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Autism & Developmental Language... 2024Gender differences in the written language of autistic individuals are an overlooked but important area of research. We contend that the gender differences in spoken...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Gender differences in the written language of autistic individuals are an overlooked but important area of research. We contend that the gender differences in spoken language of autistic individuals may extend to written language, mirroring the gender differences of writing in the general population and reflecting the shared dimensionality of oral and written language. Our research question was: Do autistic adolescent females demonstrate written language characteristics, across persuasive, expository, and narrative genres, that are distinct from those of autistic adolescent males and non-autistic (NA) adolescent females?
METHODS
We performed a secondary, exploratory analysis on writing samples collected from 18 participants (11 autistic males, three autistic females, and four NA females) from a larger investigation of autistic adolescents' writing skills. Each participant completed three writing samples-one persuasive, one expository, and one narrative (for a total of 54 writing samples). We compared sample length (total number of words), writing productivity (words written per minute), syntactic length (mean length of T-unit in words), vocabulary diversity (type-token ratio), and macrostructure of autistic females' samples to autistic males' and NA females' samples.
RESULTS
Based on non-parametric analyses using variable medians, autistic males, but not autistic females, wrote significantly shorter expository samples than NA females. Autistic males' writing productivity was significantly lower in the persuasive and expository genres than both autistic females and NA females. Several other comparisons of sample length, productivity, vocabulary diversity, and persuasive and narrative macrostructure yielded large effect sizes but were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
Though our small sample sizes prevent us from drawing generalizable conclusions, we observed that some gender-specific findings of the current study differ from previous findings based on a single autistic group (females and males combined). Combining data of autistic females with autistic males may cloud the distinct written language characteristics of each group.
IMPLICATIONS
Our findings, especially when situated in the context of relevant literature, suggest that larger-scale investigation of gender differences in written language is essential in order to more fully describe the unique characteristics of autistic females. Clinicians should be prepared to support autistic writers' needs for producing written language to meet their developmental, academic, social, and employment-related goals.
PubMed: 38348411
DOI: 10.1177/23969415241227071 -
Medical Decision Making : An... Apr 2024Physician treatment preference may influence how risks are communicated in prostate cancer consultations. We identified persuasive language used when describing cancer...
BACKGROUND
Physician treatment preference may influence how risks are communicated in prostate cancer consultations. We identified persuasive language used when describing cancer prognosis, life expectancy, and side effects in relation to a physician's recommendation for aggressive (surgery/radiation) or nonaggressive (active surveillance/watchful waiting) treatment.
METHODS
A qualitative analysis was performed on transcribed treatment consultations of 40 men with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer across 10 multidisciplinary providers. Quotes pertaining to cancer prognosis, life expectancy, and side effects were randomized. Coders predicted physician treatment recommendations from isolated blinded quotes. Testing characteristics of consensus predictions against the physician's treatment recommendation were reported. Coders then identified persuasive strategies favoring aggressive/nonaggressive treatment for each quote. Frequencies of persuasive strategies favoring aggressive/nonaggressive treatment were reported. Logistic regression quantified associations between persuasive strategies and physician treatment recommendations.
RESULTS
A total of 496 quotes about cancer prognosis ( = 127), life expectancy ( = 51), and side effects ( = 318) were identified. The accuracy of predicting treatment recommendation based on individual quotes containing persuasive language ( = 256/496, 52%) was 91%. When favoring aggressive treatment, persuasive language downplayed side effect risks and amplified cancer risk (recurrence, progression, or mortality). Significant predictors ( < 0.05) of aggressive treatment recommendation included favorable side effect interpretation, downplaying side effects, and long time horizon for cancer risk due to longevity. When favoring nonaggressive treatment, persuasive language amplified side effect risks and downplayed cancer risk. Significant predictors of nonaggressive treatment recommendation included unfavorable side effect interpretation, favorable interpretation of cancer risk, and short time horizon for cancer risk due to longevity.
CONCLUSIONS
Physicians use persuasive language favoring their preferred treatment, regardless of whether their recommendation is appropriate.
IMPLICATIONS
Clinicians should quantify risk so patients can judge potential harm without solely relying on persuasive language.
HIGHLIGHTS
Physicians use persuasive language favoring their treatment recommendation when communicating risks of prostate cancer treatment, which may influence a patient's treatment choice.Coders predicted physician treatment recommendations based on isolated, randomized quotes about cancer prognosis, life expectancy, and side effects with 91% accuracy.Qualitative analysis revealed that when favoring nonaggressive treatment, physicians used persuasive language that amplified side effect risks and downplayed cancer risk. When favoring aggressive treatment, physicians did the opposite.Providers should be cognizant of using persuasive strategies and aim to provide quantified assessments of risk that are jointly interpreted with the patient so that patients can make evidence-based conclusions regarding risks without solely relying on persuasive language.
Topics: Humans; Male; Communication; Language; Persuasive Communication; Prostate-Specific Antigen; Prostatic Neoplasms; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 38347686
DOI: 10.1177/0272989X241228612 -
Health Communication Feb 2024Persuasion research often suggests combining different message formats such as facts, statistics, and narratives in message design to maximize persuasive effects....
Persuasion research often suggests combining different message formats such as facts, statistics, and narratives in message design to maximize persuasive effects. However, the effect of the combination, especially between fact-based arguments and long-form narratives, varies depending on many factors which have been understudied. Our study therefore tested how argument strength, argument position, and target behavior interacted in impacting behavioral outcomes for such a combined message about skin cancer. Findings from our experiment revealed a significant three-way interaction, as weak arguments were more effective when embedding them in a long-form narrative, whereas strong arguments were more impactful when placing them before the narrative. Such an interaction emerged only when messages recommended sunscreen use but not when recommending skin-self exams. We discussed the implications of the findings for message design about skin cancer prevention and detection.
PubMed: 38326733
DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2024.2315320 -
PloS One 2024Drawing on Critical Metaphor Analysis, this study investigates major metaphors of the COVID-19 pandemic used by the Chinese government in the specific genre of news...
Drawing on Critical Metaphor Analysis, this study investigates major metaphors of the COVID-19 pandemic used by the Chinese government in the specific genre of news picture. It examines patterns of metaphor use in the first year of the pandemic in China and explains how and why the government employs the identified metaphors in the Chinese political context. Results reveal that pandemic metaphors (45%) are not as widely used in news pictures as presumed, the vast majority (95%) are rendered in verbal mode, and the most salient metaphors used in news pictures are the UP/DOWN (spatial), WAR, FAMILY, and COMPETITION metaphors. This study then addresses how COVID-19 metaphors are used in the Chinese political context and claims that the Chinese government uses specific metaphors with persuasive and ideological functions. The WAR metaphor aids comprehension of abstract concepts of the pandemic treatment, the FAMILY metaphor fosters empathy among Chinese individuals to counter blame and discrimination in society, UP/DOWN (spatial) and COMPETITION metaphors stimulate action to overcome the common "enemy." WAR and FAMILY metaphors also contribute to the construction of a greater sense of collectivism and play a crucial role in fostering a positive national identity. Implications, limitations and some directions for future research are suggested.
Topics: Humans; Metaphor; Pandemics; COVID-19; China; Comprehension
PubMed: 38306327
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297336 -
Cognitive Processing May 2024The paper provides novel theoretical and experimental perspectives on the functioning of linguistic vagueness as an implicit persuasive strategy. It presents an...
The paper provides novel theoretical and experimental perspectives on the functioning of linguistic vagueness as an implicit persuasive strategy. It presents an operative definition of pragmatically marked vagueness, referring to vague expressions whose interpretation is not retrievable by recipients. The phenomenon is illustrated via numerous examples of its use in predominantly persuasive texts (i.e., advertising and political propaganda) in different languages. The psycholinguistic functioning of vague expressions is then illustrated by the results of a self-paced reading task experiment. Data showing shorter reading times associated with markedly vague expressions as compared to expressions that are either (a) lexically more precise or (b) made precise by the context suggest that the former are interpreted in a shallow way, without searching for and/or retrieving exact referents. These results support the validity of a differentiation between context-supported vs. non-supported vague expressions. Furthermore, validation of using marked vagueness as a persuasive implicit strategy which reduces epistemic vigilance is provided.
Topics: Humans; Persuasive Communication; Reading; Psycholinguistics; Male; Female; Adult; Young Adult; Reaction Time; Language
PubMed: 38285278
DOI: 10.1007/s10339-023-01171-z -
Public Health Nutrition Jan 2024Given the aggressive marketing of foods and beverages to teenagers on digital platforms, and the paucity of research documenting teen engagement with food marketing and...
OBJECTIVE
Given the aggressive marketing of foods and beverages to teenagers on digital platforms, and the paucity of research documenting teen engagement with food marketing and its persuasive content, the objective of this study is to examine what teenagers see as teen-targeted food marketing on four popular digital platforms and to provide insight into the persuasive power of that marketing.
DESIGN
This is an exploratory, participatory research study, in which teenagers used a special mobile app to capture all teen-targeted food and beverage marketing they saw on digital media for 7 d. For each ad, participants identified the brand, product and specific appeals that made it teen-targeted, as well as the platform on which it was found.
SETTING
Online (digital media) with teenagers in Canada.
PARTICIPANTS
Two hundred and seventy-eight teenagers, aged 13-17 years, were participated. Most participants were girls (63 %) and older teenagers (58 % aged 16-17 years).
RESULTS
Participants captured 1392 teen-targeted food advertisements from Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. The greatest number of food marketing examples came from Instagram (46 %) (with no difference across genders or age), while beverages (28·7 %), fast food (25·1 %) and candy/chocolate were the top categories advertised. When it comes to persuasive power, visual style was the top choice across all platforms and participants, with other top techniques (special offer, theme and humour), ranking differently, depending on age, gender and platform.
CONCLUSIONS
This study provides insight into the nature of digital food marketing and its persuasive power for teenagers, highlighting considerations of selection and salience when it comes to examining food marketing and monitoring.
Topics: Adolescent; Female; Humans; Male; Internet; Food Industry; Food; Marketing; Advertising; Beverages; Fast Foods
PubMed: 38269541
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980024000235 -
Resuscitation Mar 2024Early recognition of cardiac arrest and early initiation of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation can increase the survival of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac...
BACKGROUND
Early recognition of cardiac arrest and early initiation of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation can increase the survival of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We compared dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DACPR) effectiveness before and after using different communication models in the dispatching center.
METHOD
We analyzed dispatch recordings of non-trauma origin OHCA cases received by the Taichung dispatch center between May 1 to September 30, 2021, and November 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. The dispatchers underwent an 8-hour training intervention consisting of targeted education using a new communication model for DACPR. Several outcome measures were evaluated, including the sustained return of spontaneous circulation and the time to first chest compression.
RESULTS
We included 640 cases in the preintervention group and 580 cases in the postintervention group. The return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rate, the time to first chest compression, and good neurological outcome were significantly improved in the postintervention group (20.9% vs. 31.0%, p < 0.001;168 seconds vs. 151 seconds, p = 0.004; 2.8% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.024, respectively). In subgroup analyses, the intervention was related to a statistical improvement in ROSC rate among patients whose caller was a family member (18.7% vs. 31.4%, p < 0.001). Among patients whose caller was female, both ROSC and good neurological outcome significantly improved after the intervention (19.8% vs. 36.6%, p < 0.001; 2.7% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.006, respectively). There was a statistical difference between the pre-intervention and post-intervention group with respect to ROSC rate among patients whose caller was family (the adjusted odds ratio:1.78, 95% CI: 0.59-1.25], p < 0.001.) or female (the adjusted odds ratio:3.18,95% CI: 1.77-5.70], p = 0.008.) in the multivariable regression model.
CONCLUSION
The new communication model has enhanced the effectiveness of DACPR in terms of the ROSC rate, particularly when the caller was a family member or female, leading to improved rates of ROSC and favorable neurological outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Female; Persuasive Communication; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Communication; Cognition; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
PubMed: 38266768
DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2024.110120 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2023During the pandemic, the Japanese government drew upon the cultural concept of , or personal self-constraint, requesting that individuals accept responsibility for their...
During the pandemic, the Japanese government drew upon the cultural concept of , or personal self-constraint, requesting that individuals accept responsibility for their behaviors and consider minimizing the potential negative impact on others. While the approach to pandemic management rests upon the established and persuasive influence of cultural norms, variability in adherence can be expected according to age. This article documents an investigation into factors impacting vaccine hesitancy and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 misinformation among Japanese youth. The point of departure is the belief that attitudes and behaviors, such as those underpinning the approach to pandemic management, arise from within a relational framework. Therefore, developmental characteristics, such as personality traits, and in-group affinity attachments, such as facets of national identity, can be expected to function as predictors of health attitudes and behaviors. The tested structural model of hypothesized interactions accounted for 14% of the observed variance in vaccine hesitancy and 20% in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 misinformation. With the inclusion of gender, political ideology, and trust in government SARS-CoV-2 response as control variables, the respecified model increased the amount of variance observed in vaccine hesitancy to 30% and to 25% in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 misinformation. The outcomes are discussed in relation to the communication of coherent public health discourse relative to personality traits and facets of national identity.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Vaccination Hesitancy; SARS-CoV-2; Japan; COVID-19; Communication; Personality
PubMed: 38248507
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010042 -
Journal of Health Psychology Jan 2024This study examines the effectiveness of distance-framed narratives in deterring e-cigarette use among young adults. Through an online experiment ( = 916), this study...
This study examines the effectiveness of distance-framed narratives in deterring e-cigarette use among young adults. Through an online experiment ( = 916), this study investigates how narratives with different distance cues influence participants' narrative engagement, perceived psychological distance, and compliance with the message. The findings suggest that distance-framed narratives heighten identification. Increased identification reduces perceived psychological distance, leading to more negative attitudes, decreased e-cigarette use intention, and stronger policy support. E-cigarette use status also impacts persuasive outcomes. Non-users tend to be more receptive to narratives featuring congruent distance cues in character and scenario depictions. Users are motivated by narratives that present an uncertain scenario, regardless of whether the character is portrayed as socially close or distant.
PubMed: 38247036
DOI: 10.1177/13591053231223810 -
PsicothemaIn this study, we examined whether a persuasive message in favor of a pro-environmental proposal could influence attitude change through a self-validation process when...
BACKGROUND
In this study, we examined whether a persuasive message in favor of a pro-environmental proposal could influence attitude change through a self-validation process when individuals were told that the source of the proposal belonged to their ingroup (vs. their outgroup).
METHOD
Participants read a message that advocated for the use of solar power. Immediately following the message, participants were asked to list their thoughts regarding the persuasive proposal. A thought favorability index was created for each participant. Following the thought-listing task, participants received the experimental manipulation (i.e., ingroup vs. outgroup source) based on the minimal group paradigm, after which they reported their attitudes towards the proposal.
RESULTS
A regression analysis showed the predicted interaction between thought favorability and type of source (i.e., ingroup vs. outgroup) on attitudes towards the solar power proposal. According to our expectations, thought favorability was a better predictor of attitudes for participants in the ingroup (vs. outgroup) source condition.
CONCLUSIONS
Attitudes can be polarized as a function of ingroup versus outgroup differentiation through a self-validation process.
Topics: Humans; Solar Energy; Persuasive Communication
PubMed: 38227299
DOI: 10.7334/psicothema2022.502