Accent and stereotypes: Their effect on perceptions of teachers and lecture comprehension

Abstract

Abstract This study had three goals: 1) to argue that a topology of accents (British, North American English and Malaysian) based on similarity to the listener will yield different perceptions of accented teachers, 2) to assess the relationship between stereotypes and perceptions of teachers, and 3) to examine how accents affect comprehension. Results indicated that students assigned more favorable ratings to teachers with standard North American accents. Accentedness also affected comprehension. Subjects recalled more information from North American teachers than from British or Malaysian teachers. Stereotyping had no measurable effect on perception formation or comprehension.