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Accent Cues Credibility: Children Preferentially Imitate and Trust Native-Accented Speakers

Rohrbeck, Kristin Leigh

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Children’s preferences for native speakers of their native language over foreign-accented speakers have been documented across a variety of different situations. Two experiments were used to test whether five- to six-year-old children (N=98) and adults (N=68) show the native-speaker preference when learning non-functional behaviors, a type of cultural information. In experiment 1, children imitated native-speakers’ non-functional behaviors more than foreign-accented speakers’ non-functional behaviors, but adults did not show any imitative preference. Experiment 2 tested whether children’s performance in Experiment 1 was due to a belief that native speakers are more credible sources of cultural information. Results from experiment 2 showed that children preferentially imitated non-functional behaviors of a credible native speaker but not a credible foreign-accented speaker. Adults imitated the non-functional behaviors of whichever speaker used explicit credibility cues. Results from both experiments suggest that, for children, native accent signals speaker credibility, but maybe not for adults.
Laura Wagner (Advisor)
Susan Johnson (Committee Member)
Russell Fazio (Committee Member)
45 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Rohrbeck, K. L. (2010). Accent Cues Credibility: Children Preferentially Imitate and Trust Native-Accented Speakers [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1279235380

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Rohrbeck, Kristin. Accent Cues Credibility: Children Preferentially Imitate and Trust Native-Accented Speakers. 2010. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1279235380.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Rohrbeck, Kristin. "Accent Cues Credibility: Children Preferentially Imitate and Trust Native-Accented Speakers." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1279235380

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)