Seminario CEDE - Leopoldo Fergusson

Can accents change how individuals interact with others and their social beliefs? This study investigates the impact of accents on social interactions using conjoint experiments within an online survey of 6,000 Colombian respondents. Participants evaluated pairs of hypothetical profiles, each accompanied by audio clips of voices with accents indicative of varying socio-economic statuses. The profiles included additional details on income, education, and other relevant attributes. Our results reveal a significant "accent premium," where profiles featuring high-class accents are consistently favored over those with lower-class accents across social and professional contexts. Notably, this preference does not extend to foreign high-class accents. Further analysis demonstrates that class-based accents influence perceptions of inequality—particularly heightening concerns among participants of lower socio-economic status—and diminish interpersonal trust. These findings highlight the role of accents in reinforcing socio-economic barriers and offer insights for policies aimed at reducing inequality and enhancing social mobility.