Linguistic biomarkers of Hubris syndrome

Garrard, Peter; Rentoumi, Vassiliki; Lambert, Christian; Owen, Dave

doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2013.08.014

Cited by 28 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Our words‐based measures of optimism are constructed using computational content analysis of the tone of the UK Chairman's Statement in the annual report. It is recognized that language may reflect certain psychological biases of the speaker in general (Garrard et al ., ) and content analysis of corporate disclosures can be conducted to measure management behavioural characteristics in particular (Li, ). Our tone‐based measure is based on the idea that optimistic tone may reflect ‘a manager‐specific tendency to be optimistic or pessimistic’ (Davis et al ., , p. 639).…”

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confidence: 99%

Optimistic Disclosure Tone and Conservative Debt Policy

Ataullah

Vivian²,

2018

Abacus

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We examine the relationship between managerial optimism and debt conservatism (i.e., the low-leverage puzzle). Our analysis demonstrates that optimistic tone, our time-varying optimism measure, significantly decreases leverage. This evidence supports the proposition that optimistic managers who consider external financing as unduly costly use debt conservatively. This reduced reliance on external financing can be explained by further evidence that optimistic tone significantly increases cash holdings and decreases dividend payment. The negative toneleverage relation is stronger in the presence of high insider purchase of own stocks, which confirms that optimistic tone reflects managerial optimism. This study suggests that managerial optimism can help explain the low-leverage puzzle.

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confidence: 99%

Optimistic Disclosure Tone and Conservative Debt Policy

Ataullah

Vivian²,

2018

Abacus

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“…We find initially that words indicative of DICTION's master variable REALISM 2 are the strongest marker in the letters of Browne, Goodwin, and Murdoch's, thereby potentially contributing to literature which has explored linguistic markers of hubris (e.g., Garrard et al 2013). Consequently, we find that CEO letter language high in DICTION's REALISM is not a distinctive marker of hubris but that it is indicative of a broader sample of CEO letters.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…For a review of works in the business academic literature, see Craig and Amernic (2014). Garrard et al (2013) have employed various statistical tests to assess differences in spoken discourse samples of (allegedly) hubristic and non-hubristic former UK prime ministers. If hubris is as dangerous a condition as its pejorative connotation dramatically signifies, then a test to reveal language signs of hubris is desirable.…”

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confidence: 99%

Are there Language Markers of Hubris in CEO Letters to Shareholders?

Craig

Amernic

2016

J Bus Ethics

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This paper explores whether DICTION text analysis software reveals distinctive language markers of a verbal tone of hubris in annual letters to shareholders signed by CEOs of major companies.We analyze 193 letters to shareholders, comprising about 368,000 words, focusing initially on 23 letters signed by CEOs who are alleged to be hubristic: Browne (BP), Goodwin (Royal Bank of Scotland) and Murdoch (News). Their language use is statistically significantly high in terms of the DICTION master variable, REALISM. Based on further analysis, we contend that language high in REALISM is not a distinctive marker of hubris but is likely to be a genre effect that is common in CEO letters to shareholders.We draw attention to the restricted capacity of DICTION to capture subtlety of language in CEO letters to shareholders.

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“…Garrard et al (2014) observed differences between the hubrists and the non-hubrist in terms of several important aspects of language use. Garrard et al (2014) concluded that it is possible to identify candidate utterances which may serve as linguistic (bio-)markers of Hubris Syndrome, such as the ratio of first-person plural to first-person singular pronouns. The use of such markers as potential indicators of hubris is important since their concealment in written and spoken language by deliberate and consistent masking is to all intents and purposes impossible (Garrard, 2016: 152).…”

Section: Recognising and Researching Hubrismentioning

confidence: 86%

“…In operationalising the use of linguistic markers for the identification of hubris, Garrard et al (2014) examined the transcribed spoken discourse samples of two British Prime Ministers who are acknowledged as hubristic (Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair) and compared these to a British Prime Minister who is generally considered to be non-hubrisitc (Sir John Major). Garrard et al (2014) observed differences between the hubrists and the non-hubrist in terms of several important aspects of language use. Garrard et al (2014) concluded that it is possible to identify candidate utterances which may serve as linguistic (bio-)markers of Hubris Syndrome, such as the ratio of first-person plural to first-person singular pronouns.…”

Section: Recognising and Researching Hubrismentioning

confidence: 99%

Hubristic leadership: A review

et al. 2016

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Hubristic leaders over-estimate significantly their own abilities and believe their performance to be superior to that of others; as a consequence, they make over-confident and over-ambitious judgements and decisions. The fact that hubristic leaders tend to be resistant to criticism, and invulnerable to and contemptuous of the advice of others further compounds the problem. In this article, we review conceptual, theoretical and methodological aspects of hubristic leadership research. We examine hubristic leadership from two standpoints: first, from a psychological and behavioural perspective, we review hubris in terms of over-confidence and its relationship to core self-evaluation and narcissism; second, from a psychiatric perspective, we review hubris as an acquired disorder with a distinctive set of symptoms (Hubris Syndrome), the onset of which is associated with the acquisition of significant power. In doing so, we draw distinctions between hubris and several related constructs, such as over-confidence, narcissism, core self-evaluation and pride. Methodologically, we review how hubris and Hubris Syndrome can be recognised, diagnosed and researched, and we explore some of the unique challenges and opportunities hubris research presents. We conclude by offering some directions for future inquiry and recapitulate the practical and pedagogical significance of this vitally important but under-researched leadership phenomenon

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Linguistic biomarkers of Hubris syndrome

Cited by 28 publications

References 20 publications

Optimistic Disclosure Tone and Conservative Debt Policy

Optimistic Disclosure Tone and Conservative Debt Policy

Are there Language Markers of Hubris in CEO Letters to Shareholders?

Hubristic leadership: A review

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