Scientists have new ideas about why men have deep voices. It was thought that men had deep voices to attract women. However, scientists now say a deep voice was to scare off other men. Researcher David Puts said: "A low pitched voice evolved primarily to intimidate other men…to make males seem bigger and scarier." He said a deep voice was more to show aggression and give an advantage in fighting than to attract women.
Researchers played recordings of 500 men and women to different people of both sexes. Men rated each male voice for levels of dominance. Women rated them for romantic attractiveness. Men also rated women's voices for attractiveness. Most men thought the deeper male voices belonged to a more dominant man. Dr Puts said the pattern of the women's ratings did not suggest that the deepness of the male voice was so important to females.
