Speaking with an Accent Tied to Chronic Stress
Immigrants whose first language is not English and others who speak with non-native accents experience anxiety and stress related to communication on a regular basis, according to a study by Yale researchers reported in the most recent issue of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology.
The researchers, Agata Gluszek and John Dovidio, say their research demonstrates that the expectation of being treated with bias or a lack of respect is an additional problem for those who speak with accents, above and beyond the more obvious problem of difficulties in communication.
They also found that speaking with a regional accent did not have the same effect as speaking with a nonnative accent: native speakers of English whose speech was characterized by strong regional accents did not have the same expectation that people would respect them less because of their accents or treat them differently.
Gluszek and Dovidio also found that speaking with a nonnative accent reduced people’s sense of belonging in their community. Although this effect was somewhat worse for those speakers who found it more difficult to communicate, communication difficulties could not account for the entire effect. Even speakers who had little difficulty communicating felt less like they belonged than native speakers with regional accents.
The study indicated that nonnative speakers perceive cultural bias against them to be worse, the stronger they believe their accent is. Thus, feelings of not belonging and daily stress associated with communication are increased for speakers who have stronger nonnative accents.
The researchers also found that overall, nonnative speakers report fewer communication problems than native speakers perceive them to have. They theorize this might lead the native speakers to avoid talking with nonnative speakers, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy (communication can’t be good if it doesn’t happen).
As Gluszek and Dovidio point out, most research on bias and accents has focused on the bias or discriminatory behavior of listeners. This study is one of the first to focus on the perceptions of nonnative speakers regarding their own speech. The researchers suggest that future studies should address the differences in perception of bias of speakers with different kinds of accents, among other issues. Understanding intercultural communication is increasingly important as worldwide migration continues.