If You Criticize Us, Do It in Concrete Terms: Linguistic Abstraction as a Moderator of the Intergroup Sensitivity Effect

Abstract

This research examined whether linguistic abstraction in group-directed criticisms moderates the intergroup sensitivity effect. Study 1 ( N = 76) showed that criticisms coming from an out-group member and formulated in concrete terms—which imply lower generalizability and stability of the information transmitted—provoked less negative reactions compared with out-group criticisms formulated in abstract terms. Linguistic abstraction did not affect reactions to in-group criticism. In Study 2 ( N = 77), receivers of concrete criticism from an out-group representative attributed less hostile intentions and prejudice to the critic, and this mediated the impact of critic group membership and linguistic abstraction on negativity toward criticism. Participants also reported more favorable attitudes toward the out-group as a whole when out-group criticism was formulated in concrete terms. This research underlines that linguistic abstraction can facilitate or obstruct effective group communication, and has important implications for the development of communicative strategies aiming to promote social change.

Is Group-Directed Praise Always Welcome? Reactions to Ingroup and Outgroup Praise Depend on Linguistic Abstraction

“…Interestingly for our purposes, Moscatelli et al (2019) showed that linguistic abstraction moderates the effects of group-directed criticism moved by outgroup members. Recipients of concrete (vs. abstract) criticism by outgroup members reported less negativity toward the message and more positive attitudes toward the outgroup.…”

“…Participants were asked to participate in a study concerning how people evaluate others based on little information. They were presented with a paper-andpencil questionnaire, which allegedly reported two extracts from an interview (see Hornsey et al, 2008;Moscatelli et al, 2019, for similar procedures). The interview started with the question "Tell us a little bit about yourself."…”

“…In contrast, ingroup criticisms elicit less negative responses, are considered correct to a greater extent and agreed more. This phenomenon, named intergroup sensitivity effect, is hard to reduce (e.g., Esposo et al, 2013;Moscatelli et al, 2019) and has been explained in terms of an attributional mechanism: Individuals accept ingroup criticisms more easily since they attribute more constructive motives to ingroup critics, whereas they are more suspicious about the motives of outgroup critics (Hornsey et al, 2008).…”

The intergroup sensitivity effect in mergers and acquisitions: Testing the role of merger motives

“…First, Moscatelli et al. (2019) have shown that criticism from an outgroup source is evaluated more positively if it is formulated in more concrete terms (e.g., “Italians talk loudly”) rather than abstractly (e.g., “Italians are noisy”). Second, Hornsey et al.…”

Self-Presentation and Language Abstraction in Recruitment Context

“…In general, positive behaviors performed by an ingroup member and negative behaviors performed by an outgroup member are described more abstractly than negative behaviors performed by an ingroup member and positive behaviors performed by an outgroup member. Other studies manipulated LIB as an independent variable and investigated its impact on the target's perception (Douglas & Sutton, 2006;Gelman & Heyman, 1999) or its effect on group judgment (Assilaméhou, Lepastourel, & Testé, 2013;Burguet & Girard, 2011;Moscatelli, Prati & Rubini, 2019). Described with descriptive action verbs (i.e., concrete), a positive event is more attributed to the outgroup while the same event described with adjectives (i.e., abstract) is more attributed to the ingroup.…”