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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 BB, Puts D. Effects of Voice Pitch on Social Perceptions Vary With Relational Mobility and Homicide Rate. Psychol Sci 2024; 35:250-262. [PMID: 38289294 DOI: 10.1177/09567976231222288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2024] Open
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toe Aung
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | | | - Jessica K Hlay
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Catherine Hess
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Michael Hess
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Janie Johnson
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Leslie Doll
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Sara M Carlson
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | | | - Isaac G-Santoyo
- Faculty of Psychology, National Autonomous University of Mexico
| | | | - Drew Bailey
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine
| | | | | | - Tom Vardy
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland
| | | | | | | | - Jessica Burns
- Department of Anthropology, University of Cincinnati
| | - Jeremy Koster
- Department of Anthropology, University of Cincinnati
| | | | - Joshua M Tybur
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
| | - José Muñoz-Reyes
- Center for Advanced Studies, Playa Ancha University of Educational Sciences
| | - Bryan K C Choy
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University
| | - Norman P Li
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University
| | - Verena Klar
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg August University Göttingen
| | | | - Patricia Bascheck
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg August University Göttingen
| | - Christoph Schild
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg August University Göttingen
- Department of Psychology, University of Siegen
| | - Lars Penke
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg August University Göttingen
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Farid Pazhoohi
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Moritz Ernst
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg August University Göttingen
| | - Collin Garr
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | | | - David Puts
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
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2
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Zhang J, Tao S. Vocal Characteristics Influence Women's Perceptions of Infidelity and Relationship Investment in China. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 20:14747049221108883. [PMID: 35898188 PMCID: PMC10303567 DOI: 10.1177/14747049221108883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocal characteristics are important cues to form social impressions. Previous studies indicated that men with masculine voices are perceived as engaging in higher rates of infidelity and being less committed to their relationship. In the current study, we examined how women in China perceive information regarding infidelity and relationship investment conveyed by the voices (voice pitch and vocal tract length) of males, and whether different vocal characteristics play a similar role in driving these impressions. In addition, we examined whether these perceptions are consistent in Chinese and English language contexts. The results indicated that women perceived men with more masculine voices (lower voice pitch and longer vocal tract length) as showing a lower likelihood of infidelity and higher relationship investment; further, women who preferred more masculine voices in long-term relationships, but not in short-term relationships, were more likely to perceive men with masculine voices as less likely to engage in infidelity and more likely to invest in their relationship. Moreover, the participants formed very similar impressions irrespective of whether the voices spoke native (Chinese) or foreign (English) languages. These results provide new evidence for the role of the voice in women's choices in selecting long-term partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- School of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuli Tao
- School of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
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3
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Hughes SM, Puts DA. Vocal modulation in human mating and competition. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200388. [PMID: 34719246 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human voice is dynamic, and people modulate their voices across different social interactions. This article presents a review of the literature examining natural vocal modulation in social contexts relevant to human mating and intrasexual competition. Altering acoustic parameters during speech, particularly pitch, in response to mating and competitive contexts can influence social perception and indicate certain qualities of the speaker. For instance, a lowered voice pitch is often used to exert dominance, display status and compete with rivals. Changes in voice can also serve as a salient medium for signalling a person's attraction to another, and there is evidence to support the notion that attraction and/or romantic interest can be distinguished through vocal tones alone. Individuals can purposely change their vocal behaviour in attempt to sound more attractive and to facilitate courtship success. Several findings also point to the effectiveness of vocal change as a mechanism for communicating relationship status. As future studies continue to explore vocal modulation in the arena of human mating, we will gain a better understanding of how and why vocal modulation varies across social contexts and its impact on receiver psychology. This article is part of the theme issue 'Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Hughes
- Psychology Department, Albright College, Reading, PA 19612, USA
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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4
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Dickerson AL, Rowland JA, Trama AJE, Wraith‐Franck D, Hall ML. Male and female Australian magpie‐larks respond differently to variation in song frequency (pitch). Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica A. Rowland
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Burwood Vic. Australia
| | - Asher J. E. Trama
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | | | - Michelle L. Hall
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
- Bush Heritage Australia Melbourne Vic. Australia
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia, Crawley WA Australia
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Hodges-Simeon CR, Albert G, Richardson GB, McHale TS, Weinberg SM, Gurven M, Gaulin SJC. Was facial width-to-height ratio subject to sexual selection pressures? A life course approach. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0240284. [PMID: 33711068 PMCID: PMC7954343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection researchers have traditionally focused on adult sex differences; however, the schedule and pattern of sex-specific ontogeny can provide insights unobtainable from an exclusive focus on adults. Recently, it has been debated whether facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR; bi-zygomatic breadth divided by midface height) is a human secondary sexual characteristic (SSC). Here, we review current evidence, then address this debate using ontogenetic evidence, which has been under-explored in fWHR research. Facial measurements were collected from 3D surface images of males and females aged 3 to 40 (Study 1; US European-descent, n = 2449), and from 2D photographs of males and females aged 7 to 21 (Study 2; Bolivian Tsimane, n = 179), which were used to calculate three fWHR variants (which we call fWHRnasion, fWHRstomion, and fWHRbrow) and two other common facial masculinity ratios (facial width-to-lower-face-height ratio, fWHRlower, and cheekbone prominence). We test whether the observed pattern of facial development exhibits patterns indicative of SSCs, i.e., differential adolescent growth in either male or female facial morphology leading to an adult sex difference. Results showed that only fWHRlower exhibited both adult sex differences as well as the classic pattern of ontogeny for SSCs-greater lower-face growth in male adolescents relative to females. fWHRbrow was significantly wider among both pre- and post-pubertal males in the Bolivian Tsimane sample; post-hoc analyses revealed that the effect was driven by large sex differences in brow height, with females having higher placed brows than males across ages. In both samples, all fWHR measures were inversely associated with age; that is, human facial growth is characterized by greater relative elongation in the mid-face and lower face relative to facial width. This trend continues even into middle adulthood. BMI was also a positive predictor of most of the ratios across ages, with greater BMI associated with wider faces. Researchers collecting data on fWHR should target fWHRlower and fWHRbrow and should control for both age and BMI. Researchers should also compare ratio approaches with multivariate techniques, such as geometric morphometrics, to examine whether the latter have greater utility for understanding the evolution of facial sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn R Hodges-Simeon
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Graham Albert
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - George B Richardson
- School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Timothy S McHale
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, United States of America
| | - Seth M Weinberg
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael Gurven
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Steven J C Gaulin
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
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Elevated recognition accuracy for low-pitched male voices in men with higher threat potential: Further evidence for the retaliation-cost model in humans. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Aung T, Rosenfield KA, Puts D. Male voice pitch mediates the relationship between objective and perceived formidability. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Han C, Watkins CD, Nan Y, Ou J, Lei X, Li X, Wu Y. Exogenous testosterone decreases men's sensitivity to vocal cues of male dominance. Horm Behav 2021; 127:104871. [PMID: 33058835 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Assessing dominance is important for effective social interactions, and prior research suggests that testosterone is associated with men's dominance perceptions. The present study tested for a causal effect of exogenous testosterone on men's sensitivity to vocal cues of other men's dominance, an important parameter in male-male competition across species. One hundred and thirty-nine Chinese men received a single dose (150 mg) of testosterone or placebo gel in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-participant design. Participants reported their own dominance and judged other men's dominance from voices. Men's dominance sensitivity was significantly weaker in the testosterone group compared to those in the placebo group. Moreover, men's dominance sensitivity was negatively associated with their self-reported dominance in our Chinese sample, consistent with findings from Western populations. These results indicate that exogenous testosterone has a causal effect in decreasing men's dominance sensitivity, consistent with the Challenge Hypothesis, suggesting that the fluctuation of testosterone concentration mediates individuals' behaviors. Additionally, the present study could motivate further work on vocal assessment in the context of competition in humans and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyang Han
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Christopher D Watkins
- Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Yu Nan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianxin Ou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xue Lei
- School of Business Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangqian Li
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yin Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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Schild C, Aung T, Kordsmeyer TL, Cardenas RA, Puts DA, Penke L. Linking human male vocal parameters to perceptions, body morphology, strength and hormonal profiles in contexts of sexual selection. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21296. [PMID: 33277544 PMCID: PMC7719159 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77940-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection appears to have shaped the acoustic signals of diverse species, including humans. Deep, resonant vocalizations in particular may function in attracting mates and/or intimidating same-sex competitors. Evidence for these adaptive functions in human males derives predominantly from perception studies in which vocal acoustic parameters were manipulated using specialist software. This approach affords tight experimental control but provides little ecological validity, especially when the target acoustic parameters vary naturally with other parameters. Furthermore, such experimental studies provide no information about what acoustic variables indicate about the speaker-that is, why attention to vocal cues may be favored in intrasexual and intersexual contexts. Using voice recordings with high ecological validity from 160 male speakers and biomarkers of condition, including baseline cortisol and testosterone levels, body morphology and strength, we tested a series of pre-registered hypotheses relating to both perceptions and underlying condition of the speaker. We found negative curvilinear and negative linear relationships between male fundamental frequency (fo) and female perceptions of attractiveness and male perceptions of dominance. In addition, cortisol and testosterone negatively interacted in predicting fo, and strength and measures of body size negatively predicted formant frequencies (Pf). Meta-analyses of the present results and those from two previous samples confirmed that fonegatively predicted testosterone only among men with lower cortisol levels. This research offers empirical evidence of possible evolutionary functions for attention to men's vocal characteristics in contexts of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Schild
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Toe Aung
- Department of Anthropology and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Tobias L Kordsmeyer
- Department of Psychology and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, University of Goettingen, Gosslerstrasse 14, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rodrigo A Cardenas
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Lars Penke
- Department of Psychology and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, University of Goettingen, Gosslerstrasse 14, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
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10
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Aung T, Puts D. Voice pitch: a window into the communication of social power. Curr Opin Psychol 2020; 33:154-161. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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11
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Gallup AC, Fink B. Handgrip Strength as a Darwinian Fitness Indicator in Men. Front Psychol 2018; 9:439. [PMID: 29681871 PMCID: PMC5898311 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Handgrip strength (HGS) is a robust measure of overall muscular strength and function, and has long been predictive of a multitude of health factors and physical outcomes for both men and women. The fact that HGS represents such a ubiquitous measure of health and vitality may reflect the significance of this trait during human evolution. This trait is also highly sexually dimorphic due to influences of androgenic hormones and fat-free body mass, suggesting that it has been further elaborated through sexual selection. Consistent with this view, research within evolutionary psychology and related fields has documented distinct relationships between HGS and measures of social and sexual behavior, especially in men. Here, we review studies across different societies and cultural contexts showing that male HGS predicts measures of aggression and social dominance, perceived formidability, male-typical body morphology and movement, courtship display, physical attractiveness, and sexual behavior and reproductive fitness. These findings underscore the value of including HGS as an independent measure within studies examining human sexual selection, and corroborate existing research suggesting that specific features of physical strength have and continue to be under positive directional selection in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Gallup
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Utica, NY, United States
| | - Bernhard Fink
- Institute of Psychology, Georg-August University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinguang Zhang
- Department of Communicology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States
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