Blurting

Abstract

Blurting is production of speech that is spontaneous, unedited, and negative in its repercussions. Study 1 (N = 230) analyzed open-ended descriptions of situations in which respondents had blurted and situations in which they had been tempted to blurt but stopped themselves. Coding of those materials supported our essential understanding of blurting. A self-report measure of blurting was developed and produced these findings: Blurters endorsed more messages overall and rejected fewer because of harm to other or relationship; they saw interpersonal arguments in a less sophisticated way, and as less cooperative or civil, but more pointedly emphasized the utility, identity display, dominance, and play goals for arguing; blurters were higher in verbal aggressiveness, indirect interpersonal aggression, psychological reactance, sensation seeking, psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism; and they were lower in perspective-taking and lying. People were most likely to blurt when they believed they had high rights to speak in a situation, and were less likely when personal benefits and relational consequences were at issue, or when the situation made them apprehensive. Study 2 (N = 570) clarified the psychometric properties of the new blurting scale and established its convergent and discriminant validity when compared to a measure of simple spontaneity in speech.