The Dr. House Effect: Experts' Impoliteness Influences Persuasion

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Communication Studies
• Social Influence

Background:

• Existing research suggests politeness enhances persuasion.
• The impact of expert incivility on persuasion remains underexplored.
• Pop culture, like the character Dr. House, often portrays experts as impolite.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of expert speech style (polite vs. impolite) on persuasiveness.
• To determine if impolite experts are more persuasive than polite experts.
• To inform theories of persuasion and politeness.

Main Methods:

• Three experimental studies were conducted.
• Participants evaluated expert arguments presented with either polite or impolite language.
• The 'Dr. House' character was used as a portrayal of an impolite expert.

Main Results:

• Experts using impolite language were consistently more persuasive than those using polite language.
• The findings held across different study contexts.
• Impoliteness, in this expert context, enhanced perceived credibility and influence.

Conclusions:

• Contrary to traditional views, impolite speech can increase expert persuasiveness.
• The findings necessitate a re-evaluation of the role of politeness in persuasion.
• Future research should explore the boundary conditions of this effect.