Astonishing study: Does emancipation make our voice deeper?
Okay, comparing Lana del Ray with Cindy Lauper, you can hear a difference. But would you have thought that female voices today are generally lower than they were in the 80s? Are they - and even clear!
No change in men, half an octave lower in women
Researchers at the University of Leipzig have studied the voice and voice of about 2,500 subjects. In men's voices, they have found no change over the past two decades, whereas women have.
Twenty years ago, women's voices sounded an entire octave brighter than male voices. Today, the difference is only one fifth - about half an octave. According to Adam Riese, today's women's voices are about half an octave lower than earlier female voices.
Researchers rule out biological causes
Since the change affects only women, the researchers exclude biological causes. Because if it were important for us to grow taller today and be more well-nourished than our ancestors, male voices would have changed as well.
It is also not due to tobacco consumption: The voices of non-smokers have become as much deeper as those of smokers.
Deeper voices bring more respect
And now it gets interesting: The researchers suspect that women's voices have become deeper in the wake of emancipation. Deep, firm voices are more associated in our society with competence, self-confidence and assertiveness, shrill beeping voices rather perceived as hysterical and uncertain.
If we observe each other, that is also something to it: If we get upset and nervous, our tone of voice rises involuntarily, are we calm, focused and self-confident, are our words usually sounding the same? calmer, set and also deeper.
Since women today want to be respected for their expertise, have themselves? so the hypothesis of scientists? her voices adapted to her new role model and self-image.
So is our voice a good sign of equality?
If that's true and our voice is really an indicator of emancipation and equality, half an octave in 20 years would be a great step forward.
But let's take a look at the quotas of women in leadership positions and parliaments (for example in the Bundestag - see article) or stumble again on the huge gender pay gap and sexism in the most diverse sectors and areas of life? then it looks like our voices are just one step ahead of us ...
