The rise of "vocal fry"/"creaky voice" https://youtu.be/Q0yL2GezneU in women's speech has often been analyzed as a conscious or subconscious effort to project authority and be taken more seriously, particularly in contrast to "uptalk" (also known as "high-rising terminal"), which can make speakers sound uncertain or as if they are constantly seeking approval; surprisingly, the latter actually only rose to public prominence only about 30 years ago https://youtu.be/z756L_CkakU , and the former even later than that. In the US there was a regional aspect to it. I'm Pennsylvanian, and when I went to college in the mid-'80s, people from there and the upper Midwest (perhaps because those areas had lots of German and Scandanavian immigrants https://youtu.be/Lt5GsfNcDzA ) tended to be gently ribbed for uptalking relative to New Yorkers and New Englanders. I'm so old that I still remember when women (and men) from my region spoke with a Transatlantic accent if they wanted to be taken seriously https://youtu.be/nH2DKZ-2m74 .
Interestingly, while both vocal fry and uptalk have been criticized (uptalk for sounding insecure and vocal fry for sounding unprofessional), men's use of similar speech patterns often does not attract the same scrutiny. This probably reflects broader societal biases about how women’s voices "should" sound. Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos infamy became such a self-parody https://youtu.be/PL6ld4qDKNI that perhaps the pendulum has swing back; my favorite CEO is Advanced Micro Devices' Lisa Su, who speaks in even tones which come across as very authoritative and genuine, not affected https://youtu.be/YIokM_4i1i0 .
A 2014 national study of American adults found that speech with vocal fry was perceived more negatively than a voice without vocal fry, particularly in a labor market context.[11] In young adult women, it was perceived as sounding less trustworthy, less competent, less attractive, and less hireable.[11] The negative evaluation was stronger when the evaluator was also a woman.
Your post reminded me of the book "Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do" by Dr. Jennifer L. Eberhardt (https://tinyurl.com/27vy8927). If you haven't read it, the book discusses how biases extend beyond gender dynamics. Dr. Eberhardt demonstrates that bias is universal—something we all have to varying degrees—and it influences how we perceive others in ways we often don't realize. One of her examples was about her son's behavior in a situation, which surprised her a lot, and I was also surprised to read it.
This raises the question of how we can address these biases—both in ourselves and in the systems we operate within. Awareness is the first step, but we also need systemic changes to reduce the harm these biases can cause. This study reminds us that achieving true equity requires not only recognizing the existence of bias but also actively working to dismantle the stereotypes that perpetuate it.
There is the same correlation in the men but at a much lower level, indicating that uptalk may actually be a sign of having something to hide? I could be wrong but my interpretation of this would be that uptalk can make a person sound unsure as it has a questioning tone, and women are more likely to use uptalk anyway, so is this data pointing to a real gender bias? or is it just that uptalk is a sign of being unsure and as women are more likely to use uptalk they are easier to spot when they are unsure of the facts? I don't know if there's any validity to this, interesting stats though!
not only biased, but also easily suckered. One remembers how Elizabeth Holmes lowered her voice to more effectively scam investors and analysts.
The rise of "vocal fry"/"creaky voice" https://youtu.be/Q0yL2GezneU in women's speech has often been analyzed as a conscious or subconscious effort to project authority and be taken more seriously, particularly in contrast to "uptalk" (also known as "high-rising terminal"), which can make speakers sound uncertain or as if they are constantly seeking approval; surprisingly, the latter actually only rose to public prominence only about 30 years ago https://youtu.be/z756L_CkakU , and the former even later than that. In the US there was a regional aspect to it. I'm Pennsylvanian, and when I went to college in the mid-'80s, people from there and the upper Midwest (perhaps because those areas had lots of German and Scandanavian immigrants https://youtu.be/Lt5GsfNcDzA ) tended to be gently ribbed for uptalking relative to New Yorkers and New Englanders. I'm so old that I still remember when women (and men) from my region spoke with a Transatlantic accent if they wanted to be taken seriously https://youtu.be/nH2DKZ-2m74 .
Interestingly, while both vocal fry and uptalk have been criticized (uptalk for sounding insecure and vocal fry for sounding unprofessional), men's use of similar speech patterns often does not attract the same scrutiny. This probably reflects broader societal biases about how women’s voices "should" sound. Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos infamy became such a self-parody https://youtu.be/PL6ld4qDKNI that perhaps the pendulum has swing back; my favorite CEO is Advanced Micro Devices' Lisa Su, who speaks in even tones which come across as very authoritative and genuine, not affected https://youtu.be/YIokM_4i1i0 .
Fascinating stuff.
A 2014 national study of American adults found that speech with vocal fry was perceived more negatively than a voice without vocal fry, particularly in a labor market context.[11] In young adult women, it was perceived as sounding less trustworthy, less competent, less attractive, and less hireable.[11] The negative evaluation was stronger when the evaluator was also a woman.
https://jimychanga.substack.com/p/vocal-fry
Your post reminded me of the book "Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do" by Dr. Jennifer L. Eberhardt (https://tinyurl.com/27vy8927). If you haven't read it, the book discusses how biases extend beyond gender dynamics. Dr. Eberhardt demonstrates that bias is universal—something we all have to varying degrees—and it influences how we perceive others in ways we often don't realize. One of her examples was about her son's behavior in a situation, which surprised her a lot, and I was also surprised to read it.
This raises the question of how we can address these biases—both in ourselves and in the systems we operate within. Awareness is the first step, but we also need systemic changes to reduce the harm these biases can cause. This study reminds us that achieving true equity requires not only recognizing the existence of bias but also actively working to dismantle the stereotypes that perpetuate it.
There is the same correlation in the men but at a much lower level, indicating that uptalk may actually be a sign of having something to hide? I could be wrong but my interpretation of this would be that uptalk can make a person sound unsure as it has a questioning tone, and women are more likely to use uptalk anyway, so is this data pointing to a real gender bias? or is it just that uptalk is a sign of being unsure and as women are more likely to use uptalk they are easier to spot when they are unsure of the facts? I don't know if there's any validity to this, interesting stats though!
Interesting stuff!