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Social-Organizational Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia University

Social-Organizational Psychology

Research > Loriann Roberson

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Loriann Roberson

Workgroup Members:

  • Loriann Roberson
  • Mateo Cruz
  • Rachel Fudman
  • Regina Kim
  • DeMarcus Pegues

Current Research:

Stereotype Threats and Non-Native Accents
Decades of research in both English and non-English speaking countries have shown that non-native speakers are perceived more negatively than native speakers.  Non-native speakers are judged by native speakers as less pleasant to listen to, as less intelligent, less loyal, less credible, and less competent (Gluszek & Dovidio, 2010a; Lev-Avi & Keyner, 2010).

By taking the perspective that accent is a part of one’s social identity and an important cue for social categorization on the part of listeners (Lev-Avi & Keyner, 2010; Rakic, Steffens, & Mummendey, 2011),  this research explores the impact of stereotype threat on performance and outcomes for non-native speakers.  This project also examines additional compensatory strategies people use in the face of threat.  Moreover, it explores the effects of non-native accents on team dynamics and effectiveness, and interventions to reduce the negative effects of stereotype threat for non-native speakers.