Targeted high and low speech frequency bands to right and left ears respectively improve task performance and perceived sociability in dyadic conversations

Abstract

Past research shows that the lower nonverbal frequencies of the human voice, beneath .5 kHz, transmit an acoustic signal promoting social convergence and status accommodation between human interlocutors. We conducted a laboratory experiment and a validation study to explore the possible communications benefits of targeting the low-frequency band to the left ears of human participants and the high-frequency band to the right ears. We compare this “Enhanced” condition with two other conditions: a “Confounded” condition, in which the low-frequency band was targeted to participants’ right ears and the higher-frequency band to their left ears; and a Control condition, in which the entire unaltered frequency band was targeted to both ears. For the duration of their interaction, experiment participants engaged in dyadic conversations while attempting to complete a task via an audio-visual communication system. Our results show that both the speed and accuracy of task completion were significantly improved in the Enhanced condition. In the second validation study, groups of participants rated the quality of videotaped conversations from the experiment using a semantic differential instrument. The Enhanced condition conversations were rated significantly more affectively favourable than either the unaltered Control or Confounded condition conversations. Overall, our results exhibit potential for enhancing two-way electronic communications and improving task performances in media environments.