#3578. Is Group-Directed Praise Always Welcome? Reactions to Ingroup and Outgroup Praise Depend on Linguistic Abstraction

October 2026publication date
Proposal available till 01-06-2025
4 total number of authors per manuscript0 $

The title of the journal is available only for the authors who have already paid for
Journal’s subject area:
Language and Linguistics;
Linguistics and Language;
Anthropology;
Sociology and Political Science;
Education;
Social Psychology;
Places in the authors’ list:
place 1place 2place 3place 4
FreeFreeFreeFree
2350 $1200 $1050 $900 $
Contract №3578.1 Contract №3578.2 Contract №3578.3 Contract №3578.4
1 place - free (for sale)
2 place - free (for sale)
3 place - free (for sale)
4 place - free (for sale)

Abstract:
This research examined how recipients reacted to group-directed praise formulated by ingroup or outgroup members and varying in linguistic abstraction. Study 1 (N = 81) showed that ingroup praise was perceived as more sincere when formulated in abstract (vs. concrete) terms, whereas outgroup praise formulated in abstract terms was seen as less sincere than concrete praise. In Study 2 (N = 89), recipients of outgroup praise formulated in abstract versus concrete terms attributed more hidden agenda and prejudice to the speaker, and perceived lower congruency between the speaker’s words and beliefs; the opposite pattern occurred for ingroup praise. Perceptions of congruency and hidden agenda mediated the effects of speaker group membership and linguistic abstraction on recipients’ perception of the praising message. This research points out that linguistic abstraction influences the appraisal of group-directed praise as it works as a cue of speakers’ motives. It also suggests important implications for developing successful communications between groups.
Keywords:
intergroup biases; intergroup communication; LCM; praise; speaker evaluation

Contacts :
0