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The present study was concerned with comparative judgments of vocal quality, speech fluency, and confidence of black and white speakers in southern universities. Specific objectives were to determine whether the following were related: (1) perception of vocal quality and judgment of confidence in the voice, (2) quality and fluency, (3) speech fluency and judgment of confidence; and to ascertain the differences between black and white speakers in vocal quality, speech fluency, and confidence. Stimuli were taken from a short passage read by 25 Negroes and 25 Caucasians. Using a seven-point scale, the following results were obtained: (1) the 50 speakers were correctly identified as to race by a majority of 36 listeners; (2) vocal quality and speech fluency were both perceived to be significantly better for white speakers; (3) confidence as perceived in the voice was also significantly better for white speakers; (4) relationships between all combinations of quality, fluency, and confidence were significant.

Undergraduate majors in speech pathology were relatively consistent in their judgments of articulatory productions. Speech pathology majors were more consistent in making judgments of correct productions than in the judgments of incorrect productions; they were more consistent in making judgments of sounds in words than in phrases or trios; and they were more consistent in making judgments between the first and second tests than between the first and third tests. Special training should be given to the identification of misarticulations.

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