Implicit bias and the L2 perception of the Peninsular Spanish interdental fricative /θ/

Abstract

Research on second language acquisition of regional variation shows that learners’ adoption of regionally variable forms depends on various (extra)linguistic factors (

). Only some regional features are adopted by L2 learners (). Explicit learner attitudes have been examined to understand this discrepancy (). However, explicit attitudes may not align with implicit biases. This study investigates implicit biases toward the Peninsular Spanish interdental fricative, /θ/, among beginner-level L2 learners. An Implicit Association Test with auditory stimuli reveals a significant implicit negative bias against /θ/. Factors such as motivation for studying Spanish and explicit opinions about /θ/ constrain this bias. These findings enhance our understanding of the relationship between language attitudes, sociolinguistic competence, and L2 acquisition.