How Do Interpersonal Behaviors and Social Categories Affect Language Use?: The Case of Virtual Teams

Abstract

The present study examined how interpersonal behaviors (i.e., negative communication vs. positive communication) and social categories (i.e., in-group vs. out-group status) influenced language use in short-term virtual teams. One-hundred-sixty participants interacted in four-person teams using a synchronous chat program. The results suggested that having a negatively communicating member in the group was associated with higher linguistic style matching compared to having a positively communicating group member. Negative behaviors were strongly associated with increased word counts and negations (e.g., “no”), whereas positive behaviors were associated with increased use of assents (e.g., “yes,” “ok”). Social categories had no significant effects on linguistic style matching, thus suggesting that language use depended on interpersonal behaviors instead of in-group or out-group status.

Keywords::

• Interpersonal Behaviors
• Linguistic Style Matching
• Social Categories
• Virtual Teams

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gamze Yilmaz

Gamze Yilmaz (Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin, 2012) is an Assistant Professor in the Communication Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Jorge Peña

Jorge Peña (Ph.D., Cornell University, 2007) is an Associate Professor in the Communication Department at the University of California, Davis.