Abstracts
Abstract
The role of verbal communication in the transmission of prejudice has received much theoretical attention (Hecht, 1998; Le Couteur & Augoustinos, 2001), including the features of the linguistic intergroup bias (Maass, Salvi, Arcuri, & Semin, 1989), yet few studies have examined the acquisition of an out-group language as a factor in mitigating prejudicial speech. The conditions under which minority Canadian Francophones use linguistic bias when communicating about the in- and out-group (i.e., Canadian Anglophones) were investigated. Data was collected from 110 Francophone students. Predictions were confirmed but only when out-group identification was considered. Further, out-group identification and second language confidence were both related to a decrease in out-group derogation; however, the same factors appear to promote linguistically biased speech toward the in-group. Results are discussed within current intergroup communication theory.
Keywords:
- linguistic intergroup bias,
- ethnolinguistic identification,
- second language confidence
Résumé
Le rôle de la communication verbale dans la transmission des préjugés a reçu une attention soutenue. Par l’application du paradigme du biais linguistique intergroupe (Maass, Salvi, Arcuri, & Semin, 1989), cette étude examine les conditions dans lesquelles des Canadiens français minoritaires font preuves de biais linguistique lorsqu’ils parlent de l’endo- et de l’exogroupe (les Canadiens anglais). Des données furent donc recueillies auprès de 110 étudiants francophones. Les résultats confirmèrent les prédictions, mais seulement lorsque l’identification à l’exogroupe était élevée. De plus, l’identification à l’exogroupe et la confiance langagière en langue seconde étaient toutes deux reliées à une diminution de la dérogation de l’autre groupe; cependant, ces mêmes facteurs semblent promouvoir des paroles biaisées à l’égard de l’endogroupe. Les résultats sont interprétés dans le cadre des théories de la communication intergroupe.
Mots clés:
- biais linguistique intergroupe,
- identité ethnolinguistique,
- confiance langagière en langue seconde
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Appendices
Notes biographiques
Jessica Shulman is a Ph.D. candidate in psychology at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Her research interests include intergroup interaction and the use of language in the perpetuation of intergroup stereotypes.
Richard Clément is professor of psychology at the University of Ottawa, Canada as well as Director of its Official Language and Bilingualism Institute. His current research interests revolve around issues related to bilingualism.
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