The Effect of Voice Pitch on the Ratings of a Speaker
Verneda Hamm-Baugh
Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation
College: College of Liberal Arts
Major: Psychology
Faculty Research Mentor: Verneda Hamm-Baugh
Abstract:
First impressions are powerful. For example, employers might make judgements on an individual’s work ethic based on their appearance in an interview, criminal investigators look at body posture and movements to determine whether an individual is a suspect of crime, and decisions about a potential mate might be made based on their appearance in an online profile. Perception influences how individuals interact and treat each other. Voice tone, pitch, or articulation can also influence perception. For example, instructors often use their voice as a major tool that helps students learn. The first encounter that a student has with a teacher is the teacher’s appearance and voice. Voice can elicit evaluations of an individual to the point where it can influence a listener’s perception of the speaker. The present study was designed to examine the ratings of speakers based on whether they have high or low voice pitch. In this study, the speaker gave a lecture and participants answered questions on the topic presented and then rated the speaker. It was hypothesized that speakers with low voice pitch will be rated more favorably than speakers with high voice pitch.