Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation (Access Restricted)

Degree Name

Doctor of Liberal Studies

Department

Liberal Studies

Committee Chair

J. Casal

Committee Member

Colin Chapell

Committee Member

Elizabeth Gillespie

Abstract

(Applied) Linguistics literature shows that different communications styles are associated with males and females — and both, either consciously or unconsciously, often invoke enregistered gendered speech styles through linguistic and lexical choice patterns. This study asked participants to compare a local nonprofit’s solicitation materials with modified versions and hypothesized that mirroring commonly used female linguistic features and stylistic patterns could increase the solicitation material’s relatability and create a stronger connection to the content for female donors; this feeling of connection to a nonprofit’s message and overall mission, in turn, has the potential to drive donations. To test this hypothesis, nearly 550 survey participants compared both original and modified versions of the nonprofit’s solicitation snippets to determine if female participants preferred the versions with the commonly used female linguistic features and stylistic patterns incorporated. While the collective female participant group showed limited impact for the incorporated female linguistic features, segmenting the female participants by select demographic subsets such as age, ethnic background, marital status, education level, and income level proved that mirroring female linguistic styles and lexical choices to potential female donors had positive outcomes not only for overall preference, but also for creating an element of relatability for the materials and helping to establish an overall connection to the nonprofit; select incorporated linguistic features also positively influenced the female donor’s willingness to donate. While the impact of the female linguistic styles and lexical choices varied by demographic, notable findings occurred in every category. Despite a handful of researchers making broader connections around gendered communication preferences or reactions to emotional pleas in the nonprofit realm, this study addresses a significant gap in the research and delves deeper into how incorporating specific female-preferred linguistic features and styles can notably influence the female donor base.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

No Access

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