Nonverbal communication accounts for what percentage of communication?

Nonverbal communication is widely understood to account for a significant portion of the overall communication process, particularly when it comes to conveying emotions and intentions. Research, notably by psychologist Albert Mehrabian, suggests that approximately 93% of communication is derived from nonverbal cues, which includes body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and other nonverbal signals. This statistic emphasizes the critical role that nonverbal elements play in reinforcing or contradicting spoken words, effectively highlighting that much of what we communicate is not said directly. Understanding that a substantial majority of communication is nonverbal demonstrates the importance of being aware of one's own nonverbal signals as well as those of others in interpersonal interactions. This concept is fundamental in fields such as psychology, communication studies, and interpersonal relations, where one learns not only to listen to the words being spoken but also to interpret the accompanying nonverbal cues.