There’s science behind this irresistible temptation.
From the peacock’s majestic mating dance to the Trojan War, men will do some pretty ridiculous things to impress women, but the lengths they’ll go to to capture the lady of their dreams also depends on the woman’s seductive abilities, new research suggests.
A study published in Personality and Individual Differences found that men were more likely to be tempted to take risks by women with high-pitched voices, but only if the women liked risk.Further testing showed that men were more likely to play it safe if the women seemed uninterested in risk-taking behavior.
We see it all the time: Elaborate marriage proposals. Risky TikTok challenges. “The Bachelorette.” Evolutionary theory suggests that men who take risks for women have better genes and are more likely to be mates, but where we draw the line may also depend on the woman’s wifely qualities.
Previous studies on female attractiveness in relation to vocal pitch have found that men prefer women who speak with a lively, high-pitched voice over those with a sultry, low-pitched voice. In a new study, Chinese researchers took these findings a step further, asking the extent to which men desire such women.
The researchers conducted two experiments in which young Chinese men participated in fictional virtual reality scenarios in which they were asked to take cues from a high-pitched or low-pitched female voice. The first test involved a driving simulation that featured a female voice for driving navigation and the choice to slow down or go through a yellow light.
The second test raised the hypothetical stakes: Two groups of heterosexual men were assigned to listen to marketing pitches delivered by women in either a high-pitched or low-pitched voice. After the pitches, participants rated the attractiveness of the speaker’s voice. Next, the male participants received a statement about female preferences. Each man received one of two notes that suggested women wanted men who were “brave, strong, healthy, athletic and manly” or “patient, family-oriented, kind, caring and mature.” One was designed to encourage risky behavior, the other to discourage it.
The idea that a woman’s voice lures men into danger no longer exists in art or literature. Heritage Images via Getty Images
Finally, the subjects were asked to don virtual reality gear and walk across a three-metre plank suspended from a digital skyscraper – the speed at which they completed the task was used as a measure of their risk-taking behaviour.
The results of both tests showed that men were motivated to take greater risks by the allure of a high-pitched female voice. However, for male participants who were told that women prefer safe men during the second experiment, this was the only scenario in which a high-pitched female voice was not associated with riskier male behavior.
“This study demonstrates that individual psychology and behavior are heavily influenced not only by evolutionary factors but also by the socio-cultural context of development. Men’s risk-taking behavior demonstrates situational sensitivity and is the result of both natural and cultural adaptations,” the study authors conclude in their report.
