The power of powerless speech: The effects of speech style and task interdependence on status conferral

• Published in: Organizational behavior and human decision processes 2006-11, Vol.101 (2), p.243-261
• Main Author: Fragale, Alison R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agency; Biological and medical sciences; Communality; Decision making; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Group dynamics; Interdependence; Power; Powerful speech; Powerless speech; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Social interactions. Communication. Group processes; Social psychology; Social status; Speech; Speech analysis; Speech Styles; Speeches; Status conferral; Studies; Task analysis; Task interdependence; Task performance
• ISSN: 0749-5978; 1095-9920
• DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2006.01.004

Two studies examine the effects of speech styles and task interdependence on status conferral judgments. In both studies, participants were exposed to an individual who used either a powerful or powerless speech style in a low or high task interdependence group, and made judgments about the amount of status to confer to the individual. When task interdependence was low, participants conferred more status to powerful speakers, whereas when interdependence was high, participants conferred more status to powerless speakers. Furthermore, Study 2 demonstrated that speech styles influenced trait inferences about the speaker (agency and communality), but these traits were weighted differently in status conferral judgments across groups. These findings provide insight into both the relationship between observed behaviors and status positions and the decision process underlying status conferral judgments.