ch 10

Chapter 10
Identification of concept
I am going to talk about whether the ability to persuade people and give a positive impression is related to your speaking rate.
What the concept means
A study done by Miller et al. conducted in Cleveland, Los Angeles and New York (where speech rates tend to be very fast) in 1976 found that a quick speaking rate augments the believability of what the person is saying, and, in addition increases the possibility of persuading the person. Another belief that came out of this study was that in order to be able to talk fast and not wait to say certain things because of trying to think of the correct words demonstrates that they are confident and correct about what they are talking about. Another summary of research done by Ketrow determined that for a person to reach their maximum integrity and trustworthiness and societal appeal, a person should speak continuously and a little faster than their company and use a somewhat noisy voice. Woodal and Burgoon found something different when they conducted a study in Florida, where people talk at slower rates. This study suggested that fast speakers appeared more extroverted but didn’t appear more credible and it seemed that it possibly increased agitation in the audience and possibly projected a negative view of the speaker’s character. The book states that the reason different results were found was because the people listening to the speakers reacted most positively to the speakers when the speakers were talking at a speech rate that is similar to what is used in that area naturally. (Andersen 280) one and one half min
This concept is noteworthy to me for two main reasons. It demonstrates the concept that certain aspects of nonverbal communication are interpreted in different ways in different areas of a country, the world, etc.
WHY THE CONCEPT IS NOTEWORTHY TO YOU
I have heard people say that Southern California is more fast paced than Northern California and I think this speech rate concept is one way that people get the impression that people in Humboldt County are generally slower paced than Southern California people.
EX OF CONCEPT IN MY OWN EXPERIENCE
When people are talking really fast in my opinion sometimes I have the thought that they may not be telling the entire truth because in order to talk so fast about the topic that had to have memorized everything and they can’t speak from the heart (what they believe to be really true). In my experience, when people have a fast speaking rate they usually appear more extroverted to me.