Religious Pluralistic Language in a Computer-Mediated Context: Effects of Intergroup Salience and Religious Orientation

• In Event: Creating, Sharing, and Reducing Stereotypes Through Communication

Abstract

Given that religious identity is typically embedded with biases toward various cultural and religious groups, there is a growing call for a pluralistic approach to interfaith relations to limit these tensions. The current study investigates the extent to which religious salience of an interaction and religious orientation effect religious pluralistic language in an interaction between individuals with different religious identities. A computer-mediated communication (CMC) context is used to assess the makeup of religious pluralistic language and its associations through experimental design. Seven categories of religious pluralistic language surfaced with associations with religious orientations and perception of the interactional partner. The current study lends insight into the complexity of religious pluralism in online interfaith dialogue.

Authors

• Jennifer E Kienzle, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Chad Wertley, Robert Morris University

• Jordan E. Soliz, U of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Hannah Coatney, U of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Geoffrey Ledbetter, U of Nebraska-Lincoln