Words

The words people use in their writing and speaking can serve as markers of personality. Computerized text analysis programs based on word counts represent a methodological strategy for obtaining linguistic information objectively and rapidly from diverse text samples. Several studies are summarized that point to particles or function words (e.g., pronouns, articles, and prepositions) as central determinants of linguistic styles. Particles exhibit solid psychometric properties and are related to measures of depression, social concerns, physical health, and, to a modest degree, traditional personality indices. Possible reasons for the psychological significance of particles are offered, and the challenges facing the linguistic approach to personality are considered.