Power and vulnerability: managing sensitive language in organizational communication

Area of Science:

• Organizational behavior
• Sociolinguistics
• Communication studies

Background:

• Organizational roles confer power but also increase scrutiny.
• This creates a tension regarding the use of sensitive language, with power potentially encouraging its use while scrutiny might inhibit it.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how organizational power and scrutiny influence the use of sensitive language in professional communication.
• To test divergent predictions about language use in relation to power and accountability.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a large corpus of organizational emails.
• Utilized standardized Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) measures.
• Examined the frequency of words with ethnic, religious, or political connotations.

Main Results:

• Individuals in positions of relative power were approximately three times less likely to use sensitive words compared to their more junior counterparts.
• This avoidance of sensitive language was consistent regardless of whether others in the same email exchanges used such language.
• The tendency to avoid sensitive words was also independent of the context in which these words were used.

Conclusions:

• Organizational responsibilities, particularly the associated scrutiny and accountability, significantly influence communication more than social power.
• Results challenge the stereotype that power licenses the use of sensitive language.
• Exposure and accountability appear to be key drivers in moderating language choices in professional settings.