Matching between oral inward–outward movements of object names and oral movements associated with denoted objects

Abstract

In eight experiments, we explored matching effects between oral approach-avoidance movements triggered by word articulation and meaning of the objects the words denoted. Participants (total N = 1264) rated their liking for words that featured consonantal muscle stricture spots either wandering inwards (e.g., BODIKA, resembling ingestion movements) or outwards (e.g., KODIBA, resembling expectoration movements). These words were labelled as names for various objects. For objects the use of which entails ingestive oral actions (lemonade and mouthwash) inward words were preferred over outward words. For objects that trigger expectorative oral actions (toxical chemical, pill, and bubble gum) this preference was attenuated or even reversed (outward words were liked more than inward). Valence of the denoted object did not play a role in these modulations. Thus, the sagittal direction of mouth movements during silent reading meaningfully interacted with direction of oral actions associated with the denoted objects.

My username is IN! The influence of inward vs. outward wandering usernames on judgments of online seller trustworthiness

“…As noted in the introduction of this manuscript, Topolinski et al. () found matching effects between articulation direction of object names and the oral actions associated with the objects, independently of the objects’ valence (e.g., inward words were preferred for ingestion‐related objects, such as lemonade or medicine, while outward words were preferred for objects associated with expectorative oral movements, such as toxic chemicals or bubble gum). It is an interesting empirical question whether these kind of matching effects would extend to sellers’ names and their perceived trustworthiness.…”

“…All this evidence clearly suggests that the experiences that accompany the reading of brand and seller names have a great potential to influence how consumers feel about them. In the next section, we will describe with more detail another name characteristic with the potential to influence judgments about brands, products, and people, and this is the target of the present research: the sequence of muscle movements that are involved in the articulation of words (e.g., Lindau & Topolinski, ; Topolinski & Boecker , ; Topolinski, Boecker, Erle, Bakhtiari, & Pecher, 7; Topolinski, Maschmann, Pecher, & Winkielman, ; Topolinski, Zürn, & Schneider, ; for a review, see Topolinski, ).…”

“…Finally, there seem to be matching effects between articulation direction and the meaning of the object denoted by the inward vs. outward words: Topolinski et al. () showed that inward words were preferred over outward words for ingestion‐related objects, such as lemonade or medicine (swallowing), while for objects associated with expectorative oral movements, such as toxic chemicals (spitting out) or bubble gum (blowing air out), outward words were preferred over inward words. These effects were independent of the valence of the objects.…”

“…This original and surprising in–out effect occurred under silent reading for both German and English‐speaking participants (Topolinski et al., ) and was replicated by independent research groups in English (Kronrod, Lowrey, & Ackerman, ), Portuguese (Godinho & Garrido, , ), and French language (Rossi, Pantoja, & Borges, ; Rossi, Pantoja, Borges, & Werle, ). The mechanism that is assumed to underlie the in–out effect is the activation of motor‐associated motivational states promoted by the inward and outward oral muscle movements involved in the articulation of words (e.g., the articulation of inward and outward words is similar to approach and avoidance movements of swallowing and spitting, respectively; e.g., Topolinski & Bakhtiari, ; Topolinski & Boecker, ; Topolinski et al., ). An alternative, fluency‐based account was also tested (Bakhtiari, Körner, & Topolinski, ), but results showed that the higher processing fluency of inward words could not fully account for the preference for this type of words.…”

Oral approach‐avoidance: A replication and extension for European–Portuguese phonation

“…Moreover, in follow‐up studies, this effect was generalized to consumer attitudes, where participants reported higher purchase likelihood and willingness‐to‐pay for products with inward than for products with outward brands (Topolinski, Zürn, & Schneider, 2015). Also, in a recent paper, the interaction of this articulation effect with word meaning was explored (Topolinski, Boecker, Bakthiari, & Pecher, in press). There, it was found that the in‐out effect is reduced or even reversed when these words denote objects that are associated with a strong expectorative oral action (e.g., bubble gums or toxical chemicals).…”