Psychologists Have a New Way to Measure ‘Corporate Bullshit’—And It Reveals a Surprising Secret About Performance

Why It Matters

Identifying jargon‑loving employees helps firms safeguard analytical rigor and improve decision quality, a critical competitive edge in knowledge‑intensive markets.

Key Takeaways

• CBRS quantifies receptivity to corporate buzzwords
• High BS appreciation predicts weaker analytic reasoning
• Jargon lovers may make poorer strategic decisions
• Overuse of buzzwords can obscure clear communication
• Managers can use CBRS to improve decision quality

Pulse Analysis

Corporate jargon has become a cultural staple, but its prevalence masks a hidden cost. Shane Littrell’s Corporate Bull‑shit Receptivity Scale (CBRS) offers the first systematic way to gauge employees’ affinity for buzzwords. By translating a nebulous phenomenon into a quantifiable metric, the CBRS equips leaders with data‑driven insight into communication habits that were previously dismissed as merely stylistic. This shift from anecdote to analytics reflects a broader trend of applying psychological tools to workplace performance.

The core finding of Littrell’s research is stark: employees who rate corporate jargon as profound or informative tend to score lower on analytic thinking assessments. This negative association suggests that a love of empty language can crowd out the cognitive bandwidth needed for rigorous problem‑solving. Real‑world examples, such as the infamous 2009 Pepsi campaign, illustrate how jargon‑driven messaging can backfire, confusing stakeholders and eroding brand credibility. The study also links high BS receptivity to a propensity for generating other meaningless content, further diluting decision quality.

For executives, the practical takeaway is clear. Incorporating the CBRS into talent assessments, performance reviews, or cultural audits can flag individuals whose communication style may impede strategic clarity. Training programs that emphasize plain‑language principles and critical thinking can counteract the allure of buzzwords. As organizations grapple with increasingly complex technologies like AI, the ability to cut through jargon and make data‑grounded decisions will become a decisive competitive advantage.