Real Communication An Introduction

78 Part 1  Basic Communication Processes

though men who engage in similar behaviors in similar situations are afforded

less derogatory labels (she is “easy”; he is a “player”). Such biased language

perpetuates perceptions of women as less intelligent, less mentally healthy, and

less competent than men in similar relationships or situations (Conley, 2011;

Jacobs, 2012).

Biased language can also affect others’ perceptions of you. For example, if

you employ the vague “those guys” to describe coworkers in another department

or a group of teens hanging out at the mall, others will likely see you as more

biased than people who use concrete terms (for example, “the attorneys in the

legal department” or “the high school students at FroYo”) (Assilaméhou & Testé,

2013).

When language openly excludes certain groups or implies something

negative about them, we often attempt to replace the biased language with more

neutral terms, employing what is known as politically correct language. For

example, the terms firefighter, police officer, and chairperson replace the sexist

terms fireman, policeman, and chairman, reflecting and perhaps influencing the

fact that these once male-dominated positions are now open to women as well.

Critics of political correctness argue that such attempts at sensitivity and neutral-

ity can undermine communication as they substitute euphemisms for clarity

when dealing with difficult subjects and place certain words off-limits (O’Neill,

2011). But others note that there is value in always trying to be sensitive—and

accurate—when we make choices regarding language.

THINK

ABOUT

THIS

❶ Is it crucial that an

employer know how long

it took you to earn your

B.A.? Is it unethical to

simply note the date you

finished it?

❷ Will you follow your

friend’s suggestion to use

vague expressions like

“team player”? In what ways

might you use more precise

terms to describe yourself?

❸ Rather than dressing it

up as “marketing experi-

ence,” might there be an

honest way to use your

restaurant experience to

your advantage here?

Résumé Language

You’ve just graduated with a B.A. in communication and are on the hunt for

an entry-level position in marketing. You know that your résumé is strong in

terms of your degree, relevant coursework, and good grades, but you’re a

bit worried that you may not have enough real-world experience. Since you

had to work full time to pay college expenses, you couldn’t afford to take the

kinds of unpaid internships that look so impressive on a résumé; you waited

tables all through college instead and graduated in five years instead of four.

You discuss these concerns with a friend who suggests making some

changes in the language of your résumé. First, she suggests changing your

entry date for college to make it look like you finished the degree in four

years. Second, she suggests you cast your restaurant experience as a type

of marketing internship in which you developed “people skills” and “sales

skills” that helped you “analyze and synthesize” consumers and products.

Finally, she tells you to use your cover letter to describe yourself as “a team

player” who is “attentive to detail” and has “proven creativity.”

You’re worried that some aspects of your résumé might not be impres-

sive enough, but you’re not entirely sure that padding your résumé with

vague language and empty jargon is the way to go. What will you do?

EVALUATINGCOMMUNICATIONETHICS

Has anyone ever labeled

you in a way that truly

irritated or offended you?

What terms did they use?

Are you aware of any biased

language that frequently

seeps into conversations

among your friends, family,

or coworkers? How might

you consider addressing

such biases?

AND YOU?