Mahamat

APY 2205 – Experimental Psychology – M/W/F April 03, 2021

Experiment 7: Verbal Appeal and Body Language

Baranda, Angela P. 20170119945

Briola, Angel M. 20170122119
Domingo, Lance, Anjelic T. 20171103052
Padilla, Elaine Bianca L. 20170120088
Parin, Jana Cloydine M. 20190119336
Samson, Angelo B. 20190167089
Tabuena, Mica Ella D. 20190119814
Vergara, Angelica Kristine S. 20170112411

I. Title: “On Understanding Social Impression: Applying Verbal Appeal and Body
Language in Staged Money Solicitation”

II. Objectives

The experiment aims to evaluate the effects of verbal appeal (with or without
giving a reason) and body language such as physical intimacy through the amount of
money that will be solicited on the target individuals. In addition, the study also recorded
the observed reactions of the subjects during each trial to assess their behavior towards
the treatment.

III. Background

Both the verbal persuasion and physical intimacy are tools being utilized by
individuals to communicate effectively with other people. The manner in which people
presents such key factors determine one’s social impression on them, yielding to a
positive or negative outcomes and reactions. Non-verbal communication is said to be
ambiguous for it can be interpreted in different ways, and that gestures alone can
express what is inside of a person's mind. According to Mehrabian's communication
model, the notable factor that acquired the greatest percentage which widely affects
communication is body language that garnered 55%. Though tone and voice account
for 38% of the total, the words they used account for just 7%. Additionally, it is claimed
that when verbal and nonverbal signals are consistent; confidence, clarification, and
harmony can be increased. In the case that it is not consistent however, people are
more inclined to believe nonverbal cues than verbal cues.

The role of verbal and nonverbal cues in successful persuasion was explored in
two studies with both yielding different outcomes. According to the first study, which was
conducted by Long (2011), overt actions such as using different voices and tones, as
well as the way people dress, can influence people's perceptions. Thus, asking for a
request will not be difficult. In comparison to Polanski's (n.d.) study, which analyzed Dr.
Cialdini's six principles of persuasion, a person's physical appearance and beauty will
increase the probability that others will comply with requests (Bunyi & Carreon, 2016).
Similarly, this experiment aims to determine how verbal and nonverbal expressions or
body languages influence social impression. By acting as solicitors to the members of
the family, mentioned experimenters accompanied their request of money with physical
intimacies, as well as usage of verbal appeals.

IV. Apparatus

Tally sheets and a smartphone for recording of the experiment.

V. Hypothesis

H0: Verbal appeals and body languages have no significant effect in soliciting
money from individuals.
Ha: Verbal appeals and body languages have significant effect in soliciting money
from individuals.

VI. Procedure

The experimenters served as the solicitors in this experiment. Since an

enhanced community quarantine was imposed, the said experiment was administered
in their respective homes. To begin, the experimenters chose whom of their family
members will be their subjects. However, they were not given the main purpose of the
study. The experiment was divided into two parts whereas experimenters served as the
solicitors as well as the observers of the subject’s behavior while conducting the
experiment.

On the first part, solicitors provided no reasons on their request of money.

Contrastingly, on the second part, the experimenters still asked for money but they had
given a similar reason for where they are going to use it. Moreover, as the experiment
was taking place, they have included physical intimacy like having an eye to eye contact
and physical closeness which is employed through forms of touching. After the
experiment, solicitors returned the money that was given by the subjects.

VII. Results

Table 1: Data from the Solicitation of Money Without Reason

Amount of Money
Subjects Observed Reaction
Solicited (₱)
Suspicious, Confused, Reluctant,
Subject 1 40 Sustained eye-to-eye contact &
Intrigued (Asked lots of questions)
Confused, Sustained eye to eye
Subject 2 40
contact, Intrigued & Laughed
Suspicious, Slightly Confused,
Subject 3 50
Intrigued & Glared at the solicitor
Commonalities: Suspicious,
Total: 130 Confused, Sustained eye to eye
contact & Intrigued

Table 1 shows the data gathered through the solicitors that did not provide a
reason when requesting for 50 pesos amount of money. The amount of money solicited
from the three subjects in this category ranges from forty to fifty pesos. Subject 3
handed over an amount of fifty pesos which is the highest amount among the three
subjects; while the other two subjects both have given forty pesos.
 All of the subjects manifested a variety of reactions as the solicitors requested
money from them. Specifically, Subject 2 laughed during the experiment while Subject 1
and Subject 3 was observed to be reluctant and even glared at the solicitor. Overall,
the commonalities that are drawn on their reactions includes maintained eye to eye
contact, being suspicious and confused, as well as being intrigued or asking lots of
questions.

Table 2: Data from the Solicitation of Money with Reason Provided

Amount of Money
Subjects Observed Reaction
Solicited (in peso)
Reserved, Sustained eye-to-eye
Subject 4 40
contact & Somehow polite
Hostile or Aggressive (Spanked and
Subject 5 20
glared the Solicitor)
Reserved, Calm, Sustained eye-to-
Subject 6 100
eye contact & Unhesitant
Commonalities: Reserved &
Total: 160
Sustained eye to eye contact

Table 2 reveals the amount of money solicited with the use of verbal appeal
(giving a reason e.g., “I want to buy food”) and body language in the form of physical
intimacy along with the observed reactions. Unlike in the first group of subjects, the
amount of money solicited from this group ranges from 20 to 100 pesos. Whereas
Subject 6 gave the highest amount of money which is 100 pesos, followed by forty
pesos given by Subject 4, and lastly from Subject 5 who gave the least amount of
money of only twenty pesos.
Similar reactions were observed between Subject 4 and Subject 6 such as being
reserved and keeping eye to eye contact, only differing with being polite and being
unhesitant. Subject 5 on the other hand, had different reactions like going as far as
glaring and spanking the solicitor. Hence, the commonalities among the observed
reactions only includes being reserved and the sustainment of eye-to-eye contact.
 Table 3: Mean and Standard Deviation of the data from the two groups
Groups Mean Standard Deviation
Solicitors without reason 43.33 5.78
Solicitors with reason
53.33 41.63
provided

Table 3 presents the total mean and standard deviation of the two groups. The
first row indicates the mean and standard deviation of the group of solicitors that did not
provide a reason when they requested for an amount of money. The total mean of this
group is 43. 33 while the obtained standard deviation is 5.78.

On the other hand, the second row implies the mean along with the standard
deviation of the second group of experimenters who provided a reason (e.g., “I want to
buy food”) while employing physical intimacy with the subjects. This group garnered a
total mean of 53.33 and a standard deviation of 41.63. This implies that the second
group of solicitors were able to solicit more amount of money due to providing a reason
for their solicitation. Furthermore, the higher standard deviation implies a great variation
among the amount of money solicited by the mentioned group.

VIII. Discussion

Verbal communication such as reasoning affects an individual’s reaction to a

request positively. This is for the reason that such reasoning likely involves persuasion
that drives an individual towards granting the request. Thus, solicitors with provided
reason had acquired a mean of 53.33 which is higher compared to the group that had
not provided any. Besides, engaging in communication plays a role in granting such
requests as subjects are described to be reserved after stating the request. This
reservation may involve curiosity and questions for the purpose of such a request. Then,
having to hear feedback explaining the reason behind the request adds to its success.
As individuals who received feedback are more likely to engage in an activity (Agricola,
Prins, & Sluijsmans, 2020). Which in this experimental study is the solicitation.
Therefore, having to provide a reason for requesting is more effective and likely to be
successful than having a request without one.
 In addition, an approachable and not so overly tone of voice have shown to
increase the persuasive appeal of the solicitors. However, employing physical
intimacies and mild contacts such as brushing or touching the shoulder or hands of the
person results to both positive outcomes and negative reactions. Whereas majority of
the subjects becomes suspicious, confused, reserved, calm, intrigued and remain
guarded (sustained an eye-to-eye contact). Meanwhile, other subjects were observed to
be hostile and doubtful towards the solicitor. These indicates that both the pleasant tone
of voice and warm gestures increases the persuasive appeal of the solicitors and
thereby providing them the money being requested. In terms of physical appearances,
no conclusion has been made given that solicitors do not present themselves as
panhandlers.

Negative perceptions are evident to particular people when it comes to

panhandlers and mendicants. Issues of safety and usefulness of the donations are
almost always present whenever these kinds of individuals are around. Consequently,
success in acquiring donations is challenging. Moreover, other than the likelihood of
success that reasoning provides, there are other advice that can make a solicitation
more successful. In a study conducted by Brounstein et., al. (2018), location and
distance play a role in the success of solicitation. To gain more donations, one must find
a location where pedestrian flow is great. Then, the distance. This pertains to how far
one panhandler is close to another panhandler. Having to have another panhandler
nearby will decrease the success of solicitation as one individual will likely lessen the
donation to one to have something to provide for the other.

Furthermore, in the current experiment, similar findings were obtained on the

study conducted by Borja, et., al. (2017). They concluded in their research that
communicative speech along with presence of gestures such as body language and eye
to eye contact enhances one’s believability and persuasiveness. In addition to that,
Jackob, Roessing, & Peterson (2011) in their experiment also found out that content of
messages (i.e., reasons) and body language such as gestures have positive
contribution on persuasive appeal. On the other hand, mentioned study differs on the
experiment in terms of claim on the tone of voice. Whereas in the experiment of Jackob,
et., al. (2011), tone of voice shown to have little contribution on persuasive effect.
Overall, the outcome of this experiment reflects the 55-38-7 percent communication
model of Albert Mehrabian which claims that body language (the most influential), tone
of voice and type of words (the least influential) determines the communication or
interaction flow (Park & Park, 2018).

IX. Conclusion

The results conveyed that the use of verbal appeal and body language affected
the amount of money given by the subjects. The amount of money collected by soliciting
with no reason is significantly lower as compared to those who provided a reason. This
is determined by the fact that if there is a limited verbal conversation, one is less likely
to appear as persuasive. Hence, the subjects only gave small amounts because they
did not know the purpose of the solicitors. On the contrary, when reasons are given
which was accompanied by body language, solicitors received a higher amount of
money. Thus, body language and verbal appeal are indeed highly influential in
persuasion and forming of great social impression. Hereby, the experimenters rejected
the Null Hypothesis and accepted the Alternative Hypothesis.

Ha: Verbal appeals and body languages have significant effect in soliciting
money from individuals.

______________________________________________________________________

References:

Agricola, B. T., Prins, F. J., & Sluijsmans, D. M. (2020). Impact of feedback request
forms and verbal feedback on higher education students’ feedback perception,
self-efficacy, and motivation. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy &
Practice, 27(1), 6-25. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2019.1688764
Borja, E., Gamarcha, R., Jablo, Keith., Narte, F., Togonon, S., Torrico, G. (2017).
Running head: Communicative speech and gestures on persuasion. University
of the Philippines-Vizayas. Pages, 27-28.

Brounstein, J., Dordick, G., O’Flaherty, B., & Sinha, S. (2018, June). Policy for
Panhandling: How to Encourage. European Journal of Homelessness, 12(1), 64-
92.doi:https://www.feantsa.org/download/121_b1_thinkpiece_dordick_v02854339
4139574871091.pdf

Carrier, J. (2019). Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Communication Model: It’s More Than Words.
Retrieved from: The World of Work Project: https://worldofwork.io/mehrabians-
7-38-55-communication-model/

Jackob, N., Roessing, T., & Petersen, T. (2011). The effects of verbal and nonverbal
elements in persuasive communication: Findings from two multi-method
experiments., 36(2), 245-271. https://doi.org/10.1515/comm.2011.012

Verbal Persuasion and Body Language. (2016, March 30). Retrieved from:
http://studymoose.com/verbal-persuasion-and-body-language-essay

Park, S. G., & Park, K. H. (2018). Correlation between nonverbal communication and
objective structured clinical examination score in medical students. Korean
journal of medical education, 30(3), 199–208.
https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2018.94
APPENDIX
Documentation:

Request without Reason and Physical Intimacy or Gestures

MMM
Subject 1: Tabuena’s Twin sister

power
Subject 2: Domingo’s sister

pam
Subject 3: Briola’s Father
Request with Reason and Physical Intimacy or Gestures
Subject 4: NEWMAN
Samson’s Mother

now
Subject 5: Baranda’s Mother

Poor
Subject 6: Padilla’s Brother