Does Language Matter? Perceptions of the Use of Diversity Training in the Public Sector Workforce

This study examines how the public perceives the use of diversity training in public service organizations through the lens of neutral and charged language in a politicized context. This study explores whether framing affects levels of agreement regarding the use of diversity training. Data were collected from a sample of more than 700 undergraduate political science students, and findings indicate that individuals, overall, demonstrate more agreement with the use of diversity training when framed through the lens of neutral language rather than charged language. The data also show that factors such as political ideology, gender, and race are predictors of agreement.