Effects of taboo conversation topics on impression formation and task performance evaluation

Main Article Content

Hye Eun Lee
Catherine Kingsley Westerman
Emi Hashi
Kyle B. Heuett
Stephen A. Spates
Katie M. Reno
Erica W. Jenkins
Cite this article:  Lee, H., Kingsley Westerman, C., Hashi, E., Heuett, K., Spates, S., Reno, K., & Jenkins, E. (2020). Effects of taboo conversation topics on impression formation and task performance evaluation. Social Behavior and Personality: An international journal, 48(8), e8322.


Abstract
Full Text
References
Tables and Figures
Acknowledgments
Author Contact

We examined how taboo conversation topics, such as being arrested, religion, and one’s body weight, affect impression formation and task performance. In an experiment with 109 women, each participant and a female research confederate, whom the participant believed to be another participant, had a conversation and were asked to complete a task. We manipulated the conversation topics and actual task performance of the confederate, and measured participants’ communication satisfaction; perception of the confederate’s social, physical, and task attractiveness; and task performance. The results show that when the confederate performed well and appropriate (vs. taboo) conversation topics were discussed, the participants formed a more positive impression of the confederate and evaluated her task performance more positively. Therefore, if social norms for appropriate conversation topics are not followed, individuals may be less satisfied with their interpersonal communication interaction with the person who has not observed the norms, and may evaluate the task performance of that other person more negatively.

Please login and/or purchase the PDF to view the full article.
Please login and/or purchase the PDF to view the full article.
Please login and/or purchase the PDF to view the full article.
Please login and/or purchase the PDF to view the full article.
Please login and/or purchase the PDF to view the full article.

Article Details

© 2020 Scientific Journal Publishers Limited. All Rights Reserved.