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Physiological and perceptual correlates of masculinity in children’s voices
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Elsevier, 2020.
-
Abstract
- Low frequency components (i.e. a low pitch (F0) and low formant spacing (ΔF)) signal high salivary testosterone and height in adult male voices and are associated with high masculinity attributions by unfamiliar listeners (in both men and women). However, the relation between the physiological, acoustic and perceptual dimensions of speakers' masculinity prior to puberty remains unknown. In this study, 110 pre-pubertal children (58 girls), aged 3 to 10, were recorded as they described a cartoon picture. 315 adults (182 women) rated children's perceived masculinity from the voice only after listening to the speakers' audio recordings. On the basis of their voices alone, boys who had higher salivary testosterone levels were rated as more masculine and the relation between testosterone and perceived masculinity was partially mediated by F0. The voices of taller boys were also rated as more masculine, but the relation between height and perceived masculinity was not mediated by the considered acoustic parameters, indicating that acoustic cues other than F0 and ΔF may signal stature. Both boys and girls who had lower F0, were also rated as more masculine, while ΔF did not affect ratings. These findings highlight the interdependence of physiological, acoustic and perceptual dimensions, and suggest that inter-individual variation in male voices, particularly F0, may advertise hormonal masculinity from a very early age.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Adolescent
media_common.quotation_subject
Affect (psychology)
behavioral disciplines and activities
Speech Acoustics
Developmental psychology
03 medical and health sciences
Behavioral Neuroscience
Young Adult
0302 clinical medicine
Endocrinology
Child Development
Sex Factors
Perception
Humans
Active listening
Testosterone
Sexual Maturation
Child
media_common
Masculinity
Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Age Factors
Testosterone (patch)
030227 psychiatry
Variation (linguistics)
Formant
Social Perception
Child, Preschool
Auditory Perception
Voice
Female
Attribution
Psychology
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
psychological phenomena and processes
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0018506X
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5afa196b4c03ddd7e64b92a64242b68f