, unless you’re deliberately going for a ‘high five’ – which is unlikely unless you’re on stage with an Apple executive. Whatever you do avoid whichever wind tunnel it is in which they train BBC outside broadcasters; they roll their hands forever towards us, in a perfectly mirrored but meaningless gesture, as if we’ll stop watching or listening if they don’t look over-animated.

- One very simple but effective tip for making your hands ‘disappear’ if they really are feeling awkward is to let your arms hang naturally by your sides and then put your thumb and middle finger together (that’s the longest one, for most of us). This simple act of self-touch is very powerful and can, in an instant, make our hands and arms feel far less awkward. Best of all, it’s almost certainly entirely unnoticed by your audience too, so no-one will spot a nervous ‘tell’, if indeed that’s what it amounted to.

Try it now. Stand up, let your arms hang loosely. Then just put your two thumbs and middle fingers together. Next time you’re up ‘on stage’ give it a go. And do let me know how it went.

Those clever guys at Creativity Works have managed to come up with an imaginative and timely video, all about ‘Busting the Mehrabian Myth’ (see earlier post).

It’s on their site, it’s on YouTube too, but here, to save you searching, is the 3-and-a-half minute ‘must see’ ..

If you like it, tell everyone – there’s a huge amount to do to get the right balance redressed. And thank you.

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.