Influence of Euphemistic Texts on Students’ Corrupt Communication Usage, Empathy and Prejudice
Main Article Content
Keywords
corrupt communication, empathy, euphemistic texts, influence, prejudice, usage
Abstract
This quasi-experimental study investigated the influence of euphemistic texts (words used to substitute unethical, taboo, or harsh expressions) on the corrupt communication usage, empathy and prejudice levels of 39 education students. The participants, who were purposively chosen, were exposed to selected euphemistic texts for three months. The study utilized three validated researcher-made instruments for data gathering. The descriptive statistics, t-test for dependent sample, and Pearson’s r obtained the quantitative results. The interview, observation, and journal writing were utilized to gather further information. Findings showed that using euphemistic texts diminished the participants’ corrupt communication usage, maintained higher level of empathy and lowered their prejudice level. Avoiding harsh expressions was the most common manifestation of changed behavior among the participants. The study suggests that using euphemistic texts may be an effective alternative strategy in developing higher empathy level and minimizing prejudice, especially in lowering the extent of corrupt communication usage of the participants while speaking.
References
Ary, D., Jacobs, C., & Sorencen, C. (2010). Introduction to research in education (8th Ed). Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Bili?nait?, L. (2017). The use of vulgar language in fiction for young adults. Retrieved from: http://talpykla.elaba.lt/elaba-fedora/objects/elaba:22556235/datastreams/MAIN/content
Boag, E. M., & Carnelley, K. B. (2016). Attachment and prejudice: The mediating role of empathy. British Journal of Social Psychology, 55, 337-356.
Boag, E. M., & Wilson, D. (2014). Inside experience: Engagement empathy and prejudice towards prisoners. Journal of Criminal Psychology, 4(1), 33-43. doi:org/10.1108/JCP-06-2013- 0016.
Bowers, J. S., & Pleydell-``Pearce, C. (2011). Swearing, euphemisms, and linguistic relativity. PLoS One, 6(7). doi:org/10.1371/journal.pone.0022341.
Cavazza, N., & Guidetti, M. (2014). Swearing in political discourse: Why vulgarity works. Journal of Language and Social Psychology 33(5). doi:org/10.1177/0261927X14533198.
Chi, R. & Hao, Y. (2013). Euphemism from Sociolinguistics perspective. Studies in Sociology of Science, 4(4), 45-48. doi:org/10.3968/j.sss.1923018420130404.C613.
Claypool, T., & Molnar, T. (2011). Empathy and ethics: A conversation between colleagues. Our schools, ourselves, 20, 175-185. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/873590464? accountid= 141440.
Corey, G. (2012). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
Domocmat, L. J. (2009). Understanding Filipino values. A window for mission. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/11618418/UNDERSTANDING_FILIPINO_VALUES_A_WINDOW_FOR_MISSION.
Gerdes, K. E., & Segal, E. (2011). Importance of empathy for social work practice: Integrating new science. Social Work, 56(2), 141-8. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/863249337?accountid=141440.
Ghounane, N. (2014). A sociolinguistics view of linguistics taboos and euphemistic strategies in the Algerian society; Attitudes and beliefs in Tlemcen speech. Community International Journal of Research in Applied, Natural and Social Sciences, 2(3), 73-88. Retrieved from www.impactjournals.us.
Gladney, G. A., & Rittenburg, T. L. (2005). Euphemistic text affects attitudes, behavior. Newspaper Research Journal, 26(1), 28-41. Retrieved from https://search.proquest. com/docview/200660952?accountid=141440.
Gutsell, J. N., & Inzlicht, M. (2012). Intergroup differences in the sharing of emotive states: neural evidence of an empathy gap. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 7(5), 596–603. doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsr035.
Hale, L. A. (2016). Less altruism, more racism: The relationship between positive deviance and racial bias. Race, Gender & Class, 23(3), 186-204. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1899013075?accountid=141440.
Haugh, M. (2009). Face and interaction. Face, communication and social Interaction. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313098378_Face_and_Interaction.
Herlin, I., & Visapaa, L. (2016). Dimensions of empathy in relation to language. Nordic Journal of Linguistics, 39(2), 135-157. doi:org/10.1017/S0332586516000111.
Ki-Sun, K., & Jong-Oh, L. (2012). A comparative study of euphemisms in the Mongolian and Korean languages. Archive Orientalni, 80(1), 105-III,124. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1399279049?accountid=141440Pfaff.
LIa, X.W., Zhi, H., & Lub, H. L. (2014). A semantic study of euphemism in British TV drama?Downton Abbey (1st season). 2014 International Conference on Social Science (ICSS 2014). Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/USER/Downloads/14644.pdf.
Lowenthal, L. (1984). Literature and mass culture, communication Society, 1 New Jersey: Transaction, Inc.
Lucas, K., & Fyke, J. P. (2014). Euphemisms and ethics: A language-centered analysis of Penn state's sexual abuse scandal. Journal of Business Ethics, 122(4), 551-569.doi: org/10.1007/s10551-013-1777-0.
Munalim, L. O., & Genuino, C. F. (2019). Subordinate’s imperatives in faculty meetings: Pragmalinguistic affordances in Tagalog and local academic conditions. The New English Teacher 13(2). Retrieved from http://www.assumptionjournal.au.edu/index. php/new EnglishTeacher/article/view/3870/2370.
Pan, Q. (2013). A tentative study on the functions and applications of English euphemism. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 3(11), 2107-2111. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1464745900?accountid=141440.
Rittenburg, T. L., Gladney, G. A., & Stephenson, T. (2016). The effects of euphemism usage in business contexts. Journal of Business Ethics, 137(2), 315-320. doi:org/10.1007/s10551-014-2501-4.
Samoškait?, L. (2011). 21ST Century political euphemisms in English newspapers: semantic and structural study. Retrieved from https://vb.vdu.lt/object/elaba:2084534.
Schaffer, D. & Schaffer, R. (n.d.). An overview of the language of prejudice. Retrieved from http://voiceseducation.org/content/overview-language-prejudice.
Sternadori, M. (2017). Empathy may curb bias: Two studies of the effects of news stories on implicit attitudes toward African Americans and native Americans, Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice; 9(2), 11–27. doi:org/10.22381/CRLSJ9220171.
Wang, M. (2013). Corpus analysis of English euphemism in college English (3) language teaching. English Language Teaching; 6(8). doi:org/10.5539/elt.v6n8p156.
Wyatt, R. C. & Seid, E. L. (2009). Instructor’s manual for cognitive-behavioral therapy with Donald Meichenbaum, PhD. Mill Valley, CA: Psychotherapy.net.
Article Sidebar
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.