Listen to their voice! In a new study published in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, male and female study volunteers who were given photographs of strangers and asked to leave scripted Skype messages for them made their voice deeper when leaving a message for those they found attractive.
Sure, it makes sense that men deepen their voice when trying to woo someone since it makes them sound more masculine. But, what’s most surprising about this study’s findings is that women also lower their voice when they find someone attractive. It was expected that women would raise their voice to sound more feminine. In fact, during Week 2 of your cycle around ovulation, peaking estrogen has you using more higher notes than during other times in your cycle.
So, why the anomaly? The researchers chalk it up to nature vs. nurture, and nurture wins! Turns out, we’re taught by pop culture that a woman with a husky, breathy, lower-pitched voice is sexy, for instance, Demi Moore, Angelina Jolie and, the huskiest of all, Kathleen Turner. As a result, we copy that behavior.
[photo: pedrosimoes7]
