Durham University study: Deep voices increase perceived dominance but not attractiveness

Researchers at Durham University have found that while a deep male voice increases perceptions of strength and social dominance, it does not necessarily increase perceived attractiveness when the speaker's full body is visible.

In a study published in Royal Society Open Science, psychologists James E. Rutter and Lynda G. Boothroyd used digitally manipulated full-body videos of 17 men to test these effects. Previous studies using only audio recordings suggested that deeper voices enhanced both toughness and appeal. However, this new research indicates that when viewers can see a man's actual stature and build, the attractiveness bonus disappears.

While deeper voices led participants to perceive men as stronger, more capable in a fight, and more socially influential, they did not provide a consistent edge in attractiveness ratings. The study noted that viewers primarily penalized the most feminine-sounding voices, but deeper-than-average voices did not yield higher attractiveness scores. Additionally, deeper voices led viewers to estimate higher body weights, though they did not significantly impact perceptions of height.