The Influence of an Alaska Native Accent and Reputation on Perceived Therapist Credibility

In this study, we examined the influence of an Alaska Native (AN) accent and reputation on perceived therapist credibility after controlling for universal-diverse orientation. Participants listened to and rated therapist audio recordings that differed in AN accent (strong, minimal) and reputational cues (expert, recent graduate, student). While credibility ratings of the accent conditions did not differ in the expert and recent graduate scenarios, the graduate student therapist was seen as less attractive and useful when she spoke with a strong accent.