Linguistic Style Accommodation Shapes Impression Formation and Rapport in Computer-Mediated Communication

• Published in: Journal of language and social psychology Vol. 36; no. 5; pp. 525 - 548
• Main Authors: Muir, Kate, Joinson, Adam, Cotterill, Rachel, Dewdney, Nigel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.10.2017; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adjustment; Communication; Computer mediated communication; Conversation; Cues; Impression formation; Impressions; Instant messaging; Interpersonal communication; Language styles; Language usage; Linguistic accommodation; Linguistics; Power; Social environment; Social power; communication accommodation theory; linguistic style; power; computer-mediated communication; impression formation
• ISSN: 0261-927X; 1552-6526
• DOI: 10.1177/0261927X17701327

Communication accommodation theory predicts that social power plays an important role in influencing communicative behaviors. Previous research suggests these effects extend to linguistic style, thought to be a nonconscious aspect of communication. Here, we explore if these effects hold when individuals converse using a medium limited in personal cues, computer-mediated communication. We manipulated social power in instant messaging conversations and measured subsequent interpersonal impressions. Low power induced greater likelihood of linguistic style accommodation, across between- (Study 1) and within-subjects (Study 2) experiments. Accommodation by those in a low-power role had no impact on impressions formed by their partner. In contrast, linguistic style accommodation by individuals in a high-power role was associated with negative interpersonal impressions formed by their lower power partner. The results show robust effects of power in shaping language use across computer-mediated communication. Furthermore, the interpersonal effects of linguistic accommodation depend on the conversational norms of the social context.