The 7-38-55 rule for developing emotional intelligence, here's how it works

The 7-38-55 rule has found success for almost 60 years.
This rule starts from a more complex model, namely the theory proposed by the psychologist Albert Mehrabian on research into non-verbal communication.
The 7-38-55 rule simplifies its scope and soon became the basis of various courses promoted by life coaches and the like.
So be careful if you take the 7-38-55 rule as a model without knowing the research conducted by Mehrabian.
If understood, the theory allows you to develop one of the recognized intelligences, namely the emotional one.
So what is it about? read also Teachers at risk of burnout, psychological support on the way: the Mim plan What does Mehrabian's model say? Professor Albert Mehrabian, an American psychologist, has conducted various research on communication, both verbal and non-verbal.
His most famous study is precisely the one that seems to establish a rule, the much discussed 7-38-55 rule.
The simplification of this rule starts from wanting to determine the importance of the different aspects of communication.
It has not been studied during job interviews or for business negotiations and its uses in this sense are mainly explained by websites that want to sell an idea: tricks for business men.
No, what the psychologist tried to explain was that in certain conditions feelings and attitudes matter more than words.
In other words: Mehrabian demonstrated a banality, namely that (for example) saying "I'm fine" matters less than the non-verbal communication given by the suffering posture and the suffocated tone of voice.
Obvious perhaps, but to be demonstrated scientifically.
How important are words in communication? Mehrabian's research is quite complex, but essentially suggests that there are three components of a message: words (verbal content – 7%) tone of voice (vocal aspect – 38%) body language (non-verbal ingredient – 55%) These contribute to the diffusion of the message, but in what quantity is not always easy to establish.
The psychologist's findings suggested that, in certain situations, the emotional and attitudinal meaning of a message may be conveyed primarily through body language and in a reduced form by tone of voice, while the words themselves may play a less significant role.
or even pull the direction of communication in the opposite direction, as in the case of "I'm fine" when it's not true.
Be careful, however, if you mistake the 7-38-55 rule for absolute truth.
Mehrabian's model does not apply universally to all forms of communication and should not be interpreted as a fixed rule.
His research has focused primarily on the communication of emotional and attitudinal states in specific contexts, and is not always applicable to all types of communicative interactions.
read also Montessori Method in brief: what it is, principles and examples What are the rules of non-verbal language? Are there therefore rules or aspects that regulate non-verbal communication? We could discuss all those ways of sending a message that don't have to do with the voice.
Not only the way of presenting oneself, the clothes, the expression on the face and the hand gestures, but also postures, glances and setting of silences.
However, there are no real rules, but rather a series of characteristics dictated by the personal and social context.
In a broader sense, in fact, even showing up with a car says a lot about a person compared to someone who uses a bike, not to mention the color of the car, the model, its cleanliness or dirt.
Non-verbal communication is the basis of human communication and learning its secrets, learning to grasp the unsaid can help improve or develop one's emotional intelligence.
There are many ways to do this, but perhaps the only golden rule is to observe, listen and therefore become empathetic towards others.