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Reading (between) the lines: Individual differences in emotion processing of native- and foreign-accented speech
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- Author(s) / Creator(s)
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Previous literature on foreign-accented speech processing indicates the presence of an accent can influence perception and comprehension across multiple levels of language processing, but emotion inferencing appears to remain as one unexplored area in this context. To our knowledge, this research is the first of its kind to investigate whether differences exist in emotion processing of native- and foreign-accented speech, and if so, whether these differences are modulated by listener personality traits. This study utilized short constructed narratives that implied the emotional state of a character who was described as either a native or non-native speaker. Participants read the narratives then rated the emotional valence of the speaker using a Likert-type scale. Personality traits were recorded using the HEXACO Personality Inventory and the Wilson-Patterson Conservatism Scale (W-P). The results suggested that certain participant personality traits influenced emotion perceptions rather than the speaker’s accent. In the context of negative stories, lower Openness to Experience led to less negative emotion interpretations, while higher Conscientiousness led to more negative emotion interpretations. These findings highlight the relevance of individual differences in emotion processing and, while an accent effect was not found, future exploration into this area of study with foreign accents is still encouraged.
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- Date created
- 2024-04-30
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- Subjects / Keywords
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- Type of Item
- Research Material