In this post I will be talking about seating choices and how those choices could potentially increase or decrease the amount of information a person might retain from a lecture or possibly a meeting.
As we see in the photograph below taken from “The Definitive Book of Body Language”, those who sit front and center as compared to where the speaker is standing, tend to retain 68% of what the speaker says. Moving a few rows back, we then see those who sit in the middle behind those in the front row retain 55% of what was said. That is already a 13% difference in retention! If we look once more we see that those who sit the furthest back and in the outside corners retain the least information out of all in the diagram.
According to Allen and Barbara Pease, writers of “The Definitive Book of Body Language”, not only do people learn more or less depending on where they choose to sit in a room, these people also tend to act in certain ways depending on their seating preferences.
“People who sit in the front row are keener than others to learn and show more attention to the speaker in order to avoid being picked on,” said Peace. “Those in the middle sections are the next most attentive and ask the most questions, as the middle section is considered to be a safe area, surrounded by others. The side and back areas are the least responsive and attentive.”
Now the way that business people can use this is quite obvious. If you are in a meeting simply sit as far in front and center as is possible, compared to where the speaker is talking, to help retain as much as possible.
This diagram can also be useful to animators. In a class room or meeting scenario an animator now knows that if the class were to raise their hands in an animation, the middle would be some of the first to lift their hands, followed by the front and then the back and sides if at all. It also potentially clues us in as to potential behaviors of those people sitting.
The ones in the front row might be those more apt to quieting the rest of the class down to hear what the instructor is saying, after all, they are there to learn and focus. Those in the middle might be more likely to talk during class yet are likely to quickly quiet down when asked. Those in the back and the sides will probably be the most talkative and therefore their eyes will probably not be on the instructor most of the time.
I hope you learned something from this post and if anything I encourage you to pick up “The Definitive Book of Body Language.” It is very informative, useful and entertaining.
Until next time readers, have a great day.
References:
The Definitive Book of Body Language - by Allen and Barbara Pease
Link to where you can find the book: http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Book-Body-Language-Publisher/dp/B004N778YC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1310601683&sr=8-4
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