Characterizing the Linguistic Chameleon: Personal and Social Correlates of Linguistic Style Accommodation

Muir, Kate; Joinson, Adam; Cotterill, Rachel; Dewdney, Nigel

Abstract

© 2016 International Communication Association Linguistic style accommodation between conversationalists is associated with positive social outcomes. We examine social power and personality as factors driving the occurrence of linguistic style accommodation, and the social outcomes of accommodation. Social power was manipulated to create 144 face-to-face dyadic interactions between individuals of high versus low power and 64 neutral power interactions. Particular configurations of personality traits (high self-monitoring, Machiavellianism and leadership, and low self-consciousness, impression management and agreeableness), combined with a low-power role, led to an increased likelihood of linguistic style accommodation. Further, greater accommodation by low-power individuals positively influenced perceptions of subjective rapport and attractiveness. We propose individual differences interact with social context to influence the conditions under which nonconscious communication accommodation occurs.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 3, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Mar 17, 2017
• Publication Date: Jul 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Dec 7, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 17, 2017
• Journal: Human Communication Research
• Print ISSN: 0360-3989
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-2958
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 42
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 462-484
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hcre.12083
• Keywords: linguistics, language
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/905018
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hcre.12083
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Muir, K., Joinson, A., Cotterill, R. and Dewdney, N. (2016) Characterising the linguistic chameleon: Personal and social correlates of linguistic style accommodation. Human Communication Research., which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hcre.12083. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
• Contract Date: Apr 20, 2016