Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 10:08:22 -0500
From: mai kuha mkuha[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]SILVER.UCS.INDIANA.EDU
Subject: Here's the questionnaire!
QUESTIONNAIRE
Thank you for participating in this study!
The purpose of this survey is to collect information
about how people interact. Five hypothetical scenarios
are described below. Please put an X beside the most
appropriate answer to each question to indicate how
you interpret the interaction described in each scenario.
Please send your response to me at mkuha[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]indiana.edu
Mai Kuha
Linguistics Department
Indiana University, Bloomington
SITUATION 1
You and Jim, a friend of yours, have agreed to meet after
work to check out a sale at Acme Books. The two of you
walk towards the bookstore, exchanging anecdotes about
people you work with. Just as you reach the Corner Deli,
which is next door to Acme Books, Jim says:
"Have you eaten here?"
How would you interpret this utterance?
1. Jim just wants to know whether you've eaten at the deli.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
2. Jim is trying to avoid a more serious topic.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
3. Jim is suggesting that you go in and eat.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
4. Other (if the above choices do not reflect your
interpretation of the situation):
Please indicate your reaction to this scenario:
5. Jim seems friendly.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
6. Jim seems self-centered.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
7. Jim has eaten at the Corner Deli before.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
8. The utterance is normal and appropriate to the situation.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
9. I might use this utterance myself in a situtation like this.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
SITUATION 2
A tree growing in your neighbor's yard has a branch which
reaches over to your yard. You have asked your neighbor,
Frank, to have the branch cut because it keeps sprinkling
sticky seed pods all over your car. He does nothing. Finally
you decide to cut the branch yourself. Just as you start
cutting, Frank appears and says:
"Hi there! What are you doing?"
How would you interpret Frank's utterance? Frank
10. just wants to know what you are doing
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
11. thinks you should not cut the branch
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
12. Other (if the above choices do not reflect your
interpretation of the situation):
Please indicate your reaction to this scenario:
13. Frank seems friendly.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
14. Frank seems self-centered.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
15. The utterance is normal and appropriate to the situation.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
16. I might use this utterance myself in a situtation like this.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
SITUATION 3
Unfortunately, you've broken a leg. This morning, the doctor
said you'll be in the hospital for another two weeks. You
share a hospital room with another patient. The two of you
have been chatting and watching TV. A documentary on the
wineries of France comes on and your roommate says:
"Have you been to France before?"
How would you interpret this person's utterance? S/he
17. just wants to know if you've been to France
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
18. has been to France and wants to tell you about it
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
19. somehow has the impression that you're planning a trip
to France
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
20. is nosy and wants to find out if you are well off
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
21. Other (if the above choices do not reflect your
interpretation of the situation):
Please indicate your reaction to this scenario:
22. The person seems friendly.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
23. The person seems self-centered.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
24. The utterance is normal and appropriate to the situation.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
25. I might use this utterance myself in a situtation like this.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
SITUATION 4
You develop a mysterious skin condition and go see your doctor,
who has become a friend over the years. She examines you and
asks:
"Have you had measles?"
How would you interpret this utterance?
26. The doctor is just asking whether you have had measles.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
27. The doctor wants to tell you about the time when she
had measles.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
28. The doctor is suggesting that you have measles now.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
29. Other (if the above choices do not reflect your
interpretation of the situation):
Please indicate your reaction to this scenario:
30. The doctor seems friendly.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
31. The doctor seems self-centered.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
32. The utterance is normal and appropriate to the situation.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
33. I might use a similar utterance myself in a situtation like this.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
SITUATION 5
You work in an office environment. Beth, your co-worker,
says she has heard rumors of impending layoffs in your
organization. You get into a conversation about jobs.
Beth says:
"I've worked in restaurants before."
How would you interpret this utterance?
34. Beth is just making conversation.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
35. Beth is procrastinating because she doesn't
want to go back to work.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
36. Beth thinks you will soon be working in a restaurant.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
37. Beth thinks she will soon be working in a restaurant.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
38. Beth's restaurant experience is in the distant past.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
39. Other (if the above choices do not reflect your
interpretation of the situation):
Please indicate your reaction to this scenario:
40. Beth seems friendly.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
41. Beth seems self-centered.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
42. The utterance is normal and appropriate to the situation.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
43. I might use this utterance myself in a situtation like this.
strongly agree
somewhat agree
I can't say
somewhat disagree
strongly disagree
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
44. I am:
Male
Female
45. Age:
46. Your first language, if other than English:
47. If your first language is NOT English, how long have you been
studying (or how long did you study) English? Where?
48. If your first language is English, please describe where you
are from by listing the locations where you have lived for
a significant period of time. For each place, please indicate
how long you lived there and whether it was a rural or urban area.
49. Please indicate the last educational level you completed:
Elementary school
High school
Some college
College degree
Graduate study
Thank you again! If you would like to receive more information
about this study, please indicate your choice:
I'd like to see a description of the purpose of this study.
I'd like to see an abstract of the paper. (Obviously, it will be
some time before it's finished!)