James Pennebaker, 4:00pm Tuesday May 1st
University of Texas at Austin
Tuesday, May 1st
Swift 107
4:00pm (Reception to follow)
Analyzing language to understand social and psychological processes
The words we use in everyday life can reveal the ways we think, feel, and connect with others. Of particular interest are function words -- a group of common but overlooked words such as pronouns, articles, prepositions, and other closed-class words that help to shape efficient communication. Results from multiple studies point to the promise of analyzing words at the individual and collective levels to better understand the psychology of individuals, groups, and cultures in the present as well as in the last few minutes, months, or centuries.