Comprehension under threat: outgroup threat predicts perceived accent strength, ease of comprehension, and speaker evaluations

Nonnative speakers, influenced by their first language, often produce accented speech that systematically deviates from that of native speakers. Nonnative-accented speech is often judged more harshly than native-accented speech, in part due to increased comprehension difficulty. However, non-linguistic factors like social attitudes can bias perceptions of nonnative accent strength and comprehensibility, which in turn impacts social evaluations of speakers. Grounded in Intergroup Threat Theory, this study examines the relationship between perceived outgroup threat, speech perception, and speaker evaluations within the Hong Kong context. Specifically, in a sample of native Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong undergraduates (N = 691), we investigate how perceived threat from Mainland Chinese people influence perceived nonnative accent strength, comprehensibility, and subsequently, social evaluations of native Putonghua speakers, Cantonese-accented Putonghua speakers, native Cantonese speakers, and Putonghua-accented Cantonese speakers. Speakers were rated in terms of competence and warmth, perceived nonnative accent strength, and comprehensibility. Mediation analyses tested the mechanisms through which threat influences speaker evaluation. Perceived outgroup threat was associated with lower competence ratings for Putonghua-accented Cantonese speakers. Threat selectively biased speech perception for Putonghua-accented Cantonese speakers, predicting stronger perceived nonnative accent strength and lower comprehensibility, which mediated the relationship between outgroup threat and speaker evaluations. Robustness checks testing the effects of outgroup threat separately by datasets and accent levels indicated perceived comprehensibility played a more consistent and pivotal role than accent strength in this model. Results suggest listeners engage in social creativity strategies to yield positive ingroup distinctiveness, utilizing linguistic differentiation as a strategic mechanism to penalize speakers from threatening outgroups.