Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, Vol. 10, No. 6, 1981 Persuasive Intent as a Determinant of Phonemic Choice John Sherblom~ and N. L. Reinsch, Jr.2 Accepted July 22, 1980 The present study investigates the effect of persuasive intent upon the use of phonemic features. It is predicted that subjects will use different percentages of phonemic features in the two experimental conditions defined as nonpersuasive and persuasive. A computer analysis technique for the quantification and analysis of the feature frequencies is theoretically and methodolog&ally developed. Significant condition effects for voiced, low, and rounded features are observed. Significant sex effects are observed for the coronal feature. The results are interpreted as consistent with the notion of phonemic choice. INTRODUCTION Communication is an activity that gains meaning and significance from the choices made in encoding and decoding messages (Cushman and Whiting, 1972). Recent research suggests that these stylistic choices are affected by various aspects of a speaker's situation. Some relevant aspects of the "situation" are the physical setting, the social setting, the speaker's communication apprehension, the mode of communication, and the speaker's motivational state (Black, 1973; Blankenship, 1974; Carpenter and Seltzer, 1971; DeVito, 1967; Jordan and Powers, 1978; Osgood, 1960; Osgood and Walker, 1959). Two channels in which these stylistic choices may be expressed are the verbal and vocal channels. Soskin and Kauffman (1961) have described these as simultaneously operating channels transmitting simultaneous sets of cues. The verbal cues are the pattern of sounds that result in words and phrases making up the content of speech. These are superimposed An earlier version of this article was presented to the 65th annual meeting of the Speech Communication Association, San Antonio, November 1979. 1 University of Maine, Computing Center, Orono, Maine 04469. 2 Department of Speech Communication, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078. 619 0090-6905/81/1100-0619503.00[0 (~ 1981 Plenum Publishing Corporation