Do podcast listeners rate female podcasters with cuter voices to being attractive and credible? A new study investigates how listeners perceive female sports podcasters based on their voice, particularly their auditory cuteness.
Auditory cuteness is defined as a vocal quality that is perceived as being a little high-pitched, breathy, and soft. The study found that listeners rated female podcasters with cuter voices as more attractive and more credible. However, the study also found that listeners who held stronger gender role beliefs were less likely to rate female podcasters as credible, even if they had cute voices.
Listeners who perceive a female sports podcaster as having a cute voice, the study predicts, could lead to increased listenership and engagement with her podcast.
The study by researchers from Department of Communication, University of Connecticut, Department of Sport Management and Media, York College of Pennsylvania, and College of Media and International Culture, Zhejiang University, also found that Listeners who hold stronger gender role beliefs may be less likely to rate female podcasters as credible, even if they have cute voices.
This is because they may associate auditory cuteness with femininity and weakness. Overall, the study’s findings suggest that female sports podcasters should be aware of the potential impact of auditory cuteness on their listeners.
If they choose to cultivate a cute vocal persona, they should be mindful of the fact that some listeners may perceive them as being less credible as a result. The findings suggest that auditory cuteness can be a positive factor for female sports podcasters, but it is important to be aware of the potential impact of gender role beliefs.
Authors
Dongdong Yang & David J. Atkin : Department of Communication, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
Michael Mudrick : Department of Sport Management and Media, York College of Pennsylvania, York, PA, USA
Yuren Qin : College of Media and International Culture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Go to research paper