Some Accents Make You Sound Like a Criminal, Study Finds
A new study reveals that certain accents can lead to unfair criminal stereotypes
Liverpool, Newcastle, Bradford, London, Cambridge, Belfast, Glasgow
Liverpool: A recent study has found that some accents, especially those from working-class areas, can make people sound like they’ve committed a crime. Researchers had 180 participants listen to recordings of different male voices and rate them based on various behaviors.
The accents included those from places like Belfast, Birmingham, and London. Participants were asked to judge statements about behaviors like shoplifting and vandalism. Interestingly, the Liverpool and Bradford accents were seen as the most likely to be associated with criminal behavior.
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 from Cambridge University, pointed out that this might reflect changing views on who is seen as capable of committing such acts.
The study’s voice samples were designed to mimic those used in legal settings, highlighting how accents can impact perceptions in the justice system. Paver emphasized that voices can heavily influence judgments, often based on stereotypes, which is concerning.
Interestingly, non-English accents 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 similarly.
Previous research showed that the Newcastle accent was often seen as friendly, but this study found it received lower ratings for traits like kindness and trustworthiness. Meanwhile, the Birmingham accent performed better than expected.
Paver noted that while language attitudes can shift over time, the way people react to actual voices can differ from their preconceived notions. This study is part of a larger project aimed at improving how the criminal justice system interacts with earwitness evidence.
The research was conducted in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University and is published in the journal Frontiers in Communication.