Comparative Linguistic Analysis ofComparative Linguistic Analysis ofCross-gender and Same-Gender Cross-gender and Same-Gender

Interactions During Virtual Job Interviews Interactions During Virtual Job Interviews using Virtual Reality Technologyusing Virtual Reality Technology

Courtney WangCourtney Wang

Mentor: Dr. Shelley Brundage Mentor: Dr. Shelley Brundage

IntroductionIntroduction

Disciplines of Sociolinguistics and Disciplines of Sociolinguistics and Speech-Language PathologySpeech-Language Pathology

Gender StudiesGender Studies Nature of fellowship studyNature of fellowship study

Interview StudiesInterview Studies

Previous Focus on: Previous Focus on: Conversational Conversational

AnalysisAnalysis Paralinguistic/ Paralinguistic/

linguistic Behaviorlinguistic Behavior Turn-taking Turn-taking

procedureprocedure

Study focuses on:Study focuses on: Combination of Combination of

quantitative and quantitative and qualitative factors, qualitative factors, based on:based on:

DisfluencyDisfluency GenderGender

DisfluencyDisfluency

Quality of DisfluencyQuality of Disfluency Quantity of DisfluencyQuantity of Disfluency Relationship to Relationship to interviewerinterviewer variables: Dr. variables: Dr.

Brundage’s Stuttering StudyBrundage’s Stuttering Study

Interviews and GenderInterviews and Gender

Bogaers (1998): Focus on laughter, Bogaers (1998): Focus on laughter, interruptions, initiation/response. Studied interruptions, initiation/response. Studied qualitative and quantitative aspects in qualitative and quantitative aspects in total of 4 interviewstotal of 4 interviews

Gender StudiesGender Studies

Judith Butler: Nature of GenderJudith Butler: Nature of Gender Deborah Tannen: Gender and linguistic Deborah Tannen: Gender and linguistic

interactioninteraction Study focuses on relative comfort levels Study focuses on relative comfort levels

based on genderbased on gender

Purpose of StudyPurpose of Study

Measure comparative comfort levels and Measure comparative comfort levels and disfluencydisfluency

Describe the relationship between interviewer Describe the relationship between interviewer gender and relative comfort level based on gender and relative comfort level based on participants’ self-perceptionparticipants’ self-perception

Determine which survey best reflects subject’s Determine which survey best reflects subject’s comfort level in interview scenariocomfort level in interview scenario

MethodMethod

Equipment and MaterialsEquipment and Materials Data collection: surveys and audioData collection: surveys and audio Data AnalysisData Analysis

Virtual RealityVirtual Reality

Apparatus: Head Mounted Display Apparatus: Head Mounted Display (HMD)(HMD)

Software (Virtually Better, Inc)Software (Virtually Better, Inc) Interview ScenariosInterview Scenarios

Virtual Male InterviewerVirtual Male Interviewer

Virtual Female Virtual Female InterviewerInterviewer

SurveysSurveys

Personal Report of Communication Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24)Apprehension (PRCA-24)

Personal Report of Confidence as a Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker (PRCS)Speaker (PRCS)

Gender SurveyGender Survey Immersion QuestionnaireImmersion Questionnaire

Audio RecordingAudio Recording

Subjects’ responses are recorded directly Subjects’ responses are recorded directly to CD during interviewto CD during interview

Transcription ProcessTranscription Process Reliability ChecksReliability Checks

Data AnalysisData Analysis

Quantitative analyses: correlations Quantitative analyses: correlations between communication apprehension, between communication apprehension, confidence, disfluency, and genderconfidence, disfluency, and gender

Qualitative analyses: Comparison of Qualitative analyses: Comparison of Male/Female resultsMale/Female results

Discussion of VariablesDiscussion of Variables

Disfluency: Percentage of Total Disfluency: Percentage of Total Disfluencies per Interview Condition (% Disfluencies per Interview Condition (% Disfluency)Disfluency)

Gender SurveyGender Survey PRCA-24 and PRCSPRCA-24 and PRCS

CorrelationsCorrelations

Significant correlations found between Significant correlations found between PRCA and PRCS (similar findings found PRCA and PRCS (similar findings found for persons who stutter)for persons who stutter)

No significant correlations found between No significant correlations found between disfluency, communication apprehension, disfluency, communication apprehension, or communication confidenceor communication confidence

Comfort Level Data: MaleComfort Level Data: Male

          1 = Male 1 = same  

    % total   Subject 0 = female 0 = different

Self-rated

Subject Gender

rating Disfluenciessame:cr

oss GenderMost

intimidatingMost

comfortable Quality

VR-LI-01 3 5.08 Higher M 1 0 7

VR-LI-03 3 4.64 Higher M 1 0 8

VR-LI-08 3 6.73 Higher M 1 0 5

VR-LI-09 3 13.20 Lower M 0 1 5

VR-LI-10 3 5.07 Lower M 0 1 6

Comfort Level Data: FemaleComfort Level Data: Female

          1 = Male 1 = same  

    % total   Subject 0 = female 0 = different

Self-rated

Subject Gender

ratingDisfluencie

ssame:cros

s GenderMost

intimidatingMost

comfortable Quality

VR-LI-05 6 6.96 Higher F 0 0 8

VR-LI-06 6 2.38 Higher F 0 0 6

VR-LI-02 7 3.75 Lower F 1 1 2

VR-LI-04 7 3.69 Higher F 0 0 8

VR-LI-07 9 8.94 Higher F 0 0 3

FindingsFindings

There is a relationship between comfort There is a relationship between comfort level/intimidation and % disfluency level level/intimidation and % disfluency level between gendersbetween genders

Men had a higher mean of % total Men had a higher mean of % total disfluencies overall.disfluencies overall.

Overall ResultsOverall Results

Preliminary findings show that men score Preliminary findings show that men score themselves more narrowly on gender themselves more narrowly on gender scalescale

Disfluency levels corresponded to Disfluency levels corresponded to perceived intimidationperceived intimidation

Application of ResearchApplication of Research

Medical InterviewMedical Interview Job InterviewJob Interview Gender Studies: Male/Female Gender Studies: Male/Female

interactional perceptionsinteractional perceptions Disfluency training and rehabilitationDisfluency training and rehabilitation