Perception of the Personality of the Hesitant Speaker

Abstract

Ratings of the personality of the hesitant and non-hesitant speaker were examined in addition to assessing the perceived relationship between hesitant speech and the affective state of the speaker. Male and female judges rated either a hesitant or non-hesitant speaker on 44 trait adjectives heterogeneous in content but high, neutral, or low in desirability. Ratings on a number of affect-related and fluency-related trait adjectives were also considered. In manipulating hesitancy, two tapes were prepared. Beginning with the original taped speech of a hesitant speaker, the non-hesitant tape was prepared by editing out ahs, repetitions and unfilled pauses. Judges rated the non-hesitant speaker more favourably than the hesitant one. These speakers were not differentiated on the affect-related trait adjectives.