Didn't You Run the Spell Checker? Effects of Type of Spelling Error and Use of a Spell Checker on Perceptions of the Author

We investigated expectations regarding a writer's responsibility to proofread text for spelling errors when using a word processor. Undergraduate students read an essay and completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions of the author and the quality of the essay. We manipulated type of spelling error (no error, homophone error, non-homophone error) and information provided about the author's use of a spell checker (no information, author did not use a spell checker, author did use a spell checker). Participants' perceptions of the author's abilities and the quality of the essay suffered when the essay contained non-homophone spelling errors—errors that are typically flagged by a spell checker. Further, participants reported that they would be most likely to blame the writer rather than the spell checker for spelling errors contained in the text. These findings suggest that perceptions of both an author's abilities and the written products are affected by spelling errors. Even when supportive tools are available, the responsibility for producing error-free text remains with the author.     

The Influence of Unrestricted Information Exchange on Willingness to Share Information With Outsiders

This study addressed how engaging in different forms of information exchange within a group is related to group members' willingness to share risk information with outsiders. Drawing from social exchange theories, we focused on 3 unrestricted forms of information exchange: pure‐generalized, group‐generalized, and productive. We hypothesized that individuals' intentions to share information with outsiders would be associated positively with engagement in pure or group‐generalized exchanges and negatively with productive exchange. The hypotheses were supported with data from a national survey of U.S. growers (N = 452) that examined their information‐sharing behaviors with other parties inside and outside their local region. The findings have broad implications for understanding information sharing within and across groups.