Speaking of diversity: Can linguistic structural differences explain cultural values toward equity, diversity, and inclusion across the globe?

Abstract

We theorize that linguistic grammar structures related to gender, pronoun use, and politeness distinctions influence individuals’ cultural values toward diversity, including masculinity, collectivism, and power distance, respectively. Based on first-handed data collected from a large sample of individuals (N = 9,058) who speak various native languages, our analysis shows that languages require speakers to arrange words according to linguistic grammar structures that govern how team members perceive equity, diversity, and inclusion. Our study suggests that language is a salient source of diversity that can shape belief systems toward diversity, even after controlling for more commonly studied diversity dimensions.