Dominance and the evolution of sexual dimorphism in human voice pitch

被引:288
作者
Puts, David Andrew
Gaulin, Steven J. C.
Verdolini, Katherine
机构
[1] Univ Pittsburgh, Dept Anthropol, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
[2] Univ Calif Santa Barbara, Dept Anthropol, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
[3] Univ Pittsburgh, Sch Hlth & Rehabil Sci, Dept Commun Sci & Disorders, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
关键词
dominance; male contests; mating success; sexual selection; vocal fundamental frequency; vocal masculinity; voice pitch;
D O I
10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2005.11.003
中图分类号
B84 [心理学];
学科分类号
04 ; 0402 ;
摘要
The developmental and anatomical causes of human voice sexual dimorphisms are known, but the evolutionary causes are not. Some evidence suggests a role of intersexual selection via female mate choice, but other evidence implicates male dominance competition. In this study, we examine the relationships among voice pitch, dominance, and male mating success. Males were audio recorded while participating in an unscripted dating-game scenario. Recordings were subsequently manipulated in voice pitch using computer software and then rated by groups of males for dominance. Results indicate that (1) a masculine, low-pitch voice increases ratings of men's physical and social dominance, augmenting the former more than the latter; and (2) men who believe they are physically dominant to their competitor lower their voice pitch when addressing him, whereas men who believe they are less dominant raise it. We also found a nonsignificant trend for men who speak at a lower pitch to report more sexual partners in the past year. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that male intrasexual competition was a salient selection pressure on the voices of ancestral males and contributed to human voice sexual dimorphism. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:283 / 296
页数:14
相关论文
共 58 条
[1]  
Andersson Malte, 1994
[2]   THE INFLUENCE OF TESTOSTERONE ON HUMAN-AGGRESSION [J].
ARCHER, J .
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY, 1991, 82 :1-28
[3]   VOICE OF PERSONALITY - STEREOTYPED JUDGMENTS AND THEIR RELATION TO VOICE QUALITY AND SEX OF SPEAKER [J].
ARONOVITCH, CD .
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 1976, 99 (02) :207-220
[4]   Acoustic profiles in vocal emotion expression [J].
Banse, R ;
Scherer, KR .
JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 1996, 70 (03) :614-636
[5]  
Benjamin G. R., 1992, LANG SCI, V14, P77, DOI [10.1016/0388-0001(92)90014-6, DOI 10.1016/0388-0001(92)90014-6]
[6]   INTERACTIONAL USES OF TONE OF VOICE IN THE UNITED-STATES AND JAPAN [J].
BENJAMIN, GR .
SEMIOTICA, 1981, 35 (1-2) :71-92
[7]  
Boersma P., 1993, P I PHONETIC SCI, V17, P97, DOI DOI 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0069107
[8]   Behavioral and physiological responses to anabolic-androgenic steroids [J].
Clark, AS ;
Henderson, LP .
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS, 2003, 27 (05) :413-436
[9]   Men's voices and women's choices [J].
Collins, SA .
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR, 2000, 60 :773-780
[10]   High testosterone levels predict low voice pitch among men [J].
Dabbs, JM ;
Mallinger, A .
PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, 1999, 27 (04) :801-804