When words feel right: How affective expressions of listeners change a speaker's language use

Abstract

Based on conversation research and work showing that affective cues help to tune information processing to situational demands, it was hypothesized that affective expressions of listeners would influence how speakers represent communicated information in language. Participants were asked to orally communicate an event presented in a film clip to two other participants. These other participants were actually confederates who either adopted a positive or negative nonverbal expression during the story of the participant. Results show that participants talking to smiling listeners used more interpretive, abstract language, whereas participants talking to frowning listeners stayed with the concrete and descriptive facts. These effects of external affective cues on language abstraction were not mediated by the speaker's mood. Implications for interpersonal conversation are discussed.

Pragmatic Language across the Lifespan: Evaluating Nonverbal Language and Social Competence Skills Overtime in Individuals with High Functioning Autism and Pragmatic Language Impairment

“…Because affective expression goes beyond our basic wants and needs, it is considered higher order language. Beukeboom suggests that affective expression changes the direction and course of a conversation [60]. For example, if one speaker is not receiving the affective expressions they expect or desire, that speak may in turn change the path of conversation from what they were originally trying to express.…”

“…For example, if one speaker is not receiving the affective expressions they expect or desire, that speak may in turn change the path of conversation from what they were originally trying to express. Affective expression allows for adaptability and flexibility [60]. Individuals with HFA and PLI may have difficulty with affective expression, which ultimately may impact the quality and strength of a relationship with a peer, friend, teacher, or family member.…”

A Comparative Analysis of Social (Pragmatic) Communication Skills in Students with High-Functioning Autism and Pragmatic Language Impairment Using Video-Based Assessments

“…For example, students who have difficulties with affective expression may not be able to appropriately maintain a topic, change the topic, transition, or close a conversation. A study conducted by Beukeboom explored affective expression in conversation and found that the perception and use of expressions may change the course of a conversation [40]. For example, if the speaker is not receiving the affective expressions they are looking for from the listener, the speaker may change their use of language and in-turn, what they were originally trying to convey [40].…”

“…A study conducted by Beukeboom explored affective expression in conversation and found that the perception and use of expressions may change the course of a conversation [40]. For example, if the speaker is not receiving the affective expressions they are looking for from the listener, the speaker may change their use of language and in-turn, what they were originally trying to convey [40]. The correct use of affective expression allows for both conversational partners to be flexible during conversation and appropriately adapt to their partners' comments [40].…”

When Feelings Speak

“…The previously mentioned work of Beukeboom andSemin (2005, 2006) argues that if affective cues tune the level of abstraction in which people cognitively deal with information, then this should be reflected in the language that people use, specifically in language abstraction. Several experiments provided empirical evidence for this idea.…”