Children’s Vocal Properties as Mobilizers of Stress-Related Physiological Responses in Adults

Abstract

We measured the ways that women with varying degrees of perceived power respond physiologically to children’s elevated vocal pitch (F0 : fundamental frequency), a social dependence/immaturity cue. Listeners believed either that they would provide instructions or make judgments about the children they heard. As predicted, women with low perceived power in caregiving relationships (i.e., who attributed greater power to children than to self) were highly reactive to children’s pitch properties—in particular, when they anticipated providing instructions. When expecting to provide instructions to children with higher F0 voices, women with low perceived power showed elevations in cortisol levels and heart rate (consistent with defensive mobilization for threat). In all other pairings of women and children, cortisol and heart rate levels held relatively constant or declined. In addition, women with low perceived power showed better recall of messages from children with higher F0 voices than lower F0 voices. Implications are drawn for interaction patterns that foster caregiving stress and conflict.