A new report has confirmed that people with cockney accents are still widely viewed as less intelligent. Researchers found that when the same person spoke in a cockney voice, listeners assumed they had fewer GCSEs and a worse attitude to punctuality.
In one test the same man introduced himself twice. Once as Daniel and once as Danny from Dagenham. Daniel was seen as professional and capable. Danny was seen as someone who probably calls in sick after payday.
Participants were also more likely to trust medical advice read in a Scottish or Northern accent, but less likely to believe a cockney speaker knew how to spell the word “pharmaceutical.” Researchers said the findings show a continuing bias, though no one could quite say against what.
