Vocal Parameters of Speech and Singing Covary and Are Related to Vocal Attractiveness, Body Measures, and Sociosexuality: A Cross-Cultural Study
Perceived vocal attractiveness and measured sex-dimorphic vocal parameters are both associated with underlying individual qualities. Research tends to focus on speech but singing is another highly evolved communication system that has distinct and universal features with analogs in other species, an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02029/full |
| _version_ | 1818624219704983552 |
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| author | Jaroslava Varella Valentova Petr Tureček Marco Antonio Corrêa Varella Pavel Šebesta Francisco Dyonisio C. Mendes Kamila Janaina Pereira Lydie Kubicová Petra Stolařová Jan Havlíček |
| author_facet | Jaroslava Varella Valentova Petr Tureček Marco Antonio Corrêa Varella Pavel Šebesta Francisco Dyonisio C. Mendes Kamila Janaina Pereira Lydie Kubicová Petra Stolařová Jan Havlíček |
| author_sort | Jaroslava Varella Valentova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Perceived vocal attractiveness and measured sex-dimorphic vocal parameters are both associated with underlying individual qualities. Research tends to focus on speech but singing is another highly evolved communication system that has distinct and universal features with analogs in other species, and it is relevant in mating. Both speaking and singing voice provides relevant information about its producer. We tested whether speech and singing function as “backup signals” that indicate similar underlying qualities. Using a sample of 81 men and 86 women from Brazil and the Czech Republic, we investigated vocal attractiveness rated from speech and singing and its association with fundamental frequency (F0), apparent vocal tract length (VTL), body characteristics, and sociosexuality. F0, VTL, and rated attractiveness of singing and speaking voice strongly correlated within the same individual. Lower-pitched speech in men, higher-pitched speech and singing in women, individuals who like to sing more, and singing of individuals with a higher pitch modulation were perceived as more attractive. In men, physical size positively predicted speech and singing attractiveness. Male speech but not singing attractiveness was associated with higher sociosexuality. Lower-pitched male speech was related to higher sociosexuality, while lower-pitched male singing was linked to lower sociosexuality. Similarly, shorter speech VTL and longer singing VTL predicted higher sociosexuality in women. Different vocal displays function as “backup signals” cueing to attractiveness and body size, but their relation to sexual strategies in men and women differs. Both singing and speech may indicate evolutionarily relevant individual qualities shaped by sexual selection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T18:53:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf5213e897624932b587808942e24868 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T18:53:29Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf5213e897624932b587808942e248682022-12-21T22:20:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782019-10-011010.3389/fpsyg.2019.02029434110Vocal Parameters of Speech and Singing Covary and Are Related to Vocal Attractiveness, Body Measures, and Sociosexuality: A Cross-Cultural StudyJaroslava Varella Valentova0Petr Tureček1Marco Antonio Corrêa Varella2Pavel Šebesta3Francisco Dyonisio C. Mendes4Kamila Janaina Pereira5Lydie Kubicová6Petra Stolařová7Jan Havlíček8Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilFaculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, CzechiaDepartment of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilFaculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, CzechiaDepartment of Basic Psychological Processes, University of Brasília, Brasília, BrazilDepartment of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilFaculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, CzechiaFaculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, CzechiaFaculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, CzechiaPerceived vocal attractiveness and measured sex-dimorphic vocal parameters are both associated with underlying individual qualities. Research tends to focus on speech but singing is another highly evolved communication system that has distinct and universal features with analogs in other species, and it is relevant in mating. Both speaking and singing voice provides relevant information about its producer. We tested whether speech and singing function as “backup signals” that indicate similar underlying qualities. Using a sample of 81 men and 86 women from Brazil and the Czech Republic, we investigated vocal attractiveness rated from speech and singing and its association with fundamental frequency (F0), apparent vocal tract length (VTL), body characteristics, and sociosexuality. F0, VTL, and rated attractiveness of singing and speaking voice strongly correlated within the same individual. Lower-pitched speech in men, higher-pitched speech and singing in women, individuals who like to sing more, and singing of individuals with a higher pitch modulation were perceived as more attractive. In men, physical size positively predicted speech and singing attractiveness. Male speech but not singing attractiveness was associated with higher sociosexuality. Lower-pitched male speech was related to higher sociosexuality, while lower-pitched male singing was linked to lower sociosexuality. Similarly, shorter speech VTL and longer singing VTL predicted higher sociosexuality in women. Different vocal displays function as “backup signals” cueing to attractiveness and body size, but their relation to sexual strategies in men and women differs. Both singing and speech may indicate evolutionarily relevant individual qualities shaped by sexual selection.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02029/fullhuman voicesongvocal attractivenessfundamental frequencysociosexualityfitness indicators |
| spellingShingle | Jaroslava Varella Valentova Petr Tureček Marco Antonio Corrêa Varella Pavel Šebesta Francisco Dyonisio C. Mendes Kamila Janaina Pereira Lydie Kubicová Petra Stolařová Jan Havlíček Vocal Parameters of Speech and Singing Covary and Are Related to Vocal Attractiveness, Body Measures, and Sociosexuality: A Cross-Cultural Study Frontiers in Psychology human voice song vocal attractiveness fundamental frequency sociosexuality fitness indicators |
| title | Vocal Parameters of Speech and Singing Covary and Are Related to Vocal Attractiveness, Body Measures, and Sociosexuality: A Cross-Cultural Study |
| title_full | Vocal Parameters of Speech and Singing Covary and Are Related to Vocal Attractiveness, Body Measures, and Sociosexuality: A Cross-Cultural Study |
| title_fullStr | Vocal Parameters of Speech and Singing Covary and Are Related to Vocal Attractiveness, Body Measures, and Sociosexuality: A Cross-Cultural Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vocal Parameters of Speech and Singing Covary and Are Related to Vocal Attractiveness, Body Measures, and Sociosexuality: A Cross-Cultural Study |
| title_short | Vocal Parameters of Speech and Singing Covary and Are Related to Vocal Attractiveness, Body Measures, and Sociosexuality: A Cross-Cultural Study |
| title_sort | vocal parameters of speech and singing covary and are related to vocal attractiveness body measures and sociosexuality a cross cultural study |
| topic | human voice song vocal attractiveness fundamental frequency sociosexuality fitness indicators |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02029/full |
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