Language Use in Group Discourse and Its Relationship to Group Processes

Lyn M. Van Swol, Paul Hangsan Ahn, Andrew Prahl and Zhenxing Gong

SAGE Open, 2021, vol. 11, issue 1, 21582440211001852

Abstract: The study examined the relationship between language use and perception of group processes. In an experiment, participants discussed their views about climate change in a group chat. Afterward, participants ( n = 239) filled out their perception of themselves and group processes. Participants who perceived more similarity among group members used less complex language (cognitive processes language) and more assenting language. As participants felt more knowledgeable and credible about the topic, their use of “we†pronouns and word count increased and use of “I†pronouns decreased. Replicating past research, participants with more extreme opinions used more “you†pronouns, and participants who reported engaging in more perspective-taking used more complex language and “we†pronouns. Results are integrated within an input–process–output model of group processes and suggest that language is reflective of individual inputs and perception of group processes.

Keywords: group processes; perspective-taking; language; LIWC; group similarity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:11:y:2021:i:1:p:21582440211001852

DOI: 10.1177/21582440211001852

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