About the same thing in a different way

Wording and experienced emotions in the understanding of official letters

Bibliographic Data

ID21819634
AuthorsMarta Jankowska (0000-0002-1881-530X, University of Warsaw, corresponding author), Marta M Jankowska (0000-0002-8688-1181), Kamil Imbir (0000-0002-3630-5602, University of Warsaw)
Year2024
Volume16
Issue4
Pages1478-1507
Publication date2024-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueLanguage and Cognition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1866-9808 • E-ISSN: 1866-9859
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/langcog.2024.14
OpenAlexW4394725479
LanguageEN
References cited38

Reading official letters and being able to react to them appropriately is part of the daily life of every adult in many countries. Although the history of the plain language movement dates to the past century, it is only now that efforts are being made in Poland to adapt official documents to their audience. In this paper, we describe the results of a study ( N = 685) in which we examined how particular linguistic forms and text structure affect the reception of an official-looking text – comprehension as well as emotions experienced, trust in the office, feelings of helplessness in the situation of reading the writing, and many other variables. Based on Imbir’s (2016, New Ideas in Psychology , 43 , 39–49), two-system theory of emotions, we aim to examine how emotions – triggered by these complex stimuli – affect their processing. We hope that the results of our interdisciplinary research will answer the questions and hypotheses posed by researchers and find application in the reforms currently underway. We believe that by linking findings from cognitive psychology, the psychology of emotions and linguistics, we will also expand knowledge in the broad discussion on overcoming barriers between administrative offices and target audiences

Cognitive psychology · Linguistics · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology

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