Women with low pitch seen as incompetent

Washington: A new study indicates that vocal fry, a form of speech that is low in pitch and creaky sounding which is increasingly common among young American women, is actually perceived negatively, particularly in a labor market context.

The study indicates that women who speak in vocal fry are perceived as less attractive, less competent, less educated, less trustworthy, and ultimately less hirable.

The corresponding author of the study, Casey A. Klofstad, said these findings suggest that perceptions of speakers based on their voices can influence hiring preferences for female job candidates .

"Our results show that the vocal fry fad is a hindrance to young women who are trying to find work," Klofstad, associate professor of political science in the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences and corresponding author of the study, said.

"Lack of experience due to their younger age, a historically poor economic environment, and sex discrimination are all barriers to labor market success for this demographic. Given this context, our findings suggest that young women would be best advised to avoid using vocal fry when trying to secure employment," Klofstad added.

The study is published online in the open-access journal PLOS ONE (The Public Library of Science ONE).