You Must Calculate That: Developing an Automated Tool to Measure Language Assertiveness
(A2026-133991)

AUTHORS

Sameed Khan, Suffolk University; Ann Kronrod, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

ABSTRACT

We develop and validate an automated tool to measure language assertiveness in text (TAD) using linguistic rules and NLP techniques. Building on existing literature in language assertiveness, we identify 4 grammatical forms to identify directive sentences, sentences that require the recipient to act, and measure these sentences’ assertiveness. After creating the tool, we validate it in three studies using humans and LLMs. We then apply TAD in two contexts: company social media posts and consumer complaints to highlight the real-world applicability of the tool. We confirm prior literature’s findings that more assertive social media posts receive less engagement and find that complaints with a “medium” level of assertiveness are most likely to get compensated. Broadly, the tool offers new insights into persuasion processes and language in the marketplace.