Could you please repeat it? The effect of language, and language variety on trust in multinational settings

Abstract

Does the language or dialect used in political messages affect people’s trust? While previous research has considered the question, little is known about how different languages and accents shape trust. Using an experimental matched-guise design in Catalonia, we test how standard Catalan, standard Spanish, and accented versions of both affect listeners’ trust in the speaker. We find that people generally trust the standard, non-accented version more, especially when it comes from their in-group. This effect is even stronger among individuals with a strong Catalan or Spanish identity–especially the latter–and among those on the far right.