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Questions and Answers
What was the aim of the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
What was the aim of the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
To test the hypothesis that a Brummie accent would be perceived as more guilty than a standard accent and to see whether race and type of crime committed influence how guilty a person is perceived.
How many independent variables were manipulated in the study?
How many independent variables were manipulated in the study?
3
What were the independent variables in the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
What were the independent variables in the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
Where did the Dixon et al. (2002) study take place?
Where did the Dixon et al. (2002) study take place?
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What was the total sample size in the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
What was the total sample size in the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
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What is a natural code-switcher, as defined in the context of the study?
What is a natural code-switcher, as defined in the context of the study?
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What was the occupation of the participants in the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
What was the occupation of the participants in the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
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Was the participation in the study part of the students' course?
Was the participation in the study part of the students' course?
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How many versions of the interview were created for the study?
How many versions of the interview were created for the study?
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How was the race of the suspect manipulated in the study?
How was the race of the suspect manipulated in the study?
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What was the crime used in the blue-collar condition of the study?
What was the crime used in the blue-collar condition of the study?
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What was the purpose of the Speech Evaluation Instrument (SEI) used in the study?
What was the purpose of the Speech Evaluation Instrument (SEI) used in the study?
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What does ANOVA stand for?
What does ANOVA stand for?
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Which factor from the SEI did not predict guilt?
Which factor from the SEI did not predict guilt?
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What was the primary finding of the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
What was the primary finding of the Dixon et al. (2002) study?
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Study Notes
Dixon et al (2002) Study - Summary
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Aim: To investigate whether a Brummie accent and race influence perceptions of guilt. Specifically, whether a suspect with a Brummie accent would be judged more guilty than one with a standard accent, and whether race and crime type impacted this.
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Independent Variables:
- Suspect's race (black/white)
- Type of crime (armed robbery/fraud)
- Suspect's accent (standard/Brummie)
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Study Location: University College, Worcester, Department of Psychology
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Sample Size: 119 undergraduate psychology students (all white)
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Participant Demographics: Majority female (95), a minority male (24), and all undergraduate psychology students. Participants from Birmingham were excluded.
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Experiment Design: 8 conditions, randomly assigned
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Procedure:
- Participants listened to a recorded police interview.
- The interview involved a police inspector and a suspect. Both roles were played by students.
- Two versions of the interview existed, one with a standard accent and one with a Brummie accent.
- The crime type and suspect's race were manipulated through the conversation.
- Participants completed two rating scales:
- Guilt (7-point scale, innocent to guilty)
- Speech Evaluation Instrument (SEI) assessing attitudes towards language.
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Results:
- Brummie suspects were rated as more guilty.
- Black suspects, specifically those accused of armed robbery, received higher guilt ratings.
- Superiority ratings from the SEI were lower for suspects with Brummie accents.
- Dynamism from the SEI did not correlate with perceived guilt ratings.
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Analysis: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) used to assess guilt ratings on the factor of accent.
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Conclusion: Accent, particularly a Brummie accent, may affect perceptions of guilt, possibly due to perceptions of trustworthiness and confidence associated with the accent, which may correlate with judgments of guilt in a suspect.
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Description
Explore the findings of the Dixon et al (2002) study which investigates the effects of accent and race on the perceptions of guilt. This quiz delves into the experiment's design, variables, and participant demographics, offering insights into how these factors influence judgments in a legal context.