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Daniel J. Buysse, Sairam Parthasarathy, Julie Flygare, Introducing People-Centered Language to SLEEP, Sleep, Volume 40, Issue 4, 1 April 2017, zsx038, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsx038
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Beginning with the current issue, SLEEP is introducing people-centered language to its Instructions for Authors and all of its copy-edited manuscripts. In a time when perceptions of political correctness can arouse suspicion, we felt that it was important to discuss why and how this change was made, what it means for authors, and why it is important for the field. The adoption of people-centered language is not simply a social fad or a gesture of politeness. Rather, it represents important new partnerships that are emerging between sleep scientists, clinicians, and the people they aspire to help.
In the accompanying article, Rebecca Fuoco presents compelling arguments for how people-centered language not only reflects attitudes of the writer or a group, but actually shapes our perceptions. A central tenet of people-centered language is putting the person first—literally—in the sense of referring to people with a sleep disorder rather than labeling people by the disorder. Other important components of people-centered language include being precise and neutral, and respecting peoples’ autonomy.
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