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Effects of Femininity and Masculinity in Voice and Appearance on Stereotype Judgement

Andersson, Christoffer LU (2013) KOGM20 20131
Cognitive Science
Abstract
Earlier studies have shown that both gender and masculine
or feminine traits affects judgement about a person's qualities.
This study builds upon earlier research and investigates
the relation between voice and appearance with respect to
gender based stereotype judgement, by letting participants
listen to and then rate two of totally eight different digital
characters, four female and four male. The manipulated
variables were the femininity or masculinity of the characters'
voices and the femininity or masculinity of their appearance.
The ratings regarded the characters perceived competence,
intelligence, and empathic abilities. The hypothesis
that masculinity would increase ratings for competence and
intelligence was... (More)
Earlier studies have shown that both gender and masculine
or feminine traits affects judgement about a person's qualities.
This study builds upon earlier research and investigates
the relation between voice and appearance with respect to
gender based stereotype judgement, by letting participants
listen to and then rate two of totally eight different digital
characters, four female and four male. The manipulated
variables were the femininity or masculinity of the characters'
voices and the femininity or masculinity of their appearance.
The ratings regarded the characters perceived competence,
intelligence, and empathic abilities. The hypothesis
that masculinity would increase ratings for competence and
intelligence was unsupported for both male and female characters.
Instead the results show that when female characters
had matching voice and appearance (both feminine or both
masculine), the characters was perceived as both more intelligent
and competent.
Furthermore, the second hypothesis stated in the study,
namely that feminine traits would increase perceived emphatic
abilities, found support in the data, however only
when comparing female characters.
The conclusions drawn from these findings are that it is
plausible that common stereotypes might have lost some of
its strengths, at least for the population studied and in the
domain of medical doctors. Furthermore, the author suspects
a matching effect. However, a more extensive study, incorporating
a more complex and larger set of stimuli, is required
in order to draw more generalised conclusions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Andersson, Christoffer LU
supervisor
organization
course
KOGM20 20131
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
empathy, competence, intelligence, appearance, voice, matching effect, stereotype, gender
language
English
id
4144097
date added to LUP
2013-11-19 10:08:58
date last changed
2013-11-19 10:08:58
@misc{4144097,
  abstract     = {{Earlier studies have shown that both gender and masculine
or feminine traits affects judgement about a person's qualities.
This study builds upon earlier research and investigates
the relation between voice and appearance with respect to
gender based stereotype judgement, by letting participants
listen to and then rate two of totally eight different digital
characters, four female and four male. The manipulated
variables were the femininity or masculinity of the characters'
voices and the femininity or masculinity of their appearance.
The ratings regarded the characters perceived competence,
intelligence, and empathic abilities. The hypothesis
that masculinity would increase ratings for competence and
intelligence was unsupported for both male and female characters.
Instead the results show that when female characters
had matching voice and appearance (both feminine or both
masculine), the characters was perceived as both more intelligent
and competent.
Furthermore, the second hypothesis stated in the study,
namely that feminine traits would increase perceived emphatic
abilities, found support in the data, however only
when comparing female characters.
The conclusions drawn from these findings are that it is
plausible that common stereotypes might have lost some of
its strengths, at least for the population studied and in the
domain of medical doctors. Furthermore, the author suspects
a matching effect. However, a more extensive study, incorporating
a more complex and larger set of stimuli, is required
in order to draw more generalised conclusions.}},
  author       = {{Andersson, Christoffer}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Effects of Femininity and Masculinity in Voice and Appearance on Stereotype Judgement}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}