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Description: Study Protocol Background Recently, the use of “political correctness” has come under fire across the nation. Those from many walks of life, from comedians to politicians, private citizens and celebrities, have expressed their frustration and aversion to political correctness. While previous studies have examined the impact of political correctness on creativity (Goncalo et al. 2014), few studies have examined the conditions or mechanisms that impact the type of reaction to the usage of political correctness. Study Objective and Hypothesis In the current study we aim to discern the impact of politically correct and politically incorrect language on perceptions of the speaker in the context of videos of politicians. Specifically, we will test whether the political correctness content impacts perceptions of the speaker. The primary analysis is 2 (Politically Correct vs Politically Incorrect). We will check to make sure speaker doesn't interact with this, but we don't expect it will (we are just including three speakers for the purpose of generalizing). The primary DVs here are perceptions of the degree to which the speaker is externally influenced and warm. Competence is secondary. Study Design The current study is a survey-based experiment. In this study participants will be randomly assigned to one of six conditions, whereby they will be asked to make judgments about one of three politicians who they will watch either making a politically correct statement or a politically incorrect statement. Participants in all conditions will be given a photo and short biography of the politician. All participants will then be asked about their thoughts about the politician who used or did not use political correctness and about their thoughts on political correctness in general. Finally, they will be surveyed on their demographic characteristics. Study Site UC Berkeley Participants and Recruitment Participants will be recruited from a for-pay participant pool at the UC Berkeley XLab. Participants take part in social science experiments in order to receive pay; they will be notified of this study by checking the SONA website. They will receive $15.00 per hour for the study. Inclusion Criteria: • 18 years of age or older • English as a first language or an equivalent level of fluency Exclusion Criteria: • None Sample Size Determination Based on previous studies, we conducted a power analysis assuming a small to moderate effect size and power at 90%. For example, in one past study the average difference in PC norm salience was .90 between the conditions (n=219). Taking a conservative approach, we plan to recruit 50 participants per condition (300 total), of which there are six (politically correct and politically incorrect for each of three politicians) for the present study. Measures Key Dependent Variable: The extent to which the participants rate the external influence and warmth of the politician that they watched. Secondary Dependent Variable: The extent to which the participants rate the competence of the politician that they watched. Thoughts On Political Correctness: We will ask participants about their general thoughts about the usage of political correctness. Political Ideology: We will ask participants about their political ideology. The options will be: very conservative, slightly conservative, slightly liberal, or very liberal. Procedure In this study participants will be randomly assigned to one of six conditions, whereby they will be asked to make judgments about one of three politicians who they will watch either making a politically correct statement or a politically incorrect statement. After watching a politician make a politically correct or incorrect statement, participants will be asked about their feelings regarding the politician. Participants will then be asked about their thoughts on political correctness in general. Finally, they will be surveyed on their demographic characteristics Planned Analysis We will analyze the results to determine if the condition impacted participant responses relating to the degree to which they believed their target was trustworthy, authentic, competent, and kind. To do this, we will run an ANOVA analysis with politically correct vs. incorrect on the DVs described in the “measures” section above. We predict that those who watch a politician making politically incorrect statement will have higher ratings for external influence and lower ratings of warmth than those who watch a politician making a politically correct statement. As a second analysis, we will run a linear regression model with the same factors but also controlling for participants’ general thoughts on political correctness. We expect no changes in the primary findings. As an additional final (and more exploratory) analysis, we will also analyze the data to determine if political ideology moderates these effects. That is, we will add political ideology as another factor in the ANOVA analysis. We expect that there may be an effect of political ideology such that those who identify as more conservative show a stronger effect of condition on ratings of the external influence of the politician than those who identify as more liberal. Hypothesis 1: Participants who watch a politician making a politically correct statement will rate the politician as being more externally influenced and warm than those who rate the politician making a politically incorrect statement. Hypothesis 2: Political ideology will moderate the effects, such that those who identify as more conservative will have a larger difference in their ratings of external influence between conditions than those who identify as more liberal.