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Accent Bias and Discrimination—March 13, 2025

What is Accent Bias?

Accent bias is a commonly overlooked form of discrimination. Our accent is part of our identity, and, unfortunately, we tend to assign people to certain categories based on their accent.

Upon initial meetings, we can linguistically profile someone and assume what their socioeconomic status, ethnic origin, background, and education level may be. In doing so, we are drawing upon often-negative stereotypes and assumptions.

The primary causes of accent bias and other related biases are social identity and what is known as ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the “view of things in which one’s own group is the center of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it.”1

What should you do to minimize accent bias?

  1. Acknowledge and be aware that we have this unconscious bias. Make an effort to look beyond prejudices related to the delivery of a message to its actual content.
  2. If you don’t understand what someone says, seek comprehension respectfully by asking the speaker to slow down, asking for clarification, or asking them to confirm if a paraphrase of what they said matches what they meant.
  3. Appreciate diverse perspectives as you experience them. Increased exposure to different accents can heighten our sensitivity to language and reduce the impact of ethnocentrism and this unconscious bias.
  4. Research shows that within 1 minute of listening, we can recognize words spoken by non-native speakers as quickly as that of native speakers, so if you find yourself having trouble understanding someone, stay patient, listen, and you’ll find yourself adjusting to their speech pattern quickly.

 

Further Reading:

Forbes: Accent Bias: How Can We Minimize Discrimination In The Workplace?

 

 

1 A Short Note on Accent–bias, Social Identity and Ethnocentrism