How Language Barriers in Diverse Teams Create Psychological In-Groups and Out-Groups
Keywords:
language barriers, in-groups, out-groups, social identity, diverse teams, exclusion, multilingual workplaceAbstract
This study examines how language barriers in diverse teams create psychological in-groups and out-groups through a quantitative investigation of 100 members of linguistically diverse teams (minimum 3 language backgrounds per team) across 20 multinational teams. Grounded in Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) + Communication Accommodation Theory (Giles, 2016), the research investigates the psycholinguistic mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Language-based subgroups formed in 82% of linguistically diverse teams within the first 3 months. Employees sharing a native language communicated 3.4x more frequently with each other than with out-group members. Information asymmetry between language groups increased by 42% over time. Linguistic out-group members reported 38% lower belonging and 34% less influence in team decisions. Regression: lingua franca proficiency gap (Beta=0.38), team language policy clarity (Beta=-0.26), leader language bridging behavior (Beta=-0.28) explained 44% of variance in in-group/out-group formation strength. Teams with structured multilingual protocols reduced subgrouping by 36%. The findings provide theoretical and practical contributions to the intersection of psychology, linguistics, and organizational science.
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