Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
This research proposal investigates how southern accents impact hiring decisions. Specifically, it examines whether an applicant with a neutral American accent will be hired at a higher rate than an applicant with a southern accent. Perceived professionalism, competence, and intelligence are suggested mediators for the relationship between accent and hiring decision. Additionally, it is hypothesized that perceived similarity and geographical location will moderate the relationship between accent and evaluations related to hiring (professionalism, competence, and intelligence). Participants will be sampled from a geographically diverse range of universities and randomly assigned to one of four conditions: female applicant with a neutral American accent, female applicant with a southern accent, male applicant with a neutral American accent, and male applicant with a southern accent. Male and female applicants are included in order to explore possible sex differences in accent evaluation. Participants will be shown a job description for a human resources manager position and then listen to an audio recording of an interview with an applicant for the position. Participants will then be asked to evaluate the applicant’s professionalism, competence, intelligence, similarity to themselves, and to make a hiring recommendation regarding the applicant. While many studies examine hiring discrimination based on aspects of physical appearance, relatively fewer consider other aspects of an individual that may trigger the activation of negative stereotypes. This study seeks to fill a gap in the research and further understanding of accent-based discrimination. It also seeks to illuminate mediating and moderating factors that impact accent-based discrimination.
Date
10-24-2020
Subject
Industrial and organizational psychology
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Included in
Y'all ain't fair: Discrimination against southern accents in hiring decisions
This research proposal investigates how southern accents impact hiring decisions. Specifically, it examines whether an applicant with a neutral American accent will be hired at a higher rate than an applicant with a southern accent. Perceived professionalism, competence, and intelligence are suggested mediators for the relationship between accent and hiring decision. Additionally, it is hypothesized that perceived similarity and geographical location will moderate the relationship between accent and evaluations related to hiring (professionalism, competence, and intelligence). Participants will be sampled from a geographically diverse range of universities and randomly assigned to one of four conditions: female applicant with a neutral American accent, female applicant with a southern accent, male applicant with a neutral American accent, and male applicant with a southern accent. Male and female applicants are included in order to explore possible sex differences in accent evaluation. Participants will be shown a job description for a human resources manager position and then listen to an audio recording of an interview with an applicant for the position. Participants will then be asked to evaluate the applicant’s professionalism, competence, intelligence, similarity to themselves, and to make a hiring recommendation regarding the applicant. While many studies examine hiring discrimination based on aspects of physical appearance, relatively fewer consider other aspects of an individual that may trigger the activation of negative stereotypes. This study seeks to fill a gap in the research and further understanding of accent-based discrimination. It also seeks to illuminate mediating and moderating factors that impact accent-based discrimination.
Department
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dept. of Psychology