Linguistic nonimmediacy refers to the degree of verbal indirectness with which a person refers to himself or to that about which he communicates. Current research on linguistic nonimmediacy indicates that this indirectness of verbal reference increases as the speaker experiences increased negative affect. The purpose of this investigation was to test the reliability of this finding in a nonlaboratory setting and using a within-Ss design. The results of the previous research were replicated, and the argument was advanced that nonimmediacy analysis of Ss' language can be a legitimate substitute for conventional paper-and-pencil attitude tests.
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