Abstract:
Accents in the United States are associated with different stereotypes, and these stereotypes can
affect the way an individual perceives not only a speaker, but their message. The current study
aims to analyze the effects of an individual’s accent on persuasion by examining perceptions of
the personality characteristics of a Southern- and Midwestern-accented speaker, and whether those
perceptions influence the persuasiveness of the speaker’s message. Participants listened to a
persuasive message regarding a fictitious backpack that is spoken in either a Southern American
or a Midwestern American accent. The personality characteristics that were studied include
warmth and competence. In order to assess persuasion, participants were asked to rate the quality
of the backpack, as well as answer questions regarding intent to purchase. I hypothesized that the
Southern speaker will be rated as warmer than the Midwestern speaker, while the Midwestern
speaker will be rated as more competent than the Southern speaker. Also, I hypothesized that
speaker accent will ultimately impact persuasion. If competence is a more important factor in
persuasion, then the Midwestern accent will be more persuasive. If warmth is a more important
factor in persuasion, then the Southern accent will be more persuasive. Results indicate that the
Midwestern speaker is rated higher in competence than the Southern speaker. There were no
differences found regarding warmth, and accent was not found to affect persuasion.
