Journal of Language and Social Psychology RSS feed -- OnlineFirst Articles

Responses of Young Adult Grandchildren to Grandparents' Painful Self-Disclosures

Fowler, C., Soliz, J. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:38:51 PST

This study examined grandchildren’s relational and communicative responses to grandparents’ painful self-disclosures (PSDs). From the perspective of young adult grandchildren (N = 297), discomfort with PSDs is more significant in differentiating positive and negative aspects of the grandparent–grandchild relationship than simply the occurrence of such disclosures. Furthermore, results reveal that the family communication environment and communicative responsiveness of the grandchild are important factors in predicting discomfort with PSDs as well as grandchildren’s communication with grandparents.

I Am "Fatter" Than She Is: Language-Expressible Body-Size Comparisons Bias Judgments of Body Size

Choplin, J. M. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:38:52 PST

This article proposes and tests a comparison-induced distortion theory account of body-size judgments wherein language-expressible body-size comparisons (e.g., "Jane is fatter than Kimberly" or "Kimberly is thinner than Jane") bias judgments of body sizes. Study 1 found that when actual differences were small, language-expressible comparisons biased body-size judgments away from the sizes with which they were compared even though the distribution of contextual body sizes was held constant. Study 2 found that when actual differences were large language-expressible comparisons biased judgments toward the sizes with which they were compared so that an extremely thin woman was judged larger if she was compared with someone who was much larger than her than if she was compared with someone who was only slightly larger than her. These results demonstrate that research on body-size judgments cannot ignore the effects of language-expressible comparisons.

Virtual Gender Identity: The Linguistic Assimilation to Gendered Avatars in Computer-Mediated Communication

Palomares, N. A., Lee, E.-J. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:38:52 PST

This research examined how individual's gendered avatar might alter their use of gender-based language (i.e., references to emotion, apologies, and tentative language) in text-based computer-mediated communication. Specifically, the experiment tested if men and women would linguistically assimilate a virtual gender identity intimated by randomly assigned gendered avatars (either matched or mismatched to their true gender). Results supported the notion that gender-matched avatars increase the likelihood of gender-typical language use, whereas gender-mismatched avatars promoted countertypical language, especially among women. The gender of a partner’s avatar, however, did not influence participants’ language. Results generally comport with self-categorization theory’s gender salience explanation of gender-based language use.