Your accent might influence whether people think you’re guilty of a crime, according to new research that exposes deep-rooted biases in how we perceive different ways of speaking. The study found that people with accents considered “working class” were more likely to be judged as potential criminals, raising concerns about fairness in the justice system.
The research, published January 17 in Frontiers in Communication, examined how 180 British listeners responded to ten different regional accents from across the United Kingdom. The findings suggest that assumptions about social class, rather than perceptions of trustworthiness or honesty, most strongly influence judgments about criminal behavior.
“We found a strong link between perceived social status and the perceived likelihood of committing crimes,” says lead author Alice Paver of the University of Cambridge. “This link was more important than how trustworthy, kind or honest someone was perceived to be.”
The Experiment
The research team created voice samples from recordings of men speaking in accents from cities including Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Liverpool, London, and Standard Southern British English (SSBE). To ensure fair comparisons, they standardized the recordings for factors like speed and pitch.
Participants were divided into two groups – one rated the voices on social traits like intelligence and friendliness, while the other assessed how likely the speakers were to engage in various behaviors, including both crimes and moral actions like defending harassment victims.
Complex Patterns of Prejudice
The results revealed nuanced patterns of bias. Speakers with the standard southern accent (SSBE) were generally considered less likely to commit most crimes. However, this advantage didn’t extend to sexual assault cases, suggesting changing perceptions about who commits such offenses.
Regional accents from Northern England, particularly Liverpool and Bradford, were often judged more harshly. However, non-English accents from Belfast and Glasgow frequently received more positive assessments.
Interestingly, sounding less likely to commit crimes didn’t necessarily translate to being seen as more prosocial. While the SSBE speakers were considered least likely to commit most offenses, they were also judged least likely to stand up for someone being harassed.
Implications for Justice
The research was part of a larger project aimed at improving voice identification procedures in the legal system. The findings highlight how unconscious biases about accents could affect everything from jury decisions to witness credibility.
“These stereotypes could have real-life legal consequences,” Paver notes. The research team is now working on new guidelines for voice line-ups and recommends testing for accent bias when collecting voice evidence.
Looking Ahead
The researchers acknowledge that more work is needed, particularly studying women’s voices and how the strength of accents affects perceptions. However, their findings already suggest the need for greater awareness of accent bias in legal settings.
Unlike some forms of prejudice, accent bias isn’t currently something jurors are warned about. The researchers argue this may need to change to ensure fairer treatment in the justice system, particularly given the strong link they found between perceived social class and assumptions about criminal behavior.