A new study shows that certain accents are unfairly linked to criminal behavior
London: A recent study has found that people often think some accents sound guiltier than others. Researchers looked into how different accents are perceived when it comes to criminal behavior.
They played recordings of ten male voices with various accents to 180 participants. The accents included those from Liverpool, Newcastle, and Bradford, among others. Participants rated statements about behaviors like shoplifting and assault.
Interestingly, the Liverpool and Bradford accents were seen as the most likely to be associated with criminal activity. The study highlighted a clear link between working-class accents and the perception of guilt.
On the flip side, the Received Pronunciation (RP) accent was viewed as the most prestigious and least likely to be linked to crime, except for sexual offenses. Alice Paver, the lead author, pointed out that this might reflect changing views on who commits such crimes.
The voice samples were designed to mimic those used in legal settings, showing how jurors might hear them. Paver emphasized that these findings reveal the bias that speakers of certain accents face in the justice system.
She noted that voices can heavily influence judgments in legal contexts, and it’s concerning that some accents are perceived as guiltier than others. Non-English accents, particularly from Belfast and Glasgow, were rated as less likely to engage in criminal behavior.
However, the London and Liverpool accents were thought to be more likely to commit sexual offenses, with RP also being rated high for this. This challenges some stereotypes about different social classes.
While Newcastle accents have been seen positively in the past, this study showed less favorable ratings for traits like kindness. Surprisingly, the Birmingham accent performed better than expected compared to others.
Paver mentioned that attitudes toward accents can change over time, and this study contributes to a larger project aimed at improving how the justice system interacts with earwitness evidence.
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