Chapter 13: Communication Carriers

What Are Communication Carriers?

Imagine your words are like delivery trucks that carry feelings from your heart to someone else’s heart! But it is not just WHAT you say — it is HOW you say it. Your voice, your face, and your body are all different types of delivery trucks!

Important Communication Science! Dr. Albert Mehrabian’s famous study found that when someone is talking about their feelings or attitudes, and their words do not match their tone and body language, listeners rely mostly on body language (55%), then voice tone (38%), and least on the actual words (7%). This does not mean words only matter 7% of the time — it specifically applies when there is a mismatch between what someone says and how they say it. When all three match up, every part matters!

Different Types of Communication Carriers

Words Carrier

The actual words you choose are like the packages in your delivery truck. Good words carry good feelings!

Good Word Packages:

• “Great job!”
• “Thank you!”
• “You are awesome!”
• “I believe in you!”

Not-So-Good Word Packages:

• “Whatever…”
• “You always mess up”
• “That is stupid”
• “I do not care”

Voice Carrier

HOW you say things is like the music playing from your delivery truck! Your tone, speed, and volume carry big feelings!

Voice Styles:

• Happy Voice: Higher pitch, faster, musical
• Calm Voice: Lower pitch, slower, smooth
• Excited Voice: Louder, faster, bouncy
• Sad Voice: Lower, slower, quieter

Body Language Carrier

Your body is a powerful delivery truck! How you stand, your face, and your gestures carry a lot of feeling!

Body Language Types:

• Confident: Standing tall, shoulders back, eye contact
• Friendly: Smiling, open arms, leaning forward
• Closed: Arms crossed, looking away, slouching
• Nervous: Fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, small movements

Making Your Carriers Work Together

When Carriers Match vs. When They Clash

All three carriers need to deliver the same message, or people get confused!

Good Match Example:

• Words: “Great job!”
• Voice: Happy and excited
• Body: Smiling, thumbs up
• Result: Friend feels really good!

Bad Match Example:

• Words: “Great job!”
• Voice: Flat and bored
• Body: Looking at phone, slouching
• Result: Friend feels confused and hurt

When your words say one thing but your voice and body say something different, people tend to believe your voice and body more than your words. That is why matching all three carriers is so important!

The CLEAR Recipe for Matched Messages

• C — Check Your Feeling. Before speaking, check: “What feeling do I want to send?”
• L — Line Up Your Carriers. Make sure your words, voice, and body all match your feeling!
• E — Express with Energy. Put energy into all three carriers — do not let one be lazy!
• A — Adjust if Needed. Watch the other person’s face — if they look confused, adjust your carriers!
• R — Repeat the Good Ones. When your carriers work well together, remember to use them again!

The Communication Power Chart

When your words, voice, and body language all match:

• Body Language carries the strongest signal — stand tall and smile for positive delivery
• Voice matters a LOT — how you say something reinforces the message. Practice happy, calm voices
• Words are still important — choosing kind words makes your message even better!

The key insight is that all three carriers working together is much more powerful than any one alone. When they clash, people get confused and the message gets lost.

What We Learned

• Communication uses three carriers: Words, Voice, and Body Language
• When someone’s words do not match their tone and body language, listeners rely more heavily on nonverbal cues (Mehrabian’s research on feelings and attitudes)
• All three carriers need to match for your message to land well
• You can use the CLEAR recipe to make sure your carriers all deliver the same message
• Body language is especially powerful — people pick up on it fast
• Choosing kind words, a warm voice, and open body language creates the best communication