Watch the clip and answer the questions below, be sure to use content covered in the chapter.
Dr. James Pennebaker is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About
Us. In this clip he discusses the ways in which personality is reflected in language use. His research also demonstrates how many of our common assumptions
about language use may be incorrect, such as the idea that men and women differ greatly in their use of words like “I” and “we.”
Thought Questions:
How much conscious control do you think people have over their choice of words? Do you think people can change how they are perceived by changing the words
they use?
Do you think there are differences between spoken and written language in terms of how accurately they reflect people’s personalities?
Can you think of any other ways in which personality might be manifested in language use?