The percentage of the meaning and intent of communication conveyed by spoken words is widely regarded to be relatively low. According to communication studies, particularly the research by Albert Mehrabian, communication can be broken down into three components:
1. Verbal (words)
2. Vocal (tone of voice)
3. Visual (body language, facial expressions)
Mehrabian's research indicates that:
- 7% of communication is conveyed through spoken words (verbal communication),
- 38% is conveyed through tone of voice (vocal communication),
- 55% is conveyed through body language and facial expressions (visual communication).
Thus, according to this breakdown, the percentage of the meaning and intent of communication that is conveyed by spoken words is:
7%
This percentage highlights the importance of non-verbal elements in communication, suggesting that the majority of our message is conveyed through how we say things and how we physically express ourselves, rather than the words themselves.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
7%
