38% of a message is relayed by our voice. Employing vocal variety helps when communicating with a person that has a hearing loss
When I was younger, and I had dogs, I always got a big kick out of saying awful things to them in a sweet voice and watching them respond positively. They were responding not to my words but to the tone of my voice. That is why, in addition to body language and facial expressions, the voice and tonality – vocal variety – conveys much more than words.
Dr. Albert Mehrabian reported that 38% of a message is relayed by our voice. Have you noticed how one’s voice can reveal what a person is feeling deep down inside? Note how your voice conveys enthusiasm or boredom; pleasure or pain; sincerity or sarcasm; and happiness or sadness. The sound of your voice can be used to help a person with a hearing loss understand what you are saying. You might even exaggerate the tone of your voice a bit to facilitate comprehension of your words.
