Abby scrolls through her phone while her mother tries to give her instructions for giving the dog his medication. When her mother stops talking, Abby says she is listening and asks her mom to continue. Despite Abby's assurance that she is listening, her mom says she'll just write the instructions down. Which assumption of nonverbal communication does this illustrate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Abby's mother chooses to write the instructions down because Abby's nonverbal behavior (scrolling through her phone) suggests she is not paying full attention, despite her verbal assurance. This illustrates that nonverbal cues are often trusted more than verbal statements when they conflict.

Abby Scrolls Through Her Phone While Her Mother Tries to Give