Feinberg et al (2003)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

• to see if low F0 and vocal tract length is a cue to masculinity and reproductive capability
• to see if large vocal tracts are associate with a large body size of speaker

Question 2

Predictions

Answer 2

• low F0 = ratings of a male to be more attractive, more masculine, and prefer larger sounding males and females of larger height
• larger females will prefer males of larger height relative to their height
• lowered male voice by 20Hz, which they thought would increase attractiveness
• increased and decreased apparent vocal tract length to change male speaker size
• next were manipulated simultaneously to create a 16 and 20 yr old male

Question 3

Design

Answer 3

• synthesised speech
• 10 males (20-22) - American and Caucasian
• 89 females (17-24) - Scottish and mixed ethnicity
• males recorded saying vowels, and manipulated accordingly - decrease F0 by 20Hz, increase and decrease apparent vocal tract length, and then simultaneously
• females rated on attractiveness, masculinity, age and size (1-7)

Question 4

Strength

Answer 4

• large sample size
• looked simultaneously swell
• manipulated speech to preserve vocal tract length
• agreement between raters
• high correlations
• didn’t use those with hearing problems

Question 5

Limitation

Answer 5

• only heterosexual used
• synthesised speech
• American voices in Scotland
• not generalisable to other cultures

Question 6

Results

Answer 6

• lower F0 correlated to higher ratings of masculinity
• increased apparent vocal tract length = rated as larger, more masculine and older
• attractiveness ratings = no sig. dif. - vocal tract length, but low F0 preferred
• females prefer voices of apparent size
• height and weight of women correlated with preferred scores
• age did not correlate
• taller and heavier females liked males with increased vocal tract

Question 7

Are male F0 and vocal tract length an honest signal?

Answer 7

• preference for low F0
• high masculinity and therefore high testosterone - pitch is an honest signal
• no relationship between body size, pitch and fitness
• may be a cultural construct instead
• preference for acoustic cues to body size