← all facts
communication
You misjudge the competence of people who speak rapidly.
Listeners may perceive faster speakers as more credible and knowledgeable, but this effect is moderated by argument quality and the listener's motivation to process the message.
The relationship between speech rate and credibility is not absolute; it depends on message content and listener engagement, rather than occurring regardless of content.
You listen to the pace, not just the words.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Smith and Shaffer (1991), Speed of Speech and Persuasion
- What the check found
- The original study shows speech rate influences persuasion, but it is not a binary rule. The effect is context-dependent and interacts with argument strength.
- Confidence
- Solid, with limits
Related
One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.