Do you think accents have an effect on social perception?

Answer 1

Certainly...I grew up in Missouri and then went to grad school in Alabama for a time. My first "real" job was in New York City and to my colleagues (engineers) I was definitely sporting a Southern accent (The folks in Alabama thought I sounded like a Yankee.)

After working in New York a number of years I got close enough to some of my colleagues that they felt comfortable telling me their first impressions. Almost without exception they said that they thought I was slow or even a little dumb (mind you I had just finished a master's degree in mechanical engineering specializing in rocket propulsion and had interned at NASA.)

I'm fairly certain that this was due to my accent and nothing else (My vocabulary is probably larger than average and I've been accused by some of using pretentious language.)

Accents though, shouldn't be confused with grammar or vocabulary, which have perhaps an even stronger effect on social perception (better grammar and vocabulary = more educated.)

Answer 2

Definitely since many accents have stereotypes attached to them,for example the British accent is considered royal,intelligent and confident.Human beings are very judgmental creatures unfortunately and the social perception has allot to do with these types of stereotypes unfortunate as that may be.

Answer 3

What anyone one thinks is irrelevant.

There's been much research on this, and, yes, a person's accent affects how others perceive that person.

In the US north, southern accents are taken to mean the person is dumb, ignorant, probably racist, bible-thumping. (The young Steven Colbert noticed that, in TV and movies, 'southern' was shorthand for 'dumb' and consciously eliminated his southern accent.)

We also take all English accents to be a sign of intelligence and education (even lower-class English accents).

In England, people are judged by their accents, with "BBC" being highest. Those who speak with lower class accents are perceived to be less intelligent and educated.

All of this is basically false, as there's no correlation between accent and intelligence or education, but it is a big factor in how most people perceive others (before they have more to go on).

I found the Alabaman answer interesting -- the northerners assumed he was dim because of his accent.

It's also common for southerners who live in the north to be seen by northerners to speak with a southern accent, but their southerns family and friends to think they sound like a Yankee.

Some people routinely speak with whatever accent those around them speak, and change a lot over the course of their lives (even from minute to minute), while others talk the same all their lives.

Answer 4

Excuse me whoever said British accent implies royal intelligent etc.
There are many accents of Britain, most of them not very cool or sexy or intelligent.
Americans like London accents lol, which are the normal ones I suppose. hahahahaha
(I do know what I'm talking about, I live slap bang in the middle of Britain, near the town of naked lady on naked horse- Coventry)

Answer 5

I think an accent can make you more interesting as long as the accent is not so thick that it interferes with communication. Bad grammar and vocabulary are another matter...

Answer 6

for some strange reason I think foreign accents make people sound smarter-that doesn't mean they are I just think they should be.

Answer 7

i agree with Z - accents draw me in and spark my curiosity

Answer 8

yes, Im south African and we always sound slowed up compared to US or UK accents!

Answer 9

Yes, I do.

Some people judge others because they sound different, some don't care, and others think it makes someone more attractive.

Answer 10

Yeah,. I think they are hot,. and thus I'm more apt to socialize with someone who has one :)