1. The Differential Interplay of Vocal Pitch and Gender on Attitudes
Joshua J. Guyer, Amanda C. Maracle, Thomas Vaughan-Johnston, Nicole Seligman, & Leandre R. Fabrigar Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
1. Abstract
4. Method
6. Discussion
Vocal Pitch and Gender Manipulation Check:
Confirming expectations, an ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of vocal pitch on participant’s ratings of speaker pitch, F(1, 168) = 36.20, p < .001, partial η2 = .18, (see Figure 1). That is, participants rated the speaker with lowered vocal pitch (M = 2.92, SE = .14), as having a significantly lower sounding voice relative to the speaker with raised vocal pitch (M = 4.16, SE = .15). As expected, a significant main effect of gender was also found, F(1, 168) = 36.20, p < .001, partial η2 = .18, such that the male speaker (M = 2.97, SE = .15), was rated as having a significantly lower sounding voice relative to the female speaker (M = 4.11, SE = .15). These data confirm the success of our vocal pitch manipulation. Importantly, these data also suggest that regardless of whether the vocal pitch of the speaker was electronically raised or lowered, participants were able to correctly categorize the gender of the speaker as either male or female based on the speaker’s vocal pitch.
The Effects of Vocal Pitch and Gender on Ratings of Speaker Age:
As expected, results of an ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of vocal pitch on ratings of speaker age, F(1, 167) = 37.83, p < .001, partial η2 = .19, such that speakers with lowered pitch (M = 35.04, SE = .95), were rated as significantly older than speakers with raised pitch, (M = 26.70, SE = .97). A marginally significant main effect of gender was found, F(1, 167) = 2.99, p = .09, partial η2 = .02, such that males (M = 32.04, SE = .97), were rated as older than females (M = 29.70, SE = .95). Interestingly, a significant interaction between speaker gender and vocal pitch was revealed, F(1, 167) = 18.23, p < .001, partial η2 = .10, (see Figure 2). As expected, pairwise comparisons using the Least Significance Difference test indicated that for the female speaker, lowered vocal pitch (M = 36.76, SE = 1.31), elicited significantly higher ratings of age compared with raised vocal pitch (M = 22.63, SE = 1.38), p < Unexpectedly, for the male speaker, no difference in ratings of age emerged when comparing lowered vocal pitch (M = 33.32, SE = 1.38), with raised pitch (M = 30.77, SE = 1.35), p = .19.
The Effects of Vocal Pitch and Gender on Ratings of Speaker Confidence:
As expected, results of an ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of vocal pitch on ratings of speaker confidence, F(1, 168) = 7.73, p < .01, partial η2 = .04, such that speakers with lowered pitch (M = 4.62, SE = .15), were rated as significantly more confident than speakers with raised pitch, (M = 4.02, SE = .16), see Figure 3. A unexpected main effect of gender was found, F(1, 168) = 24.44, p < .001, partial η2 = .13, such that the female speaker (M = 4.85, SE = .97), was rated as significantly more confident compared with the male speaker (M = 3.78, SE = .15). No further effects emerged.
The Effects of Vocal Pitch and Gender on Attitudes:
Results of an ANOVA revealed no main effect of vocal pitch on attitudes, F(1, 168) = 1.13, p = .29, partial η2 = .01. A marginally significant main effect of gender was found, F(1, 168) = 3.04, p = .08, partial η2 = .02, such that attitudes were more favorable in response to a female speaker (M = 5.16, SD = .14), than a male speaker (M = 4.81, SE = .14). Interestingly, a significant interaction between speaker gender and vocal pitch was revealed, F(1, 168) = 3.82, p = .05, partial η2 = .02, (see Figure 4). Pairwise comparisons using the Least Significance Difference test indicated significantly more favorable attitudes in response to a male speaker with lowered pitch (M = 5.11, SE = .20), compared with raised pitch (M = 4.51, SE = .20), p < .04. However, for the female speaker, no difference in attitudes emerged when comparing lowered pitch (M = 5.07, SE = .19), with raised pitch (M = 5.25, SE = .21), p = .53.
How and Why Pitch may Influence Attitudes According to Gender:
Moderated mediation analyses investigated the differential interplay of pitch and gender on attitudes, revealing that pitch had a significant effect on ratings of speaker confidence for the male but not female speaker. In turn, ratings of confidence had a significant effect on attitudes for the male but not female speaker (see Figure 5). Further analyses revealed ratings of similarity were significantly greater for the female speaker. Across gender, similarity had a significant positive effect on liking. In turn, liking led to significantly more favorable attitudes (see Figure 6). Because pitch is often a salient cue for gender, one possibility suggests the predominantly female participants viewed themselves as more similar to the female speaker. In turn this may have cued an in-group mentality thus leading to a less (more) critical evaluation of the female (male) speaker on various dimensions. This may be why ratings of confidence and fully mediated the relationship between pitch and attitude for the male but not female speaker.
We examined how the interplay between vocal pitch and gender influences persuasion and suggest an explanation. The design was a 2 (vocal pitch: lowered vs. raised) x 2 (gender: male vs. female) factorial. Participants heard an audio recording discussing legislation in favor of taxing junk food, rated the speaker along several dimensions then provided their attitude towards the topic. No main effect of pitch or gender on attitudes was found. However, an interaction between pitch and gender revealed significantly more favorable attitudes in response to a male speaker with lowered relative to raised pitch. No difference was found in response to a female speaker across levels of pitch. Mechanisms testing the differential interplay of pitch and gender on attitudes were evaluated using moderated mediation analyses, revealing that pitch had a significant negative effect on ratings of both speaker confidence and experience for the male but not female speaker. In turn, ratings of confidence/experience had a significant positive effect on attitudes for the male but not female speaker. Further analyses revealed ratings of similarity were significantly greater for the female speaker. Across gender, similarity had a significant positive effect on liking. In turn, liking led to significantly more favorable attitudes. Because pitch is often a salient cue for gender, one possibility suggests the predominantly female participants viewed themselves as more similar to the female speaker. In turn this may have cued an in-group mentality thus leading to a less (more) critical evaluation of the female (male) speaker on various dimensions. This may be why ratings of confidence and experience fully mediated the relationship between pitch and attitude for the male but not female speaker.
Participants.
172 undergraduate psychology students participated in return for course credit
2(Speaker pitch: lowered vs. raised) x 2(Gender: male vs. female) between participants factorial.
Each participant was seated at a computer terminal and told that they would be listening to an audio recording over a set of headphones followed by series of questions based on the recording. Participants were then randomly assigned to hear either a male speaker (33 years of age) or a female speaker (27 years of age) whose pitch was either digitally lowered or raised relative to their natural baseline. After listening to the audio recording, participants were asked to provide ratings of the speaker along a variety of dimensions, including pitch and speaker confidence. The presentation order of these questions were randomized. Next, participants were provided with an open-ended question in which they were asked to assign an age to the speaker based only on the vocal qualities heard in the audio recording. Finally, participants completed a measure assessing their attitudes towards the topic.
With the exception of the open-ended response designed to assess perceptions of the speaker’s age, all questions used 7-point rating scales.
The topic of the passage proposed taxing junk food and consisted of moderate arguments in favor of implementing a tax.
Design.
Procedure.
Measures.
5. Results
2. Introduction
Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Although a great deal of research has looked at those variables that influence persuasion, one area that hasn’t received a lot of attention are the different properties of a speaker’s voice. This is somewhat surprising because so much of communication and of course persuasion takes place orally. We know that beyond the content of what we say, our voice also contains a rich variety of information, so it makes sense that how we say something should also play a role in how successful we are at persuading others. Now while there are certainly lots of characteristics of voice that matter, one characteristic that intuitively should affect the persuasion process is how confident the speaker is perceived to be.
As it turns out, researchers have identified several features of voice that reflect speaker confidence, including rate of speech (Miller, Maruyama, Beaber, & Valone, 1976; Smith & Shaffer, 1995), loudness (Kimble & Seidel, 1991), and intonation (Brennan & Williams, 1995). However, research has yet to examine whether this pattern may extend to vocal pitch. Moreover, research has only investigated whether rate of speech influences persuasion (e.g., Smith & Shaffer, 1995), so it remains unknown whether other features of voice that impact perceptions of speaker confidence may also influence how successful a speaker is at persuading others. The current research is based on the premise that vocal pitch may influence perceptions of speaker confidence, which should then have a corresponding effect on attitudes.
Why might the pitch in a speaker’s voice impact how successful they are at persuading others? Consider that one feature marking the transition from adolescence to adulthood is a gradual deepening of the voice. Another important feature is a gradual increase in one’s overall knowledge and experience of the world. Because adults should be more knowledgeable and experienced relative to adolescents, and individuals rated highly on these traits are generally more confident, it stands to reason that adults may also be perceived as more confident than adolescents. Thus, individuals with a lower vocal pitch should be perceived as older and as more confident relative to individuals with raised vocal pitch.
Similarly, it makes sense that listeners should be more persuaded by individuals perceived as confident relative to those perceived as lacking in confidence. Thus, given that an individual with lowered vocal pitch should be seen as more confident than an individual with raised vocal pitch, we should also expect more persuasion in response to an individual with lowered versus raised vocal pitch.
Figure 3.
Figure 4.
Figure 5.
Figure 6.
7. Future Directions
3. Present Study
Future research will examine the generalizability of these results to other male and female speakers as well as across different topics.
Investigating the processes by which vocal pitch influences persuasion based on the predictions made by the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM: Petty & Cacioppo, 1986).
Goals: Investigate the interactive effects of gender and vocal pitch on attitudes
Replicate the effect of pitch on perceptions of age and speaker confidence
Investigate whether vocal pitch influences judgements of speaker confidence and attitudes in a similar fashion across gender
Contact Information: Joshua J. Guyer –
Figures 5 & 6. Solid lines indicate significant paths. Dotted lines indicate non-significant paths. Unstandardized Regression Coefficients.