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Does language affect personality perception? A functional approach to testing the Whorfian hypothesis.
Sylvia Xiaohua Chen1, Verónica Benet-Martínez, Jacky C K Ng
1Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Journal of Personality
|April 24, 2013
Summary
Language influences cognition. Chinese-English bilinguals show more dialectical thinking and personality variation when using Chinese, demonstrating culture
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Psychology
- Cultural Psychology
Background:
- The relationship between language and cognition is a long-standing debate.
- Language use may activate specific cultural mindsets, influencing perception and behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how language use affects personality perception and dialectical thinking in bilingual individuals.
- To explore the role of cultural mindsets activated by language.
Main Methods:
- Four studies with Chinese-English bilinguals (N=532 total).
- Employed within-subjects and between-subjects designs.
- Utilized written/behavioral reports and self/other perceptions.
Main Results:
- Bilinguals exhibited higher dialectical thinking when using Chinese compared to English.
- Greater variations in self- and observer-rated personality were observed in Chinese.
- Dialectical thinking predicted personality and behavioral variations across contexts.
Conclusions:
- Language use significantly influences cognitive processes like dialectical thinking.
- Cultural mindsets activated by language play a crucial role in social perception.
- Personality perception and dialectical thinking are malleable in response to linguistic-cultural cues.
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