Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The role of loudness in vocal intimidation

Anikin, Andrey LU orcid ; Valente, Daria ; Pisanski, Katarzyna ; Cornec, Clément ; Bryant, Greg and Reby, David (2023) p.1-29
Abstract
Across many species, a major function of vocal communication is to convey formidability, with low voice frequencies traditionally considered the main vehicle for projecting large size and aggression. Vocal loudness is often ignored, yet it might explain some puzzling exceptions to this frequency code. Here we demonstrate, through acoustic analyses of over 3000 human vocalizations and four perceptual experiments, that vocalizers produce low frequencies when attempting to sound large, but loudness is prioritized for displays of strength and aggression. Our results show that, although being loud is effective for signaling strength and aggression, it poses a physiological tradeoff with low frequencies because a loud voice is achieved by... (More)
Across many species, a major function of vocal communication is to convey formidability, with low voice frequencies traditionally considered the main vehicle for projecting large size and aggression. Vocal loudness is often ignored, yet it might explain some puzzling exceptions to this frequency code. Here we demonstrate, through acoustic analyses of over 3000 human vocalizations and four perceptual experiments, that vocalizers produce low frequencies when attempting to sound large, but loudness is prioritized for displays of strength and aggression. Our results show that, although being loud is effective for signaling strength and aggression, it poses a physiological tradeoff with low frequencies because a loud voice is achieved by elevating pitch and opening the mouth wide into a-like vowels. This may explain why aggressive vocalizations are often high-pitched and why open vowels are considered “large” in sound symbolism despite their high first formant. Callers often compensate by adding vocal harshness (nonlinear vocal phenomena) to undesirably high-pitched loud vocalizations, but a combination of low and loud remains an honest predictor of both perceived and actual physical formidability. The proposed notion of a loudness-frequency tradeoff thus adds a new dimension to the widely accepted frequency code and requires a fundamental rethinking of the evolutionary forces shaping the form of acoustic signals. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Working paper/Preprint
publication status
published
subject
pages
29 pages
publisher
PsyArXiv
DOI
10.31234/osf.io/qgyev
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1a6fddfb-b77a-415c-b120-e7c18a1168fb
date added to LUP
2023-10-31 14:39:05
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:27:30
@misc{1a6fddfb-b77a-415c-b120-e7c18a1168fb,
  abstract     = {{Across many species, a major function of vocal communication is to convey formidability, with low voice frequencies traditionally considered the main vehicle for projecting large size and aggression. Vocal loudness is often ignored, yet it might explain some puzzling exceptions to this frequency code. Here we demonstrate, through acoustic analyses of over 3000 human vocalizations and four perceptual experiments, that vocalizers produce low frequencies when attempting to sound large, but loudness is prioritized for displays of strength and aggression. Our results show that, although being loud is effective for signaling strength and aggression, it poses a physiological tradeoff with low frequencies because a loud voice is achieved by elevating pitch and opening the mouth wide into a-like vowels. This may explain why aggressive vocalizations are often high-pitched and why open vowels are considered “large” in sound symbolism despite their high first formant. Callers often compensate by adding vocal harshness (nonlinear vocal phenomena) to undesirably high-pitched loud vocalizations, but a combination of low and loud remains an honest predictor of both perceived and actual physical formidability. The proposed notion of a loudness-frequency tradeoff thus adds a new dimension to the widely accepted frequency code and requires a fundamental rethinking of the evolutionary forces shaping the form of acoustic signals.}},
  author       = {{Anikin, Andrey and Valente, Daria and Pisanski, Katarzyna and Cornec, Clément and Bryant, Greg and Reby, David}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Preprint}},
  pages        = {{1--29}},
  publisher    = {{PsyArXiv}},
  title        = {{The role of loudness in vocal intimidation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/qgyev}},
  doi          = {{10.31234/osf.io/qgyev}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}