Effects of Voice Pitch on Social Perceptions Vary With Relational Mobility and Homicide Rate

Toe Aung; Alexander K. Hill; Jessica K. Hlay; Catherine Hess; Michael Hess; Janie Johnson; Leslie Doll; Sara M. Carlson; Caroline Magdinec; Isaac G-Santoyo; Robert S. Walker; Drew Bailey; Steven Arnocky; Shanmukh Kamble; Tom Vardy; Thanos Kyritsis; Quentin Atkinson; Benedict Jones; Jessica Burns; Jeremy Koster; Gonzalo Palomo-Vélez; Joshua M. Tybur; José Muñoz-Reyes; Bryan K. C. Choy; Norman P. Li; Verena Klar; Carlota Batres; Patricia Bascheck; Christoph Schild; Lars Penke; Farid Pazhoohi; Karen Kemirembe; Jaroslava Varella Valentova; Marco Antonio Correa Varella; Caio Santos Alves da Silva; Martha Borras-Guevara; Carolyn Hodges-Simeon; Moritz Ernst; Collin Garr; Bin-Bin Chen; David Puts

doi:10.1177/09567976231222288

Effects of Voice Pitch on Social Perceptions Vary With Relational Mobility and Homicide Rate

Toe Aung, Alexander K. Hill, Jessica K. Hlay, Catherine Hess, Michael Hess, Janie Johnson, Leslie Doll, Sara M. Carlson, Caroline Magdinec, Isaac G-Santoyo, Robert S. Walker, Drew Bailey, Steven Arnocky, Shanmukh Kamble, Tom Vardy, Thanos Kyritsis, Quentin Atkinson, Benedict Jones, Jessica Burns, Jeremy KosterGonzalo Palomo-Vélez, Joshua M. Tybur, José Muñoz-Reyes, Bryan K. C. Choy, Norman P. Li, Verena Klar, Carlota Batres, Patricia Bascheck, Christoph Schild, Lars Penke, Farid Pazhoohi, Karen Kemirembe, Jaroslava Varella Valentova, Marco Antonio Correa Varella, Caio Santos Alves da Silva, Martha Borras-Guevara, Carolyn Hodges-Simeon, Moritz Ernst, Collin Garr, Bin-Bin Chen, David Puts

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

9 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Fundamental frequency ( fo) is the most perceptually salient vocal acoustic parameter, yet little is known about how its perceptual influence varies across societies. We examined how fo affects key social perceptions and how socioecological variables modulate these effects in 2,647 adult listeners sampled from 44 locations across 22 nations. Low male fo increased men’s perceptions of formidability and prestige, especially in societies with higher homicide rates and greater relational mobility in which male intrasexual competition may be more intense and rapid identification of high-status competitors may be exigent. High female fo increased women’s perceptions of flirtatiousness where relational mobility was lower and threats to mating relationships may be greater. These results indicate that the influence of fo on social perceptions depends on socioecological variables, including those related to competition for status and mates.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	250-262
Number of pages	13
Journal	Psychological Science
Volume	35
Issue number	3
Early online date	30 Jan 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976231222288
Publication status	Published - Mar 2024

Keywords

attractiveness
cross-cultural
formidability
fundamental frequency
open data
preregistration
voice pitch

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/09567976231222288Licence: CC BY 4.0

aung-et-al-2024-effects-of-voice-pitch-on-social-perceptions-vary-with-relational-mobility-and-homicide-rateFinal published version, 4.36 MBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Cite this

Aung, T., Hill, A. K., Hlay, J. K., Hess, C., Hess, M., Johnson, J., Doll, L., Carlson, S. M., Magdinec, C., G-Santoyo, I., Walker, R. S., Bailey, D., Arnocky, S., Kamble, S., Vardy, T., Kyritsis, T., Atkinson, Q., Jones, B., Burns, J., ... Puts, D. (2024). Effects of Voice Pitch on Social Perceptions Vary With Relational Mobility and Homicide Rate. Psychological Science, 35(3), 250-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976231222288

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title = "Effects of Voice Pitch on Social Perceptions Vary With Relational Mobility and Homicide Rate",

abstract = "Fundamental frequency ( fo) is the most perceptually salient vocal acoustic parameter, yet little is known about how its perceptual influence varies across societies. We examined how fo affects key social perceptions and how socioecological variables modulate these effects in 2,647 adult listeners sampled from 44 locations across 22 nations. Low male fo increased men{\textquoteright}s perceptions of formidability and prestige, especially in societies with higher homicide rates and greater relational mobility in which male intrasexual competition may be more intense and rapid identification of high-status competitors may be exigent. High female fo increased women{\textquoteright}s perceptions of flirtatiousness where relational mobility was lower and threats to mating relationships may be greater. These results indicate that the influence of fo on social perceptions depends on socioecological variables, including those related to competition for status and mates.",

keywords = "attractiveness, cross-cultural, formidability, fundamental frequency, open data, preregistration, voice pitch",

author = "Toe Aung and Hill, {Alexander K.} and Hlay, {Jessica K.} and Catherine Hess and Michael Hess and Janie Johnson and Leslie Doll and Carlson, {Sara M.} and Caroline Magdinec and Isaac G-Santoyo and Walker, {Robert S.} and Drew Bailey and Steven Arnocky and Shanmukh Kamble and Tom Vardy and Thanos Kyritsis and Quentin Atkinson and Benedict Jones and Jessica Burns and Jeremy Koster and Gonzalo Palomo-V{\'e}lez and Tybur, {Joshua M.} and Jos{\'e} Mu{\~n}oz-Reyes and Choy, {Bryan K. C.} and Li, {Norman P.} and Verena Klar and Carlota Batres and Patricia Bascheck and Christoph Schild and Lars Penke and Farid Pazhoohi and Karen Kemirembe and Valentova, {Jaroslava Varella} and Varella, {Marco Antonio Correa} and {da Silva}, {Caio Santos Alves} and Martha Borras-Guevara and Carolyn Hodges-Simeon and Moritz Ernst and Collin Garr and Bin-Bin Chen and David Puts",

year = "2024",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1177/09567976231222288",

language = "English",

volume = "35",

pages = "250--262",

journal = "Psychological Science",

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Aung, T, Hill, AK, Hlay, JK, Hess, C, Hess, M, Johnson, J, Doll, L, Carlson, SM, Magdinec, C, G-Santoyo, I, Walker, RS, Bailey, D, Arnocky, S, Kamble, S, Vardy, T, Kyritsis, T, Atkinson, Q, Jones, B, Burns, J, Koster, J, Palomo-Vélez, G, Tybur, JM, Muñoz-Reyes, J, Choy, BKC, Li, NP, Klar, V, Batres, C, Bascheck, P, Schild, C, Penke, L, Pazhoohi, F, Kemirembe, K, Valentova, JV, Varella, MAC, da Silva, CSA, Borras-Guevara, M, Hodges-Simeon, C, Ernst, M, Garr, C, Chen, B-B & Puts, D 2024, 'Effects of Voice Pitch on Social Perceptions Vary With Relational Mobility and Homicide Rate', Psychological Science, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 250-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976231222288

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T1 - Effects of Voice Pitch on Social Perceptions Vary With Relational Mobility and Homicide Rate

AU - Aung, Toe

AU - Hill, Alexander K.

AU - Hlay, Jessica K.

AU - Hess, Catherine

AU - Hess, Michael

AU - Johnson, Janie

AU - Doll, Leslie

AU - Carlson, Sara M.

AU - Magdinec, Caroline

AU - G-Santoyo, Isaac

AU - Walker, Robert S.

AU - Bailey, Drew

AU - Arnocky, Steven

AU - Kamble, Shanmukh

AU - Vardy, Tom

AU - Kyritsis, Thanos

AU - Atkinson, Quentin

AU - Jones, Benedict

AU - Burns, Jessica

AU - Koster, Jeremy

AU - Palomo-Vélez, Gonzalo

AU - Tybur, Joshua M.

AU - Muñoz-Reyes, José

AU - Choy, Bryan K. C.

AU - Li, Norman P.

AU - Klar, Verena

AU - Batres, Carlota

AU - Bascheck, Patricia

AU - Schild, Christoph

AU - Penke, Lars

AU - Pazhoohi, Farid

AU - Kemirembe, Karen

AU - Valentova, Jaroslava Varella

AU - Varella, Marco Antonio Correa

AU - da Silva, Caio Santos Alves

AU - Borras-Guevara, Martha

AU - Hodges-Simeon, Carolyn

AU - Ernst, Moritz

AU - Garr, Collin

AU - Chen, Bin-Bin

AU - Puts, David

PY - 2024/3

Y1 - 2024/3

N2 - Fundamental frequency ( fo) is the most perceptually salient vocal acoustic parameter, yet little is known about how its perceptual influence varies across societies. We examined how fo affects key social perceptions and how socioecological variables modulate these effects in 2,647 adult listeners sampled from 44 locations across 22 nations. Low male fo increased men’s perceptions of formidability and prestige, especially in societies with higher homicide rates and greater relational mobility in which male intrasexual competition may be more intense and rapid identification of high-status competitors may be exigent. High female fo increased women’s perceptions of flirtatiousness where relational mobility was lower and threats to mating relationships may be greater. These results indicate that the influence of fo on social perceptions depends on socioecological variables, including those related to competition for status and mates.

AB - Fundamental frequency ( fo) is the most perceptually salient vocal acoustic parameter, yet little is known about how its perceptual influence varies across societies. We examined how fo affects key social perceptions and how socioecological variables modulate these effects in 2,647 adult listeners sampled from 44 locations across 22 nations. Low male fo increased men’s perceptions of formidability and prestige, especially in societies with higher homicide rates and greater relational mobility in which male intrasexual competition may be more intense and rapid identification of high-status competitors may be exigent. High female fo increased women’s perceptions of flirtatiousness where relational mobility was lower and threats to mating relationships may be greater. These results indicate that the influence of fo on social perceptions depends on socioecological variables, including those related to competition for status and mates.

KW - attractiveness

KW - cross-cultural

KW - formidability

KW - fundamental frequency

KW - open data

KW - preregistration

KW - voice pitch

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U2 - 10.1177/09567976231222288

DO - 10.1177/09567976231222288

M3 - Article

SN - 0956-7976

VL - 35

SP - 250

EP - 262

JO - Psychological Science

JF - Psychological Science

IS - 3

ER -

Effects of Voice Pitch on Social Perceptions Vary With Relational Mobility and Homicide Rate

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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