Research has pointed to a potential link between deep male voices and a higher likelihood of infidelity. This observation stems from two studies conducted in 2020 and 2021, which sought to understand why men with deeper voices might be more prone to cheating on their partners.
The 2020 study by Southwest University in Chongqing, China, involved 116 men and 145 women, all around the age of 20. Participants were questioned about their views on monogamy and commitment, while researchers recorded their voice pitch.
The study’s findings suggested that men with deeper voices, referred to as ‘masculine men’ by the researchers, are reportedly “more likely to engage in infidelity and commit less to their romantic relationships compared with feminine men”.
Another study, published in 2021 in Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, supported similar conclusions. This research examined an existing dataset and found that individuals with a lower fundamental frequency (F0) in their voices often reported previous infidelity.
The same group reported having a greater number of sexual partners outside their committed relationships.
Researcher Christoph Schild and his team discovered that “lower mean F0 predicted lower vocal attractiveness, which in turn predicted a higher likelihood of self-reported infidelity.”
This implies that men with lower voices may be perceived as more attractive, thereby increasing opportunities for additional romantic encounters.
Similarly, the 2020 study concluded that “from the point of view of evolutionary psychology, men with masculine voices may enhance their status among other men or their attractiveness to women…
“Thereby increasing their chances of obtaining more or higher-quality partners.”
The researchers also speculated that testosterone might play a role, stating: “Testosterone and the characteristics dependent on testosterone can be reliable indicators of quality-dependent conditions or behaviours…
“Therefore, men with higher testosterone levels, and hence lower voices, may have more infidelity behaviours or less commitment to their romantic relationship.”
While more research is needed to further explore the connection between voice pitch and infidelity, it’s worth being cautious when wooed by a deep-voiced individual.
Even if they seem like the perfect lead in a romantic comedy.