<p>A new study from Concordia’s <a href="https://www.cal-lab.ca/">Applied Linguistics Lab</a> suggests that most people are usually overly harsh on themselves when speaking in a second language.</p>
<p>Writing in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/8/3/200"><em>Languages</em></a>, PhD student <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Rachael-Lindberg-2158212303">Rachael Lindberg</a> and her co-authors build on the previous understanding of individuals’ <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-47361-008">metaperception</a>—a person’s idea of how they are perceived by others.</p>
<p>The idea that people frequently underestimate how likeable they are, known as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liking_gap#:~:text=The%20liking%20gap%20is%20the,them%20and%20enjoy%20their%20company.">Liking Gap</a>, is well-established. But this study is the first to examine it in second language speakers following a conversation in English.</p>