Would you respect a norm if it sounds foreign? Foreign-accented speech affects decision-making processes

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Linguistics
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Social norms guide behavior, but their transmission can be influenced by various factors.
• The 'Foreign Accent Effect' suggests accents can impact judgments, but its effect on norm adherence is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if a speaker's accent (native vs. foreign) influences native speakers' adherence to social norms.
• To examine how accent affects judgments regarding norm violations.
• To explore the role of emotionality and language attitudes in accent-based decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted with native Spanish speakers (N=128 and N=240).
• Participants were presented with social norms (COVID-19 related and everyday) delivered in either a native or foreign accent.
• Decision-making processes and judgments of norm violations were recorded.

Main Results:

• Accent did not directly alter participants' final decisions on social norms.
• Accent significantly influenced the decision-making process, mediated by emotionality and language attitudes.
• Negative perceptions of certain accents in Spain played a role in decision-making.

Conclusions:

• Speaker identity, conveyed through accent, subtly influences adherence to social norms.
• Emotional responses and pre-existing language attitudes are key factors in how accents affect behavior.
• Findings extend the 'Foreign Accent Effect' to norm-based decision-making, emphasizing the speaker's role.