High testosterone levels predict low voice pitch among men

We measured salivary testosterone levels and voice pitch, or fundamental frequency, among 61 male and 88 female college students. Higher levels of testosterone were significantly associated with lower pitched voices among males but not among females. The magnitude of the effect was approximately the same as the magnitude of other relationships that have been reported between testosterone and behavior. There are two plausible explanations of a link between testosterone and pitch. One explanation is physiological, in which testosterone changes the bulk, length, or tension of the vocal folds. The other is psychological, in which testosterone affects the vocal style that an individual uses as part of a social interaction strategy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.