Publication Date
5-2024
Advisor(s) - Committee Chair
Xiaowen Chen, Reagan Brown, Aaron Wichman
Degree Program
Department of Psychological Sciences
Degree Type
Master of Science
Abstract
Communication overaccommodation (CO) takes the form of baby talk, speech mimicry, and overcommunication, and its effects on recipients have been studied in physician/patient relationships, civilian/police officer relationships, manager/employee relationships, and native and non-native speaker communications. This study focused on CO in non-hierarchical relationships between native English-speaking and non-native English-speaking employees in the U.S. workplace. I investigated the effects of CO on non-native English-speaking co-workers, regarding their feelings of exclusion and satisfaction with their job. I also investigated the potential moderation effect of English proficiency on non-native English-speaking employees’ feelings of being excluded. It was found that the level of English fluency did have an influence on the relationship between CO and feelings of exclusion, such that those with both average and high levels of proficiency felt more offended when they were receivers of CO. This negative reaction to CO led to low job satisfaction. Feelings of exclusion partially mediate the relationship between the reaction to CO and job satisfaction.
Disciplines
Communication | Industrial and Organizational Psychology | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Curtis, Elizabeth, "THE EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION OVERACCOMMODATION ON NON-NATIVE ENGLISH-SPEAKING EMPLOYEES IN THE U.S. WORKPLACE" (2024). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 3723.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/3723