Loud and Unclear

When people can't understand what we're trying to say, what do we do? We say it again-louder. And if we still aren't getting the point across? We say it even LOUDER. And if we sense that the communication breakdown is total, we go all out and also repeat the words re slowly.

It rarely occurs to us to change the content of the message, reports Charles R. Berger, Ph.D., a professor of rhetoric and communication at the University of California Davis. Or to pause before speaking, so as to collect our thoughts clearly. Speaking slower and louder gives the illusion of effective communication, but it only works if the other person is hearing-impaired.

We do it, Berger finds, because voice-raising is the default option of the mind. Cognitively speaking, ft is the easiest fix to make.

It's all a matter of cognitive effort, Berger explains. His studies show that there are several options message-givers have when message-receivers don't understand. We arrange the options in a hierarchy according to how much cognitive effort each one takes. Altering the content of the message Is at the top of the list, altering details of the message is near the middle, and speech alterations are st the bottom.

Most of us zip right to the lower end of the hierarchy. But not only doesn't it get the message across any better, shouting also tends to raise our blood pressure.

When Berger had people give each other geographic directions, those on the receiving end who asked for clarification usually got the same directions thrown back at them, only louder. Very rarely did direction-givers change the route. When they did, the response took 8.3 seconds, versus the 3.3 seconds it took to answer only with a yell.

Do we pick up such patterns from early inter-actions with our parents, or does the frustration and anger at not being understood prompt us to shout.? This much Berger will say: It's probably not the latter. Speech rate usually goes up with anger, and it didn't in his study.