LIWC Research Series:
When people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings about an emotionally significant event, numerous benefits in many domains (e.g., health, achievement, and well-being) result. As one step in understanding how writing achieves these effects, we have developed a computer program that provides a “fingerprint” of the words people use in writing or in natural settings. Analyses of text samples indicate that particular patterns of word use predict health and also reflect personality styles.
Citation:
Pennebaker, James W., and Anna Graybeal. “Patterns of Natural Language Use: Disclosure, Personality, and Social Integration.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 10, no. 3, [Association for Psychological Science, Sage Publications, Inc.], 2001, pp. 90–93, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20182707.