Meanwhile, when women are breastfeeding and so currently taking care of a child, they are more likely to prefer men with higher-pitched voices than at other times. Women who judge men with lower-pitched voices as more likely to cheat also prefer those men for short-term rather than long-term partners. On the other hand, deeper-voiced men are also rated by women as more likely to cheat on a partner and as less trustworthy in general. Deeper voices have been linked to having more surviving children and grandchildren, higher testosterone and lower stress hormones, and longer-term survival in men. This may be because partnering with deeper-voiced men could lead to genetically healthier children. Yet research shows women generally prefer deeper voiced, more masculine-sounding men, especially when these women are near ovulation. But did you know that voices can also signal a person’s attractiveness, fertility and even the likelihood of them being unfaithful?Ī popular theory with evolutionary psychologists, known as 'cads versus dads', suggests that more masculine, dominant men are not as paternal and generally invest less in their children and grandchildren than less masculine men. For example, Donald Trump’s voice can signal to you that he is a man, and that he has passed middle age.

Even without listening to the words, when you hear someone speak you can pick up important information about them from characteristics such as how loud or deep their voice is.Īt the most basic level, voices convey biological characteristics such as whether someone is male or female, their body size and physical strength, age and sexual maturity. Most likely you can hear their voices in your mind, and the characteristic inflections that they put on certain words, as well as their tone and pitch. Picture Morgan Freeman, Donald Trump or Margaret Thatcher. Analysis: how vocal tone and pitch signal a person's characteristicsīy Viktoria Mileva, University of Stirling and Juan David Leongómez, El Bosque University

Testosterone for deeper voice