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

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Wells, T.J., 2011. Modality related effects of face and voice information and the perception of human attractiveness. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.

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Abstract

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.

Item Type:	Thesis
Creators:	Wells, T.J.
Date:	2011
Rights:	This work is the intellectual property of the author. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed in the owner(s) of the Intellectual Property Rights.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	EPrints Services
Date Added:	09 Oct 2015 09:34
Last Modified:	09 Oct 2015 09:34
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/169