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Effects of context on perceptions of the language of suicide

Effects of context on perceptions of the language of suicide Objective. There is concern regarding use of the phrase ‘committed suicide’, given its connotations of immorality. Limited research has examined influences on people’s use of this phrase. The current studies examined whether portraying a suicide as highly immoral affects perceptions of the phrase ‘committed suicide’. Method. Undergraduate participants in western Canada read a suicide vignette in which the suicide was depicted either neutrally or as sinful (Study 1, N = 188) or as either altruistic or vengeful (Study 2, N = 204). They then judged, from the perspective of the deceased person’s family, the preference for statements employing ‘committed suicide’ or ‘died by suicide’ (Study 1) or the acceptability of statements employing ‘committed suicide’, ‘ended her[his] life’, ‘took her[his] own life’, or ‘died by suicide’ (Study 2). Results. In Study 1, ‘committed suicide’ statements received higher preference judgments for the scenario depicted as sinful. In Study 2, phrases alternative to ‘committed suicide’ received higher acceptability ratings for the altruistic scenario. Discussion. We consider limitations of our work, directions for future research on the language of suicide, and implications of our findings. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Advances in Mental Health Taylor & Francis

Effects of context on perceptions of the language of suicide

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Effects of context on perceptions of the language of suicide

Abstract

Objective. There is concern regarding use of the phrase ‘committed suicide’, given its connotations of immorality. Limited research has examined influences on people’s use of this phrase. The current studies examined whether portraying a suicide as highly immoral affects perceptions of the phrase ‘committed suicide’. Method. Undergraduate participants in western Canada read a suicide vignette in which the suicide was depicted either neutrally or as sinful (Study...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
ISSN
1837-4905
eISSN
1838-7357
DOI
10.1080/18387357.2023.2169179
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Objective. There is concern regarding use of the phrase ‘committed suicide’, given its connotations of immorality. Limited research has examined influences on people’s use of this phrase. The current studies examined whether portraying a suicide as highly immoral affects perceptions of the phrase ‘committed suicide’. Method. Undergraduate participants in western Canada read a suicide vignette in which the suicide was depicted either neutrally or as sinful (Study 1, N = 188) or as either altruistic or vengeful (Study 2, N = 204). They then judged, from the perspective of the deceased person’s family, the preference for statements employing ‘committed suicide’ or ‘died by suicide’ (Study 1) or the acceptability of statements employing ‘committed suicide’, ‘ended her[his] life’, ‘took her[his] own life’, or ‘died by suicide’ (Study 2). Results. In Study 1, ‘committed suicide’ statements received higher preference judgments for the scenario depicted as sinful. In Study 2, phrases alternative to ‘committed suicide’ received higher acceptability ratings for the altruistic scenario. Discussion. We consider limitations of our work, directions for future research on the language of suicide, and implications of our findings.

Journal

Advances in Mental Health – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jan 21, 2023

Keywords: Suicide; stigma; language

References

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