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Effects of Vocal Characteristics on Perceived Gender and Sexual Orientation

Effects of Vocal Characteristics on Perceived Gender and Sexual Orientation. Ricky McGee & Levi Hamner Hanover College. Voice. People with lower frequency voices are perceived to be more dominant. (Puts et al., 2006) (Borkowska, 2011)

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Effects of Vocal Characteristics on Perceived Gender and Sexual Orientation

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  1. Effects of Vocal Characteristics on Perceived Gender and Sexual Orientation Ricky McGee & Levi HamnerHanover College

  2. Voice • People with lower frequency voices are perceived to be more dominant. (Puts et al., 2006) (Borkowska, 2011) •  Females with higher pitched voices were assessed as more attractive up to a certain pitch in voice. (Borkowska, 2011) • Masculine voices are rated as more competent than feminine voices. Feminine voices are rated as having more warmth than masculine voices. (Ko, Judd, & Stapel, 2009)

  3. Masculinity/Femininity & Sexual Orientation • Gay men sound less masculine than heterosexual men, and lesbian women sound less feminine than heterosexual women. (Munson, 2007) • Female listeners identified gay male speakers through higher frequency voices. (Linville, 1998)

  4. Research Question How are people's perceptions of masculinity, femininity, and sexual orientation, influenced by: • The masculinity or femininity of a voice? • The perceiver's own masculinity and femininity?

  5. Hypotheses • The pitch of the voice will influence the participants gender identification of the speaker. • The characteristics of the voice will determine the participants sexual orientation identification of the speaker. • A voice that is of deeper pitch, which also consists of feminine characteristics, will be perceived as a homosexual male. 

  6. Procedure • Informed Consent • Test Recording • Voice Recording • Survey and Demographics • Bem Sex Role Inventory Test • (Bem, 1972) • Debriefing

  7. Participants • 44 Participants • 24 Males, 20 Females • 99% Caucasian • Ages 19-52 • Average Age: 22 • Median Age: 21

  8. Audio • One of twelve audio recordings, will be played about our target subject, 'Alex.' • All have the same script • Three audio recordings are spoken by a male. • Three audio recordings are spoken by a female. • Each recording was duplicated and digitally altered to mimic the pitch of the opposite sex.

  9. Audio Procedure • Programs • Adobe Premier Pro • Adobe Sound Booth • Alterations • Bass Changer • Pitch Shifter • Exported into .mp3 formats

  10. Impressions of Alex • 6-point Likert Scale • Measures to Assess Attention • Alex has three siblings. • Social-Distance Measures • I would be interested in getting to know Alex. • Measures of Masculinity/Femininity • High/Low Masculinity • Alex is masculine • High/Low Femininity • Alex would enjoy reading Cosmopolitan Magazine •  Measure to Assess Homosexuality • Alex is a homosexual

  11. Data Analysis • ANOVA •  2x2 between voice pitch (masculine or feminine) and voice characteristics (masculine or feminine). • Multiple Regressions • Ratings of Alex regressed on voice pitch and characteristics, and all possible interactions of those 2 factors. • Expect that homosexual identification will be amplified by feminine characteristics of a masculine-pitched voice.

  12. Results

  13. Results cont.

  14. Results cont. Interaction p= .02

  15. Results cont. r= -.464, p=.002

  16. Limitations • Restricted range on the BSRI. • All ‘Undifferentiated’ • Pitch manipulations failed to influence subjects’ gender inferences.

  17. Questions?

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