Some accents ‘sound guiltier than others’ – see what people think about yours

New research has revealed that some accents sound ‘guiltier’ than others – and stereotyped as more likely to have committed a crime.

Researchers asked 180 participants to listen to recordings of 10 male voices with different accents and rate a series of statements on social traits and behaviours.

The accents were: Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newcastle and standard Southern British English.

Participants who listened to the accents were asked to rate statements about behaviours for them, including ‘drive dangerously’, ‘physically assault someone’, ‘shoplift’, ‘touch someone sexually without consent’ and ‘vandalise a shop front’.

The study indicated that the Liverpool and Bradford accents were perceived as most likely to behave in criminal ways.

The London and Liverpool accents were rated most likely to touch someone sexually without consent, but they were very closely followed by the RP accent.

Participants thought the standard Southern accent was more likely to commit a sexual assault than any of the other offences tested.

Researchers noted there was a significant correlation between accents rated as working class and perceived likelihood to commit crimes.

Received pronunciation was perceived as the highest status accent and least likely to commit crimes overall, with the exception of a sexual offence.

Lead author Alice Paver, of Cambridge University, said: ‘This may indicate shifting perceptions of the ‘type’ of man who can and does commit sexual offences.’

The voice samples used in the study were made in a similar way to those used in voice ID parades, aiming to reflect how a juror or earwitness would experience them in the criminal justice system.

‘Our findings bring into sharp focus the disadvantage that speakers of some accents may still face in the criminal justice system,’ Paver said.

‘As things stand, listeners think some accents sound guiltier than others and we should all be concerned about that.’

Non-English accents, in particular from Belfast and Glasgow, were rated significantly less likely to behave in criminal ways than almost all other accents. They were also thought most likely to ‘stand up for someone being harassed’.

The Glasgow and Belfast speakers were thought to be the least likely to commit this sexual offence.

Previous studies have found that the Newcastle accent rates highly for traits such as friendliness, but this study recorded less positive ratings for kindness, honesty, friendliness and trustworthiness.

By contrast, the Birmingham accent, which has rated poorly in previous research across these measures, performed better than Bradford, Bristol, Liverpool, London and Newcastle in this study.

The research, in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University, is published in the journal Frontiers in Communication.

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