Language choice in international crisis communication: An experimental study on the effects of language choice in crisis communication on Italian and Dutch consumers’ anger, emotionality, behavioural intentions, and attitudes.
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2021-12-22
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en
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Abstract
With the rise of globalization, the likelihood of international crises has increased. Therefore, multinational corporations (MNCs) have to be able to communicate effectively with a variety of consumers with different linguistic backgrounds. To do so MNCs can standardize their crisis response and make use of a so-called lingua franca, e.g. English. However, little is known about how the use of a native language (L1) versus a lingua franca (L2) may impact how consumers perceive the crisis response. Therefore, by applying findings from the field of psycholinguistics about the emotionality of an L1 versus an L2 and studies about the Foreign Language Effect (FLE) in moral decision making, this study aimed to investigate the effect of language choice, using a native language (L1) or foreign language (L2), on 157 Dutch and Italian consumers’ anger, emotionality, behavioural intentions, attitude towards the organization, and attitude towards the crisis response. Additionally, this study investigated whether consumers’ L2 proficiency moderated this effect. The findings revealed that language choice (L1 vs L2) had no effect on Dutch and Italian consumers’ anger, emotionality, behavioural intentions, attitude towards the organization, and attitude towards the crisis response and that L2 proficiency does not moderate this effect. The findings seem to suggest that language choice may not be a relevant factor in crisis communication. However, further research is needed to understand how language may affect consumers during a global crisis.
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Faculteit der Letteren