This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 0261927X07313655v1 27/2/123    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Google Scholar Articles by Douglas, K. M. Articles by Wilkin, K. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Could You Mind Your Language?

An Investigation of Communicators' Ability to Inhibit Linguistic Bias

University of Kent, Canterbury, UK

Robbie M. Sutton

University of Kent, Canterbury, UK

Katie Wilkin

University of Manchester, UK

Three experiments that examine communicators' ability to inhibit linguistic bias are reported. Research has shown that communicators use more abstract language (e.g., "Jamie is affectionate" vs. "Jamie kisses Rose") to describe more expected behavior. Recent research has shown that this bias may be overwhelmed by goals to put a "spin" on actions or to manipulate audiences' impressions of actors. Similarly, the present experiments show that people who wish to communicate without bias may often be able to do so. Inhibition occurred when participants selected descriptions from a list of alternatives and when they freely described both expected and unexpected behaviors. However, inhibition failed when participants were asked to freely describe either expected or unexpected behaviors alone.

Key Words: linguistic category model • linguistic intergroup bias • inhibition • self-regulation • motivation

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?