What Is Said Without Words?

1. According to psychologist Albert Mehrabian, of the total meaning of a spoken message

___ percent comes from the actual meaning of the words.

___ percent comes from the way you say the words (tone, emphasis, etc.

___ percent comes from facial expressions and other nonverbal communication.

2. True or False: A smile is one of the few forms of nonverbal expression that has the same meaning all over the world.

3. The number of different communicative expressions Americans make with their face is...

a. 6

b. 33

c. 50

d. 120

4. Try to guess what percentage of time two negotiators from the following countries maintain eye contact during a typical negotiating session.

Two Japanese: ___ percent

Two Americans: ___ percent

Two Brazilians: ___ percent

5. True or False: Counting on the fingers, from 1 to 10, is a universal nonverbal gesture.

6. Which groups have the firmest handshakes?

a. Vietnamese and Filipinos

b. Germans and Americans

c. Egyptians and Moroccans

7. In the following cities, try to guess how many times in one hour a typical couple in a cafe touches each other:

San Juan: ___

Paris: ___

London: ___

8. Worldwide, researchers have found approximately how many distinct units of nonverbal communication?

a. 150

b. 500

c. 750

d. 1,000

Click here for the answers

Reprinted with Permission from Figuring Foreigners Out, Craig Storti, Intercultural Press, 1999, www.interculturalpress.com