Routledge Social Cognition and Communication (Sydney Symposium of Social Psychology)

Language is the essence of interpersonal behavior and social relationships, and it is social cognitive processes that determine how we produce and understand language. However, there has been surprisingly little interest in the past linking social cognition and communication. This book presents the latest cutting-edge research from a select group of leading international scholars investigating the how language shapes our thinking, and how social cognitive processes in turn influence language production and communication. The chapters represent diverse perspectives of investigating the links between language and communication, including evolutionary, linguistic, cognitive and affective approaches as well as the empirical analysis of written and spoken narratives. New methodologies are presented including the latest techniques of text analysis to illuminate the psychology of individual language users, and entire cultures and societies. The chapters address such questions as how are cognitive and identity processes reflected in language? How do affective states influence language production? Are political correctness norms in language use effective? How do partners manage to accommodate to each other’s communicative expectations? What is the role of language as a medium of interpersonal and intergroup influence? How are individual and cultural identities reflected in, and shaped by narratives in literature, school texts and the media? The book is aimed at all students, researchers and laypersons interested in the interplay between thinking and communication, and should be required reading for all professionals who use language in their everyday work to interact with people. Review   "Social cognition and communication are intricately intertwined. Our thoughts are shaped by manifold of communications we receive from others with whom we shape the shared realities that lend meaning to our lives. This rare and truly important volume weaves together the strands of these fundamental processes as they manifest themselves in cutting edge research by leading investigators across the many domains where social cognition and communication interface. A fascinating read and a useful reference book for students and academics across the entire landscape of the social sciences" -- Arie W. Kruglanski, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park "This topical volume features 18 cutting-edge chapters on the interplay between thought and language, or cognition and communication. The chapters cover topics ranging from cognition and communication in dyads to the socio-political implications of cognition and communication. Masterfully edited, this promises to be a landmark volume in both social psychology and communication. It is suitable for researchers, PhD students, and advanced undergraduates alike." -- Constantine Sedikides, Ph.D., University of Southampton, United Kingdom About the Author Joseph Paul Forgas, Scientia Professor at the Univeristy of New South Wales, Sydney, received his doctorate from the University of Oxford. His research investigates the role of affective processes in interpersonal behavior. He has published 24 books and over 200 articles and chapters. He received the Order of Australia, as well as the APS’s Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, the Humboldt Research Prize and is Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, the American Psychological Society, the Society of Personality and Social Psychology and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Orsolya Vincze was educated at the University of Pécs and received her doctorate there. Since 2004 she has been an associate professor at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Pécs. She received the award for Best Young Researcher Work in 2007 from the Committee of the Hungarian Computational Linguistic Conference for developing the narrative content analytical algorithm of narrative psychological perspective. János László is