Modality related effects of face and voice information and the perception of human attractiveness

The process of sexual selection is likely to incorporate multiple sources of information that can be used to identify a suitable mate. Utilising multiple signals for sexual selection could be advantageous since together these might limit the chance of mating with a suboptimal partner (Møller & Pomiankowski, 1993) and thus avoid the cost of unhealthy progeny. However to date, research has focused primarily on unitary signals of attractiveness. Therefore, this thesis aimed to identify the function and relative importance of face and voice signals in human mate attractiveness, with particular reference to Candolin’s (2003) framework of signal integration. The findings suggested that female face and voice signals appear to be related and are likely to constitute back-up signals. Together, female faces and voices interact thus modulating the attractiveness of face-voice compound stimuli and provide a more accurate estimate of fertility. Male voices decreased female response latencies when presented congruently with male faces, which suggests that they are integrated. However, male face-voice integration did not enhance the detection or discrimination of attractive male faces. Rather, females’ readiness to rate male faces and voices was delayed when the stimuli were more attractive.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Nottingham Trent University

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Wells, TJ

Language dc:language

en