The Effects of Mere Exposure on Responses to Foreign-Accented Speech

The present study examined the effects of repeated exposure to the accent (standard American English vs. Asian Indian) of a prospective college professor on participants\u27 cognitive reactions, affective reactions, and passage comprehension. Based on data collected from 115 undergraduate students, results showed that an Asian Indian-accented professor was perceived as being less competent, less likable, but more motivated than a standard American English speaking professor. In addition, the trustworthiness of the Asian Indian-accented professor decreased over time as well as participants\u27 negative opinions of the professor. Finally, the results of the study indicate that when listening to the professor\u27s foreign accent, participants\u27 passage comprehension declined over time. The implications of these findings are discussed