Effect of inconsistent verbal–nonverbal communication and counselor response mode on client estimate of counselor regard and effectiveness.

The relative impact of the nonverbal channel during inconsistent verbal–nonverbal communication of counselor regard to client was investigated. 120 undergraduates, assigned to 12 independent groups, viewed videotapes of an analog counseling session that portrayed the various counselor message–response orientation conditions. After viewing the tapes, the Ss rated the counselor on level of counselor regard for client and on counselor effectiveness. Although previous research indicated the dominance of the nonverbal (NV) component of an inconsistent message, the results do not confirm the overall functional superordinancy of the NV channel across all levels of response orientation. An interactive relationship was found, with the NV channel functioning with relatively more impact on the confrontive level of orientation. This finding is considered in terms of the differential communication decoding process and is explained on the basis of stress-induced reduction of cue utilization. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)