The Influence of Accents on Criminal Perception
The influence of accents on the perception of guilt is substantial, with people speaking in accents perceived as lower status often judged to be more likely to engage in criminal activities.
Researchers conducted a study analyzing the reactions of 180 participants who assessed voices from ten distinct UK accents, focusing on social characteristics and the likelihood of various behaviors, including criminal acts.
The study revealed a clear correlation between the perceived social status of an accent and assumptions about criminality.
Working-class accents were frequently linked with negative stereotypes, highlighting the need to recognize accent-based biases within the criminal justice framework.
Such biases can lead to unfair treatment and incorrect legal outcomes.
Efforts are now underway to address these biases by establishing new guidelines regarding the use of voice evidence in the justice system.
Stereotypes and Implications in the Justice System
Stereotypes associated with accents suggest that those perceived as lower status are often viewed as more prone to criminal behavior.
Accents have shown to influence perceptions of criminality more significantly than characteristics such as trustworthiness or kindness.
The research advocates for pre-assessments to identify and reduce biases related to voices in court proceedings.
A person’s manner of speech can convey a wealth of information, yet the interpretations of these linguistic traits may not always align with reality.
While no accent is superior to another, societal trends often utilize accents as markers to distinguish and stereotype various social groups.
In the realm of justice, these stereotypes can distort perceptions of guilt, leading to biased judgments.
The research team involved in the Improving Voice Identification Procedures initiative examined how people perceive ten distinct UK accents.
Their findings indicated that speakers with accents categorized as lower-status tended to be viewed as more likely to engage in criminal behavior.
Methodology and Findings
Alice Paver from the University of Cambridge observed that the study demonstrated a strong connection between perceived social standing and the likelihood of engaging in criminal acts.
This perception of social class, inferred from one’s accent, is crucial in shaping the expectations of UK listeners regarding behavior and can lead to significant implications in the justice system.
For the study, participants from across the UK completed two assessments.
The first required participants to evaluate voices based on ten different social attributes, while the second asked them to judge the probability of the speakers engaging in ten behaviors—five related to crime and five moral actions, such as intervening in harassment or committing infidelity.
Using recordings of male speakers from ten accents, including those from Belfast, Birmingham, and London, the researchers created 30-second audio collages.
To ensure consistency and eliminate external influence, they standardized elements such as speech speed and pitch and removed personal identifiers.
Phoneticians also reviewed the samples for accurate representation of the accents.
The analysis of responses revealed two main clusters of traits: ‘solidarity’, associated with kindness, and ‘status’, linked to wealth, alongside secondary clusters identified as ‘confident’ and ‘working class.’ The working-class cluster contrasted sharply with the status cluster.
The Standard Southern British English accent scored highest for status and confident traits but ranked lowest in terms of working-class identity.
Most criminal behaviors, with the exception of sexual assault, were grouped together, indicating a trend where higher perceived accent status correlated with lower assigned likelihood of criminal activity.
Sexual assault, distinctively aligned with morally objectionable behaviors rather than strictly illegal acts, was categorized separately.
Perceptions varied among accents, with speakers from London and Liverpool seen as more likely to engage in morally dubious actions compared to those from Glasgow and Belfast.
Notably, while some accents were deemed less likely to commit crimes, this did not imply assumptions of positive or altruistic behavior.
For instance, a speaker with an SSBE accent was considered less likely to help a victim of harassment than a speaker from Liverpool.
The findings indicated a more significant correlation between the perceived criminality of a voice and its working-class identification than with characteristics such as kindness or trustworthiness.
Furthermore, while the SSBE accent was generally perceived as less likely to be associated with most crimes, this was not true for sexual assault.
This suggests that societal perceptions of sexual offenders may have shifted beyond the traditional associations with working-class individuals, unlike perceptions of other crimes.
The researchers emphasized the need for further study, including additional voice samples, especially from female speakers, and an exploration of how variations in accent strength may influence biases.
They acknowledged that certain vocal nuances outside their control could have influenced participant evaluations.
The team is currently working on new guidelines for conducting voice line-ups.
They support preliminary testing to identify voice biases and caution against allowing prejudices based on voice or accent to influence judicial decisions.
Such stereotypes can have significant consequences within the legal system.
Study Details:
- Title: Stereotyped accent judgements in forensic contexts: listener perceptions of social traits and types of behaviour
- Authors: Alice Paver et al.
- Journal: Frontiers in Communication
- Publication Date: 2024
- DOI: 10.3389/fcomm.2024.1462013