Linguistic Intergroup Bias
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What is the main prediction of the LIB model?
Positive behavior displayed by an in-group member will be described in relatively abstract terms, whereas the same behavior shown by an out-group member will be described in relatively concrete terms. The reverse is true for negative behaviors.
Describe the 4 levels of abstraction outlined in the Linguistic Category Model
- Most concrete are descriptive action verbs such as “A hits B.”
- Interpretive action verbs such as “A hurts B.”
- State verbs such as “A hates B.”
- Most abstract are general disposition adjectives such as “A is aggressive.”
What are some of the intial approaches to studying Linguistic Intergroup Bias?
- Subjects are presented with cartoons and asked to describe them. Bias is measured by determining the level of abstraction used in descriptions. Cartoon scenes such as these have the advantage that they are practically language free and are therefore unlikely to bias the respondent’s verbal reaction. Measures can be by cued sentence completion or multiple choice procedure.
What are two possible mechanisms that may be responsible for the LIB
- Motivational view: one may argue that the LIB helps portray the in-group in favorable and the out-group in an unfavorable light. In-group protection.
- Cognitive view: assumes the LIB is driven by differential expectancies. In other words, a speaker uses abstract language when he or she observes behaviors that confirm prior expectancies.
- Wigboldus coined the term linguistic expectancy bias (LEB), which is much more general than the original intergroup model.
- There is plenty of support for the cognitive mechanism but is there any research supporting a motivational mechanism?
- Even though researchers have successfully argued for the cognitive-based process, a study suggests that motivational processes may actually play a role in the LIB, especially when intergroup relations are particularly hostile or competitive. However, it was still unknown whether the increase in motivational processes actually weakens the contribution of the cognitive, expectancy-based process or whether the two processes produce independent, additive effects.
How does biased language use fulfill both an interpersonal and an intrapersonal function of belief maintenance?
- On the interindividual level, it induces inferences and expectancies in the listener that are consistent with the speaker’s beliefs, thereby contributing in a subtle way to the social transmission of beliefs. On the intraindividual level, such language use helps to maintain the speaker’s own beliefs in the face of incongruity.
