The study, published in the latest edition of the online journal Evolutionary Psychology is the first to examine the link between voice pitch and perceived infidelity and offers insight into the evolution of the human voice and how we choose our mates.
鈥淚n terms of sexual strategy, we found that men and women will use voice pitch as a warning sign of future betrayal. So the more attractive the voice鈥攁 higher pitch for women and lower pitch for men鈥攖he more likely the chances he or she will cheat,鈥� says Jillian O鈥機onnor, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University and lead author of the study.
鈥淚nfidelity is costly with the emotional impact, financial costs and potential loss of the family unit. But this suggests that through the evolutionary process, we have learned ways to avoid partners who may be unfaithful as a protection mechanism,鈥� she says.
Participants in the study were asked to listen to two versions of recorded clips from a male voice and a female voice, which were electronically manipulated to be both higher and lower in pitch. They were then asked which one, from each pair, was more likely to cheat sexually on their romantic partner.
鈥淭he reason voice pitch influences perceptions of cheating is likely due to the relationship between pitch, hormones and infidelity,鈥� explains David Feinberg, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour and advisor on the study. 鈥淢en with higher testosterone levels have lower pitched voices, and women with higher estrogen levels have higher pitched voices. High levels of these hormones are associated with adulterous behaviour and our findings indicate individuals are somewhat aware of the link and may use this in their search for a romantic partner.鈥�
The research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
For a copy of the study please visit:
McMaster University, one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities in the world, is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of 23,000, and more than 140,000 alumni in 128 countries.
RSS