Men prefer high-pitched voices that indicate a small body size, while women prefer low-pitched voices because they indicate a larger body size, though women don't care for voices that indicate aggression, according to a study published today in the journal PLOS One.
"Quite a few studies have shown men tend to favour a higher pitch in women because it is feminine and youthful, while women tend to like men to have deeper voices that are seen as more masculine and linked to testosterone."
Their study revealed that males find female voices that indicate a smaller body size—high-pitched, breathy voices with wide formant spacing—most attractive. Females, on the other hand, prefer to hear a low-pitched voice with narrow formant spacing, reflecting a larger body size.
There is also abundant evidence that women prefer men with a deep voice, while men prefer women with a high voice. Attractive male voices are around 96 Hz and the most attractive women voices are up to 280 Hz.
So it tickled me to discover my voice was referenced in a recent dating study from the University of Sussex which found that men find a lower tone more attractive.
Study says men find women with a lower voice more attractive | Daily Mail Online.
Researchers from University College London found that, at least among a sample of 32 participants, high-pitched female voices females were found to be attractive because they indicated the speaker had a small body.
Their study revealed that males find female voices that indicate a smaller body size—high-pitched, breathy voices with wide formant spacing—most attractive. Females, on the other hand, prefer to hear a low-pitched voice with narrow formant spacing, reflecting a larger body size.
The vocal cords' vibration makes sound, just like a strummed guitar does. And like guitar strings, smaller cords create a higher sound. Girls' vocal cords are usually shorter and thinner than most boys', which is why their voices sound higher. This difference in pitch is even more noticeable in grown-up men and women.
Recent studies found men prefer a higher-pitched voice in women, while women preferred a steady, lower-pitched voice in men. This gender preference is because a higher-pitched voice indicates a smaller body, while a lower-pitched voice indicates a larger body.
It used to be thought that voice pitch in mammals relates to body size, but that is no longer believed top be the case. McElligott pointed out that you can have big men with higher-pitched voices, or smaller men with lower-pitched voices, so pitch is not always an indication of body size.
Husky voices signal "sexual interest" and can help women stand out from the crowd, say researchers. Perhaps less surprisingly, the study found men also drop their pitch when they meet women they are attracted to.
According to a 2013 study, men prefer women with higher-pitched voices because it signals that the woman has a small body size (sigh). Likewise, women reportedly prefer men with low-pitched voices, signalling a larger frame.
Women's voices may also have more "natural melody," he adds. Qualities like pitch and volume vary more during speech. "There's more prosody in female speech." Newspaper articles about Hunter's research said that men find the female voice more difficult to hear and understand.
"When a woman naturally lowers her voice, it may be perceived as her attempt to sound more seductive or attractive, and therefore serves as a signal of her romantic interest," she adds. Their research also measured people's awareness of the changes in others' voices.
Researchers found that, "Both sexes used a lower-pitched voice and showed a higher level of physiological arousal when speaking to the more attractive, opposite-sex target.
As you go through puberty, the larynx gets bigger and the vocal cords lengthen and thicken, so your voice gets deeper.
A voice change is one of the secondary sexual characteristics adolescents develop. In boys, this happens between ages 12 and 16; in girls, between ages 10 and 14. The first sign of puberty in girls is breast development, while in boys it's an increase in the size of the testicles.
Nowadays, the word “alto” is a general term used to describe a lower female voice rather than a specific vocal category. Chorus music usually calls for an “alto” part for voices with a strong middle and lower register, but there's no real separate alto voice type in Western music.
As a result, women find men with lower-pitched voices more attractive. It's the opposite for men, who are more attracted to women with higher-pitched voices, which is perceived as a marker for femininity. Attractiveness in the voice is important for the impressions we give our potential partners.
A 2010 study published in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, found that both men and women tend to lower their voices if they find someone they are conversing with attractive, although some experts suggest that women will make their voices even more high-pitched in the presence of a potential suitor, to accentuate ...
Those who rated highly for looks often scored well for sound
Men can judge how attractive a woman is by hearing her talk, according to a study. Researchers found women judged to have pretty faces also have voices regarded by men as appealing.
Research confirms that deep voices give men an aura of power and sexual allure. Men with low, resonant voices are more likely to be perceived as attractive, masculine, respectable, and dominant.
"When you wake up, your vocal folds need to warm up just like the rest of you," says Pitman. "Before a runner goes out, they stretch and run slowly to get the blood flowing.
After puberty and well into older adulthood, some people's voices may change, but not everyone's. Men's voices tend to go up in pitch. Women's voices tend to go down. Most of the time vocal changes such as deepening are completely normal.