Apparently, the reasoning behind this unconscious reaction is rooted in evolution. The study authors theorize that men's voices instinctively deepen in order to appear more masculine to the opposite sex, but they also implement the varied pitch so they're less threatening.
According to a new study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, guys vary their vocal pitch, shifting between both high and low tones of voice, when talking to a woman they find attractive.
Male and female pitch
So by lowering their pitch, males can show their physical dominance in front of their competitors and appear more sexually fit to females. As a result, women find men with lower-pitched voices more attractive.
It's an evolutionary response for men to calmly raise their vocal pitch when speaking to a member of the opposite sex, he says. It conveys tenderness, trustworthiness, and lack of aggression.
"However," he says, "evidence suggests men evolved deeper voices mainly for intimidating other men rather than attracting women." Studies show that men with deeper voices tend to have higher testosterone levels (an indicator of dominance) and a more athletic body type.
The findings suggest "masculine" men are more likely to cheat than "feminine" men. Men with deeper voices are less committed in relationships and more likely to cheat, according to new research. The findings from Southwest University in Chongqing, China, conducted experiments with 116 men and 145 women.
Remember, your vocal cords have been at rest for many sleeping hours, which is a reason why they sound deeper in the morning. Doing a lot of heavy talking on your dry, swollen cords can cause additional irritation. Give them some time to rehydrate and rejuvenate.
The study authors theorize that men's voices instinctively deepen in order to appear more masculine to the opposite sex, but they also implement the varied pitch so they're less threatening.
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.
It's not about what your date is saying, but the pitch of their voice. If they lower their pitch, it could be a subtle, subconscious sign they find you attractive, the study, in The Royal Society Proceedings B journal, suggests. Experts say it is probably an evolutionary tool to attract a mate.
He leans toward you during conversation.
People tend to naturally lean toward people they like in conversation, according to Battle. If the guy you like tends to lean his face in closer to yours while he's talking to you or listening to you talk, that's a good sign that he might be into you.
He'll touch his face a lot, while looking at you. If he's interested, he'll stroke his cheek up and down with the back of his fingers, touch his ears or rub his chin. It's a combination of nervous excitement, preening and autoerotic touching.
Eye contact is one big indicator, as well as frequent smiles and laughter. An open posture and facial expression are also signals of attraction. Acting fidgety or nervous, or blushing and getting sweaty palms, is also a sign that someone is attracted to you.
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.
In fact, it's a common phenomenon for someone to change pitch of their voice when talking to someone they're romantically interested in, and it's all because they want to make that love connection, a study says.
Boys' larynxes grow so rapidly during puberty that they sometimes stretch the capacity of vocal cords. Like a guitar string pulled too tight, the cords issue pitched squeaks, cracks, and croaks. This embarrasses boys and provides their parents with an update on their development.
Results showed that men instinctively change their pitch. Men first speak in a sing-song type of voice and then adjust it to a lower tone when they are talking to someone they find attractive.
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.
"We found that both sexes used a lower-pitch voice and showed a higher level of physiological arousal when speaking to a more attractive opposite-sex target," Hughes says in a news release.
Cavities in the sinuses, the nose, and the back of the throat grow bigger, creating more space in the face — which gives the voice more room to resonate. As a boy's body adjusts to this changing equipment, his voice may "crack" or "break." This process lasts only a few months.
As a boy grows into sexual maturity, his voice becomes deeper. This change doesn't happen overnight, though. Some boys' voices deepen more quickly than their peers' voices. Because of this gradual change, a boy's voice can occasionally crack.
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.