People who talk with their hands seem more clear and persuasive – new research

By: Giovanni Luca Cascio Rizzo, University of Southern California, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: December 4, 2025

Words: 774

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

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By Giovanni Luca Cascio Rizzo, University of Southern California

When people use hand gestures that visually represent what they’re saying, listeners see them as more clear, competent and persuasive. That’s the key finding from my new research published in the Journal of Marketing Research, where I analyzed thousands of TED Talks and ran controlled experiments to examine how gestures shape communication.

Talking with your hands

Whether you’re giving a presentation, pitching an idea or leading …

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