LANGUAGE SHAMING: IT’S PERCEIVED PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON

STUDENTS’ BEHAVIOR

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Language shaming refers to media campaigns or in-person interactions

that ridicule, denigrate, or humiliate specific linguistic usages. Language shame, like

other forms of stigma, may harm the groups and people involved. It may result in low

self-esteem, a lack of self-worth, and social alienation (Piller I., 2017). (Mirasol, 2024)

Shame can potentially change the way they see themselves. In his classic Psychology

Shame, he noted that it undermines security and confidence and maybe the main barrier

to forming interpersonal connections, interacting with others, and creating a sense of

belonging.

In a study given to nearly 90,000 Tennessee middle and high school students in

2013–14, the American Institutes for Research's Center on Great Teachers and Leaders

found that just 50% of students said their teachers commended them for their hard work

in the classroom. Just over half said that they receive individualized attention from their

professors. The language we use with students as instructors, especially the comments we

give about their performance and conduct, significantly influences how well they perform

and behave in our classrooms. Teacher language is just the way you speak to kids. It

establishes the context for how the pupils will react to you. Positive student actions are
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reinforced, and student effort and work are encouraged by effective instructor language.

It can also assist pupils in changing their behavior and reflecting on it. Humiliating or

caustic words should be avoided in classroom discourse. It does not treat students with

apathy and avoids enforcing discipline by intimidation or fear. Teachers have the role of

dealing with unexpected situations and can control students' behavior using effective

classroom management strategies. (Diaz, 2023)

As an educator on the rise, the well-being of students is more important; being

linguistically aware, having mutual respect, promoting student equality, and possessing

good communication skills are vital to uplift their confidence and self-esteem. Therefore,

it is essential to determine the psychological effects of language shaming on students in a

student-teacher relationship and discover ways to handle students without affecting their

welfare and overall well-being; thus, this research came to life. (Kisha, 2024)

Statement of the problem

Generally, the primary purpose of this study was to determine the perceived

psychological effects of Language Shamming on the Grade Ten students' personalities in

one of the secondary schools in Negros Occidental during the academic year 2021-2022.

Specifically, it strived to answer the following questions:

1. What are the perceived psychological effects of language shaming on the students in

terms of Emotional, Behavior, and Self-esteem when grouped and compared as a whole

according to:

a. sex
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b. physical features and;

c. monthly family income/salary?

2. Is there a notable difference in the perceived psychological effects of Language

shaming on the students' emotions, behavior, and self-esteem when grouped and

compared to the abovementioned variables?

3. Based on the findings, what program intervention should be proposed?

Hypothesis

Based on the above-stated inferential question, the hypothesis below was set

forth:

There is no notable difference in the perceived psychological effect of language

shaming on the student's emotions, behavior, and self-esteem when grouped and

compared to the abovementioned variables.

Significance of the study

The result of the study is significant for the following

Students. This study may boost the awareness of the students, especially in

circumstances where they're being subject to language shaming. The idea of this study

will benefit the overall welfare of the students but will focus primarily on the

psychological aspects.

Teachers. The general education teachers and anyone working in the teaching

profession may benefit from this study. They are in the field of the teaching profession as
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it will provide a new understanding and prior consciousness about the effect of language

shaming on the personality of their students. The language they employ while speaking

informally or formally with their students also helps to manage the instructors' good

teaching techniques inside the classroom.

Future Generation. To the future generation, this study is a great help to educate

them in having insights and knowledge about the effect of language shaming on students'

personalities like them. At the same time, this study may help them stand confidently and

express their thoughts and ideas when subjected to language shaming.

Department of Education. This study may contribute to the Department of

Education. The information presented in this study on the Psychological Effects of

Language Shaming on the Personality of Students may support them in formulating plans

of action to minimize this problem between the teachers and the students. It may also

encourage the board, the staff, and the teachers to participate not in language shaming

students but in promoting the development and self-trust of each weakness into strength.

Scope and Limitations of the study

The scope of this study was intended for the awareness of language shaming and

its perceived psychological effects on learners. It focuses primarily on the language

ideology and indexicality used by the teachers in the teaching field, which involves

building communication with the students to determine whether the statements used in

communicating can be classified as language shaming.

This study was limited to the selected Grade 10 students of one of the schools in

Talisay City, Negros Occidental, to determine the psychological impacts of language

shaming and how it affects the overall welfare of the students.

The data presented in this study were the outcomes collected from the online

questionnaires developed primarily by the researchers. The independent variables

considered in this careful inquiry were based on the profiles gathered, which include the

participant's sex, physical features, and monthly family income/salary. The dependent

variables of the study include the sources of language shaming, including a range of

learner-internal and teacher/classroom-specific variables, and the perceived psychological

effects of language shaming.

Definition of terms

To better understand the study, the following terms were conceptually and

operationally defined.

Language. By employing words and methodical principles to order those words, this

concept describes a communication mechanism that transfers information from one

person to another (Corballis & Suddendorf, 2007; Tomasello & Rakoczy, 2003).
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The term Language in this study is referred to as the instrument of communication used

by an individual, which is more likely to be the main factor contributing to language

shaming.

Language Shaming. This means (social) media campaigns or face-to-face interactions

that deride, disparage, or demean particular ways of using language (University of

Jyväskylä, 2017).

This term refers to the act of humiliating or degrading an individual with the use of verbal

or non-verbal language caused by mistakes in grammar, accent, or simply their behavior

inside the classroom.

Perceived. To perceive something is thus not to understand something but rather to hold

that perception as a truth (The Chicago School of Media Theory, 2003).

In this study, the term perceived refers to the consciousness of the given topic, which is

the psychological effects of language shaming on students.

Personality. The Latin word persona, which describes a theatrical mask worn by actors

to either project multiple parts or conceal their identities, is the root of the word

personality (Cherry, 2022).

The term personality in this study refers to the individual's holistic characteristics that are

affected by factors such as overall presence, behavior, and confidence level.

Psychological effects. It is defined as the effect caused by environmental and biological

factors on an individual's social and psychological aspects. Several psychiatric disorders

may affect an individual's life's psychological and social elements (Avasthi & Sharan,

2011).

In this study, this refers to how language shaming affects students' emotional or mental

states and how it affects their general personality and behavior.

Shaming. This term is defined as a feeling of embarrassment or humiliation arising from

the perception of having done something dishonorable, immoral, or improper (Cunic,

2021).

In this study, the term shaming refers to the act of demeaning or degrading an individual

based on their specific personal aspects (e.g., physical appearance, language, race, skin

color, place of origin), which can result in a sudden or gradual decrease in the individual's

level of confidence.

Students. Individuals who are enrolled and acknowledged as learners in educational

institutions like colleges and universities obtain knowledge and skills that could boost

personal growth and better position them for the workforce, referred to as students

(Enokela, 2022).

In this study, the term students refer to the learners of a specific educational institution

subject to language shaming.

Student Personality. It refers to the classroom environment that is a reliable predictor of

student performance and satisfaction, and the interaction between the two is crucial for

predicting pleasure and performance (Westernman, 2014).

In this study it refers to the distinctive qualities of students in an educational institution,

making them unique and distinct from one another. It is affected by factors such as

behavior and level of confidence.