Differences in subjects' perceptions of gender and believability between users of deferential and nondeferential language

Abstract

This study examined criteria used by male and female raters to differentiate between deferential and nondeferential language styles, the effect of deferential language style on raters' perceptions of believability, and the extent to which deferential language style is associated with femininity. A total of 1,262 subjects rated fictitious participants in one of three group discussions on 23 scales designed to measure various aspects of interpersonal perception. Each fictitious participant used either deferential or nondeferential language. The results of the direct and stepwise discriminant analyses indicate that all raters were more likely to perceive users of deferential language style as having less power but more personal warmth, choice of language style does have an effect on believability which is statistically significant but of questionable theoretical significance, and raters do seem to associate deferential language style with femininity.