Bath Spa University - Yorkshire lasses shine brighter

A northern accent can have a positive effect on how intelligent you appear to other people, according to researchers at Bath Spa University. Researchers Lance Workman and Hayley-Jane Smith asked 48 people to look at photos of models while listening to recordings of women with different accents. As well as Received Pronunciation, participants heard women speaking with Birmingham accents, Yorkshire accents and even silence. The models associated with Yorkshire accents were seen as most intelligent, while those with Birmingham accents were seen as less intelligent than those paired with silence.