Research has shown that local dialects play an important role in self, in-group, and cultural identity. But can they also impact our interaction with robots? This question is particularly relevant for social robots — the ones designed to interact with humans, such as classroom assistants or even the famous Sophia humanoid. To facilitate their relationship with people, these robots feature many anthropomorphic characteristics, including human-like appearance and voice. However, studies have so far been divided on whether the use of local dialects or standard language has a stronger effect on the perception of their trustworthiness and competence. To further shed…This story continues at The Next Web