Low-pitched Voice Research Articles

Sounds like a winner: voice pitch influences perception of leadership capacity in both men and women

It is well known that non-human animals respond to information encoded in vocal signals, and the same can be said of humans. Specifically, human voice pitch affects how speakers are perceived. As such, does voice pitch affect how we perceive and select our leaders? To answer this question, we recorded men and women saying 'I urge you to vote for me this November'. Each recording was manipulated digitally to yield a higher- and lower-pitched version of the original. We then asked men and women to vote for either the lower- or higher-pitched version of each voice. Our results show that both men and women select male and female leaders with lower voices. These findings suggest that men and women with lower-pitched voices may be more successful in obtaining positions of leadership. This might also suggest that because women, on average, have higher-pitched voices than men, voice pitch could be a factor that contributes to fewer women holding leadership roles than men. Additionally, while people are free to choose their leaders, these results clearly demonstrate that these choices cannot be understood in isolation from biological influences.

Preferences for Very Low and Very High Voice Pitch in Humans

Manipulations of voice pitch have been shown to alter attractiveness ratings, but whether preferences extend to very low or very high voice pitch is unknown. Here, we manipulated voice pitch in averaged men's and women's voices by 2 Hz intervals to create a range of male and female voices speaking monopthong vowel sounds and spanning a range of frequencies from normal to very low and very high pitch. With these voices, we used the method of constant stimuli to measure preferences for voice. Nineteen university students (ages: 20–25) participated in three experiments. On average, men preferred high-pitched women's voices to low-pitched women's voices across all frequencies tested. On average, women preferred men's voices lowered in pitch, but did not prefer very low men's voices. The results of this study may reflect selection pressures for men's and women's voices, and shed light on a perceptual link between voice pitch and vocal attractiveness.

An Improved Time Domain Pitch Detection Algorithm for Pathological Voice

Problem statement: The present study proposes a new pitch detection algorithm which could potentially be used to detect pitch for disordered or pathological voices. One of the parameters required for dysphonia diagnosis is pitch and this prompted the development of a new and reliable pitch detection algorithm capable of accurately detect pitch in disordered voices. Approach: The proposed method applies a technique where the frame size of the half wave rectified autocorrelation is adjusted to a smaller frame after two potential pitch candidates are identified within the preliminary frame. Results: The method is compared to PRAAT’s standard autocorrelation and the result shows a significant improvement in detecting pitch for pathological voices. Conclusion: The proposed method is more reliable way to detect pitch, either in low or high pitched voice without adjusting the window size, fixing the pitch candidate search range and predefining threshold like most of the standard autocorrelation do.

Low pitched voices are perceived as masculine and attractive but do they predict semen quality in men?

Women find masculinity in men's faces, bodies, and voices attractive, and women's preferences for men's masculine features are thought to be biological adaptations for finding a high quality mate. Fertility is an important aspect of mate quality. Here we test the phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis, which proposes that male secondary sexual characters are positively related to semen quality, allowing females to obtain direct benefits from mate choice. Specifically, we examined women's preferences for men's voice pitch, and its relationship with men's semen quality. Consistent with previous voice research, women judged lower pitched voices as more masculine and more attractive. However men with lower pitched voices did not have better semen quality. On the contrary, men whose voices were rated as more attractive tended to have lower concentrations of sperm in their ejaculate. These data are more consistent with a trade off between sperm production and male investment in competing for and attracting females, than with the phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis.

Voice pitch influences voting behavior

It may be adaptive for voters to recognize good leadership qualities among politicians. Men with lower-pitched voices are found to be more dominant and attractive than are men with higher-pitched voices. Candidate attractiveness and vocal quality relate to voting behavior, but no study has tested the influence of voice pitch on voting-related perceptions. We tested whether voice pitch influenced perceptions of politicians and how these perceptions related to voting behavior. In Study 1, we manipulated voice pitch of recordings of US presidents and asked participants to attribute personality traits to the voices and to choose the voice they preferred to vote for. We found that lower-pitched voices were associated with favorable personality traits more often than were higher-pitched voices and that people preferred to vote for politicians with lower-pitched rather than higher-pitched voices. Furthermore, lower voice pitch was more strongly associated with physical prowess than with integrity in a wartime voting scenario. Thus, sensitivity to vocal cues to dominance was heightened during wartime. In Study 2, we found that participants preferred to vote for the candidate with the lower-pitched voice when given the choice between two unfamiliar men's voices speaking a neutral sentence. Taken together, our results suggest that candidates' voice pitch has an important influence on voting behavior and that men with lower-pitched voices may have an advantage in political elections.

Sintomas vocais e sensações laríngeas em trabalhadores de uma usina de álcool e açúcar expostos a riscos ocupacionais

OBJETIVO: Investigar os sintomas vocais e sensações laríngeas dos trabalhadores de uma usina de álcool e açúcar expostos a ruído e/ou substâncias químicas. MÉTODOS: Participaram 289 trabalhadores de uma usina de álcool e açúcar distribuídos em cinco grupos expostos (I- ruído; II- ruído, óleo, graxa, derivação de petróleo; III- ruído, ácidos, sulfatos, cloretos, nitratos; IV- ruído, poeiras respiráveis e sílica livre cristalizada; V- óleo, graxa, derivação de petróleo) e um grupo controle que responderam o questionário Condições de Produção Vocal - Professor adaptado à categoria profissional. Os grupos foram comparados em relação aos sintomas vocais, sensações laríngeas, tabagismo e riscos físicos e químicos. Esta comparação foi realizada por meio de análise estatística. RESULTADOS: O sintoma vocal e a sensação laríngea mais relatados pelos trabalhadores foram voz grave e tosse com catarro, respectivamente. Considerando o risco físico no ambiente de trabalho, os grupos I e IV foram os que mais citaram presença de ruído. Devido à sua exposição, os mesmos aumentavam a intensidade da voz (Efeito de Lombard-Tarneaud) e, assim, mencionaram sintomas vocais. Em relação aos riscos químicos no ambiente ocupacional, o grupo IV foi o que mais referiu presença de poeira e fumaça, e estas eram compostas por poeiras respiráveis e sílica. Tais exposições ocasionam sintomas vocais e sensações laríngeas e, consequentemente, alterações vocais. CONCLUSÃO: Sintomas vocais e sensações laríngeas podem estar relacionados a atividade profissional em que haja exposição a riscos físicos e/ou químicos.

Queixas de voz em agentes comunitários de saúde: correlação entre problemas gerais de saúde, hábitos de vida e aspectos vocais

OBJETIVO: Verificar as queixas de voz e correlacioná-las à autorreferência de problemas gerais de saúde, hábitos de vida e aspectos vocais, em um grupo de Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (ACS). MÉTODOS: Participaram 28 ACS, os quais responderam a um questionário sobre dados pessoais, tempo de atuação como ACS, aspectos gerais de saúde, hábitos de vida e aspectos vocais. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente. RESULTADOS: Dos ACS participantes, 42,9% relataram queixas de voz e as atribuíram às seguintes causas: exposição ao frio (30,7%), infecção respiratória (23,7%) e uso intensivo da voz (23,0%). Foi observada associação significativa entre a presença de queixas de voz e as relacionadas a problemas emocionais (p=0,009) e problemas na coluna (p=0,038). Os sintomas vocais mais citados foram: rouquidão (33,3%), falta de ar (32,1%), falha na voz (14,2%), voz grossa (14,2%) e voz variando grossa/fina (14,2%). Em relação aos sintomas laringofaríngeos, os ACS mencionaram: garganta seca (32,1%), cansaço ao falar (32,1%), tosse seca (28,5%), secreção na garganta (25%) e ardor na garganta (21,4%). Quando tais sintomas, vocais e laringofaríngeos, foram correlacionados com a presença de queixas de voz, foi verificada associação significativa com os sintomas vocais: rouquidão (p=0,001), falha na voz (p=0,024) e voz grossa (p=0,024). CONCLUSÃO: Houve expressiva porcentagem, dentre os ACS, de queixas de voz, caracterizadas, principalmente, pela presença de rouquidão, falha na voz e voz grossa. Problemas na coluna e emocionais mostraram-se associados à presença de queixas de voz.

Birth Control Does Not Significantly Alter Women’s Preferences for Variants of Men’s Voices

AbstractResearch shows that women‘s preferences for masculine voices (low pitch) vary as a function of the menstrual cycle, becoming positively augmented around ovulation. The proximate cause catalyzing this effect is attributed to fluctuating estrogen levels. Thus, the introduction of hormonally based birth control has been to shown to have a dampening effect in experiments researching women‘s preference of dimorphic secondary sexual characteristics. However, this dampening effect has not yet been explored in respect to women‘s preferences for masculine voice types. This experiment sought, first, to investigate the effect of birth control on subjects off and on birth control; and, second, to replicate past findings: Women‘s preference for masculine voice types increases during ovulation.Six voice stimuli were created from voice recordings of two men speaking monopthong vowels. Each recording‘s pitch was increased or decreased 3%. Subjects rated the attractiveness of each stimulus using a five point Likert type scale. Results showed that women (n = 145; 85 off and 60 on birth control, average age = 23.1±4.57) preferred the naturally lower pitched voice; though, this preference could not be attributed to pitch, solely. Fourth order polynomial regression analysis revealed preference for deep voice pitch was not influenced by ovulation, though significant fluctuation in preference occurred over the cycle. Lastly, there were no significant differences in preference scores between the on and off birth control samples. The authors discuss multiple methodological and statistical methods in respect to these novel findings.

Reinke Edema Finding on Positron Emission Tomography

Long-term cigarette smoke exposure has been described as an etiological factor in a myriad of aberrant conditions of the vocal folds, including carcinoma, and a range of benign responses, including Reinke edema (RE). Clinically, RE is described as unilateral or bilateral swelling of the entire vocal fold with hypermobility during phonation. 1 Although historically RE was thought to be a precancerous lesion, current thinking holds that RE is a benign process characterized by altered number and size of microvessels within the subepithelial space and compromised intercellular junctions, especially in basal and spinous layers. 2 Within the lamina propria, the generally organized collagen architecture is disrupted. 3 Cumulatively, these alterations to the delicate, layered structure of the vocal folds often lead to the characteristic rough, low-pitched voice found in RE. In severe cases, airway obstruction due to marked RE has been reported.

Congenital laryngoptosis: An unusual case

Laryngoptosis is a rare anomaly of the larynx. The larynx is localized in a position lower than its normal position. A 15-year-old boy presented with hoarseness of voice. Physical examination showed that the larynx was in an abnormal position. There were no palpated tracheal rings. A low-pitched monotonic voice was the only symptom of laryngoptosis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the larynx was almost localized on the manibrium sterni, and the diagnosis was laryngoptosis.

Variation in perceptions of physical dominance and trustworthiness predicts individual differences in the effect of relationship context on women's preferences for masculine pitch in men's voices

Several studies have found that women tend to demonstrate stronger preferences for masculine men as short-term partners than as long-term partners, though there is considerable variation among women in the magnitude of this effect. One possible source of this variation is individual differences in the extent to which women perceive masculine men to possess antisocial traits that are less costly in short-term relationships than in long-term relationships. Consistent with this proposal, here we show that the extent to which women report stronger preferences for men with low (i.e., masculine) voice pitch as short-term partners than as long-term partners is associated with the extent to which they attribute physical dominance and low trustworthiness to these masculine voices. Thus, our findings suggest that variation in the extent to which women attribute negative personality characteristics to masculine men predicts individual differences in the magnitude of the effect of relationship context on women's masculinity preferences, highlighting the importance of perceived personality attributions for individual differences in women's judgments of men's vocal attractiveness and, potentially, their mate preferences.

Impact of Voice Pitch on Text Memory

Previous research on communication has demonstrated that the quality of a speaker’s voice affects the attitude of the audience toward the speaker. The present study aimed to find out whether the pitch of a speaker’s voice affects the listener’s memory for the contents of the texts read. Stimulus materials consisted of three different texts spoken by different male speakers in different average pitches (measured as F0 in Hz). The original speech samples were digitally manipulated to produce predefined pitches. Both original and manipulated texts were then presented to participants as learning material. The results indicate a linear correlation between pitch and speaker rating in so far as low-pitched voices were rated more positively than high-pitched voices. Concerning the retention of content, it was shown that, in long-term memory, both high- and low-pitched voices led to better results than medium-pitched voices. This result was independent of whether the speech samples represented natural or manipulated voices.

The Effect of Mating Motives on Risk Taking Likelihood Assessment in Men

According to sexual selection theory,intra-sex competition mainly among males leads to male characteristics known as weapons.The large body size and thick proboscis of male elephant seals and the robust horns and antlers of various ungulate stags are well-known examples of weapons.Inter-sex selection or mate choice,mostly exercised by the limiting sex or females,leads male characteristics known as ornaments.The vibrant colors of the guppy and the bright plumage of various birds are examples of ornaments.Whereas human males possess similar physical sex-dimorphic characteristics such as larger body frames (weapons),and lower voice pitch (ornaments),human sex-dimorphism is mainly shown as weapon-like (e.g.,aggression) and ornament-like behavior (e.g.,bragging).Human risk taking is such an ornament-like behavior because,like all ornaments which are functionally useless but are yet costly to sustain,risk taking behavior brings danger to its carriers without apparent functional purposes.Like ornaments,risk taking behavior is preferred by conspecific females who find its male carriers sexually attractive.The purpose of the present study was to test sexual selection theory on humans by investigating the association between risk-taking behavior and mating motives among men but not women.This hypothesis was tested against the rival hypothesis that risk taking may be externally motivated by monetary reward that renders similar effects on both men and women.These hypotheses were tested on a sample of 127 graduate students (62 males,mean age=21.47;SD= 1.59).In a between-group design,participants were exposed,on a computer screen,either to attractive opposite-sex pictures (the mating condition) or pictures of money or medals (the control or monetary reward condition).These two conditions were manipulated as a simple perceptual task where participants were instructed to decide on the location of each picture as it flashes on the screen (500 ms) by pressing one of two keys on the keyboard.This is to distract the participants from being aware of the intended experimental manipulation (mating versus monetary reward).To facilitate this distraction,attractive opposite sex pictures were also mixed with a small number of average-looking opposite sex pictures,and the monetary award pictures were mixed with a small number of non-reward scenes.After the picture exposure,each participant was given 19 different risk taking scenarios and was asked to assess the likelihood the participant would engage in each of the risk-taking behavior.The 19 risk-taking scenarios represent four domains of risk,including financial,health,social,and recreational risk.Composite scores representing the four domains were used as the dependent variables.Except for one of the four dependent variables,A 2 (mating vs.reward) × 2 (gender of the participants) ANOVA did not yield a significant interaction effect.However,separate t-tests were statistically significant,showing that men indicated higher likelihood to take risk after being exposed to attractive opposite-sex pictures than to reward pictures,whereas women did not show the difference in risk taking likelihood assessment besides social risk.Taking health risk for example,M=21.03 vs.18.67 under the mating vs.reward condition for men.The mean difference was statistically significant,p.01.For women,M=17.94 and 17.35,respectively.Other mean comparisons showed similar results which are reported in Table 1 in the main text.The results support sexual selection theory.Like most mammals,human males but not females have acquired ornament-like behaviors which are driven by mating motives.When attractive women are around,men are more likely to engage in functionally useless and potentially harmful behavior,which,however,are "useful" in the sense that they serve as signals of good genes.Thus,men's risk taking is driven by mating motives.Women are drawn to men's risk taking behavior for the same sexual selection reason,i.e.,women use the signals to select quality mates.In part to address reviewers' concerns,motives and need states serve as proximate cues that drive our behavior both consciously and unconsciously.In everyday life,mating motives,like many other motives,may remain unconscious most of the time which nonetheless drive and shape our behavior as is shown by the present study.

Vocal and Physiological Changes in Response to the Physical Attractiveness of Conversational Partners

We examined how individuals may change their voices when speaking to attractive versus unattractive individuals, and if it were possible for others to perceive these vocal changes. In addition, we examined if any concurrent physiological effects occurred when speaking with individuals who varied in physical attractiveness. We found that both sexes used a lower-pitched voice and showed a higher level of physiological arousal when speaking to the more attractive, opposite-sex target. Furthermore, independent raters evaluated the voice samples directed toward the attractive target (versus the unattractive target) as sounding more pleasant when the two voice samples from the same person presented had a reasonably perceptually noticeable difference in pitch. These findings may have implications for the role voice plays in mate selection and attraction.

Analysis of voice in patients with untreated active acromegaly

Voice changes are common clinical findings of acromegaly, although scanty data are available so far. To analyze features and quantify changes of voice in patients with untreated active acromegaly. This was a pilot case-control study. Voice was analyzed using the Multi Dimensional Voice Program software, which generates 33 parameters related to fundamental frequency (F0), micro-perturbation of F0 and amplitude, noise, tremor, voice breaks and irregularities, and diplophony. Thirteen consecutive patients (8 women, 5 men, mean age 48+/-9 yr) with active acromegaly, at first diagnosis, and 13 sex- and age-matched normal subjects (controls). Patients with untreated active acromegaly had mean values of parameters related to F0 significantly lower than those of controls, although mostly remaining in the normal range. Most acromegalic patients had micro-perturbation of F0, as indicated by higher mean of absolute or percentage jitter values than those of controls; micro-perturbation of amplitude was a common feature of voice in most acromegalic men. Noise-related parameters were also affected by acromegaly, being higher in male acromegalic patients than in controls and acromegalic women. On the contrary, parameters related to tremors, voice breaks, voice irregularities and diplophony did not differ in acromegalic patients and controls. Patients with untreated active acromegaly had low-pitched voice characterized by lowering F0 and increased values related to noise, micro perturbation of frequency, and amplitude.

A Case of Pediatric Virilizing Adrenocortical Tumor Resulting in Hypothalamic-pituitary Activation and Central Precocious Puberty Following Surgical Removal

We present a 6-year-old boy with a virilizing adrenocortical tumor who initially presented with peripheral precocious puberty. Development of facial acne, pubic hair and a growth spurt were noted at the age of five. A low-pitched voice as well as maturation of external genitalia was noted at the age of six. Both serum and urinary levels of adrenal androgens were elevated. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a large right suprarenal mass and he underwent surgical resection without any complications. The histological diagnosis was adrenocortical carcinoma according to the criteria of Weiss. Following surgical removal of the androgen-producing tumor, the patient subsequently developed hypothalamic-pituitary activation and demonstrated central precocious puberty. He was treated with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in order to delay further pubertal progression. Clinical follow-up of potential secondary effects of excess hormone secretion after removal is important in some pediatric patients with virilizing adrenocortical tumor.

Voice pitch alters mate-choice-relevant perception in hunter–gatherers

In humans, voice pitch is thought to be a cue of underlying quality and an important criterion for mate choice, but data from non-Western cultures have not been provided. Here we test attributions to and preferences for voices with raised and lowered pitch in hunter-gatherers. Using a forced-choice playback experiment, we found that both men and women viewed lower pitched voices in the opposite sex as being better at acquiring resources (e.g. hunting and gathering). While men preferred higher pitched women's voices as marriage partners, women showed no overall preference for voice pitch in men. However, women who were currently breastfeeding had stronger preferences for higher pitched male voices whereas women not currently breastfeeding preferred lower pitched voices. As testosterone is considered a costly signal associated with dominance, heritable immunity to infection and low paternal investment, women's preferences potentially reflect a trade-off between securing good genes and paternal investment. Men's preferences for higher pitched female voices are probably due to an evolved preference for markers of fecundity, reflected in voice pitch.

Mudanças em comportamentos relacionados com o uso da voz após intervenção fonoaudiológica junto a educadoras de creche

preventive programs have been used with teachers with the purpose of lowering the number of risk factors for voice disorders. However, few studies have focused on the effectiveness of these programs. to assess changes in behaviors that are considered, according to the specific literature, as having a negative impact on the voice, during a speech therapy intervention program offered to educators. an experimental study where a theoretical-practical program involving the professional use of voice was developed with 26 educators from two day care centers of São Paulo. This program involved five monthly meetings, working up to a total of twelve hours. During the program, topics concerning negative behaviors that affect the voice were discussed. On four of the meetings the educators filled in a protocol, making it possible to analyze the frequency on which they presented those specific behaviors. Later on, scores were given to the answers on the protocol in order to compare the findings during the program. For this comparison the statistical test of Wilcoxon and the linear tendency chi-square test were used. the gradual decrease in the use of voice out of work was observed, as well as in speaking with a very low or high pitch voice and in eating excessively before sleeping. There was an increase in the occurrence of coughing in the third application of the protocol. As for the overall monthly averages, statistically significant differences were not found when comparing the four applications of the protocol. The overall average score was of 11.75, which was considered moderately abusive. the changes that were observed during the program were interesting, but very restrict which makes one wonder about the real effects of this kind of practice and how much broader changes rely on small individual changes. Actions that involve information about vocal well-being exclusively should be revised.

Index of Suspicion

Index of Suspicion

Voice pitch predicts reproductive success in male hunter-gatherers.

The validity of evolutionary explanations of vocal sexual dimorphism hinges upon whether or not individuals with more sexually dimorphic voices have higher reproductive success than individuals with less dimorphic voices. However, due to modern birth control methods, these data are rarely described, and mating success is often used as a second-rate proxy. Here, we test whether voice pitch predicts reproductive success, number of children born and child mortality in an evolutionarily relevant population of hunter-gatherers. While we find that voice pitch is not related to reproductive outcomes in women, we find that men with low voice pitch have higher reproductive success and more children born to them. However, voice pitch in men does not predict child mortality. These findings suggest that the association between voice pitch and reproductive success in men is mediated by differential access to fecund women. Furthermore, they show that there is currently selection pressure for low-pitch voices in men.