Prejudiced Communication

Prejudiced attitudes and stereotypic beliefs about outgroups can be reflected in language and everyday conversations. Explicit attitudes and beliefs may be expressed through use of group labels, dehumanizing metaphors, or prejudiced humor. More implicit attitudes and beliefs may be leaked through variations in sentence structure and subtle word choices. Empirical work shows that such prejudiced attitudes and stereotypic beliefs can spread within ingroup communities through one-on-one conversation as well as more broadly through vehicles such as news, the entertainment industry, and social media. Individuals also convey their prejudiced beliefs when communicating to outgroup members as message recipients. Outgroups who are members of historically disadvantaged groups, in particular, are targets of controlling or patronizing speech, biased feedback, and nonverbal behavior that leaks bias.

Patronizing speech to older patients: a literature review

This review summarizes research into the phenomenon of patronizing speech addressed to older people by doctors, nurses, health professionals and other carers. Patronizing speech is defined and illustrated and its negative impact on the dignity and well-being of older people described. Key empirical and theoretical perspectives of patronizing speech are reviewed. Different aspects of the practice are examined and practical recommendations made for how it can be recognized and avoided. The beneficial effects of training and education of health professionals are discussed.