Watching Media By Those Unlike Us: The Benefits of Language Diversity

Ever wondered what happens when you watch or listen to content from people who speak differently than you? It turns out, this can actually lead to a more positive attitude. Previous research shows that people often connect with others by using a similar language style, like the same rate of articles or pronouns. This is called language style matching (LSM), and it's linked to good things like cooperation and well-being. But what about when we're just enjoying entertainment?

A recent study looked into this by asking participants to write with three different prompts and then have them watch random TED talks and listen to podcasts. Guess what? The less their language style matched, the more positive their attitudes were. They were more interested in watching more videos by the same speaker and felt more connected to them. Why is this? It seems that our need for novelty plays a big role. When we're exposed to different language styles, it satisfies our curiosity and makes us more open to new experiences. This has interesting implications for how we create characters and stories in media.

Actions