The Role of the Linguistic Intergroup Bias in Expectancy Maintenance

Abstract The role of verbal communication in the transmission of prejudice has received much theoretical attention (Hecht, 1998; Le Couteur & Augoustinos, 2001), including the features of the linguistic intergroup bias (Maass, Salvi, Arcuri, & Semin, 1989), yet few studies have examined the acquisition of an out-group language as a factor in mitigating prejudicial speech. The conditions under which minority Canadian Francophones use linguistic bias when communicating about the in- and out-group (i.e., Canadian Anglophones) were investigated. Data was collected from 110 Francophone students. Predictions were confirmed but only when out-group identification was considered. Further, out-group identification and second language confidence were both related to a decrease in out-group derogation; however, the same factors appear to promote linguistically biased speech toward the in-group. Results are discussed within current intergroup communication theory.

Download Full-text

The Effect of Perspective-Taking on Linguistic Intergroup Bias

Journal of Language and Social Psychology ◽

10.1177/0261927x19874383 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 183-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Costanza Scaffidi Abbate ◽

Isabella Giammusso ◽

Stefano Boca

Keyword(s):

Perspective Taking ◽

Intergroup Bias ◽

Level Of Abstraction ◽

The World ◽

Linguistic Category Model ◽

Psychological Experiences ◽

Linguistic Intergroup Bias

In this experiment, we examined the effect of perspective-taking—actively contemplating others’ psychological experiences—on linguistic intergroup bias. We asked some participants to adopt the perspective of a character (an Italian or a Maghrebian), while others did not receive similar instructions, and complete a short dialogue comprised of a series of vignettes, resulting in a 2 (perspective-taking: presence vs. control) × 2 (group: ingroup vs. outgroup) between-participants design. We analyzed the texts produced on the basis of the linguistic category model. As expected, participants were more likely to describe the outgroup member using less abstract terms when we asked them to take the perspective of a Maghrebian. Since the level of abstraction of the terms used to describe a person’s behavior is considered an index of stereotype use, one might describe Maghrebians less stereotypically when he or she can see the world from their perspective. The results extend previous findings on the role of perspective-taking as it relates to reducing intergroup stereotypes.

Download Full-text

Social Identity and the Linguistic Intergroup Bias: Exploring the Role of Ethnic Identification in the Context of Intergroup Relations Between Hong Kong and Mainland China

Journal of Language and Social Psychology ◽

10.1177/0261927x17695112 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 473-483 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Michael Chan

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Intergroup Relations ◽

Mainland China ◽

Intergroup Bias ◽

Ethnic Identification ◽

Antisocial Behaviors ◽

Mainland Chinese ◽

Survey Experiments ◽

Linguistic Intergroup Bias

Two survey experiments examined how linguistic intergroup bias (LIB) varies according to ethnic identification within a homogenous ethnic group (Hong Kong citizens). Study 1 showed that Hong Kong citizens who identified as “Hongkonger” used more abstract expressions to describe prosocial behaviors of the in-group (Hong Kong citizen) and antisocial behaviors of the out-group (Mainland Chinese); those who identified as “Chinese” exhibited less LIB. Study 2 found similar results for a context based on location of behaviour (in Hong Kong vs. in China) rather than the nationality of the protagonist. The combined evidence suggests that LIB can have an important intragroup as well as intergroup dimension.

Download Full-text