As the workplace becomes increasingly global, organizations are more likely to employ persons from other countries whose accents clearly... Show moreAs the workplace becomes increasingly global, organizations are more likely to employ persons from other countries whose accents clearly identify them as different from the local workforce. Understanding the impact of accents in the workplace is important because accents can be salient in the same way as ethnicity, age, gender, and skin color and may be a source of employment discrimination. The present study looked at the influence of accents on the evaluation of job applicants during an interview for a human resource manager position. In addition, a path model was developed to understand the accent condition-hiring recommendation relationship. Participants were asked to evaluate an applicant with one of three accents (Midwestern, French, Mexican) at two understandability levels (low and high) by listening to an audiofile. The results showed that the applicant with the Midwestern accent was seen as more hireable than the applicant with the French-low understandability accent but contrary to expectations the applicant with the Mexican accent (low or high level of understandability) was not perceived as significantly less hireable than the French applicant. The path model indicated that the accent condition-hiring recommendation relationship was mediated by similarity, interpersonal attraction and understandability. Ph.D. in Psychology, May 2012 Show less
