scholarly journals Musicality in human vocal communication: an evolutionary perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 377 (1841) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan David Leongómez ◽  
Jan Havlíček ◽  
S. Craig Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Social Bonds ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Voice Modulation

Studies show that specific vocal modulations, akin to those of infant-directed speech (IDS) and perhaps music, play a role in communicating intentions and mental states during human social interaction. Based on this, we propose a model for the evolution of musicality—the capacity to process musical information—in relation to human vocal communication. We suggest that a complex social environment, with strong social bonds, promoted the appearance of musicality-related abilities. These social bonds were not limited to those between offspring and mothers or other carers, although these may have been especially influential in view of altriciality of human infants. The model can be further tested in other species by comparing levels of sociality and complexity of vocal communication. By integrating several theories, our model presents a radically different view of musicality, not limited to specifically musical scenarios, but one in which this capacity originally evolved to aid parent–infant communication and bonding, and even today plays a role not only in music but also in IDS, as well as in some adult-directed speech contexts. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part II)’.

scholarly journals Musicality in human vocal communication: An evolutionary perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan David Leongómez ◽  
Jan Havlicek ◽  
S. Craig Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Social Bonds ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Music Play

Studies show that specific vocal modulations, akin to those of infant-directed speech and perhaps music, play a role in communicating intentions and mental states during human social interaction. Based on this, we propose a model for the evolution of musicality –the capacity to process musical information– in relation to human vocal communication. We suggest that a complex social environment, with strong social bonds, promoted the appearance of musicality-related abilities. These social bonds were not limited to those between offspring and mothers or other carers, although these may have been especially influential in view of altriciality of human infants. The model can be further tested in other species by comparing levels of sociality and complexity of vocal communication. By integrating several theories, our model presents a radically different view of musicality, not limited to specifically musical scenarios, but one in which this capacity originally evolved to aid parent-infant communication and bonding, and even today plays a role, not only in music but also in infant-directed speech (IDS), as well as some adult-directed speech (ADS) contexts.

scholarly journals Vocal size exaggeration may have contributed to the origins of vocalic complexity

2021 ◽  
Vol 377 (1841) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Pisanski ◽  
Andrey Anikin ◽  
David Reby
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Similar Extent ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Articulatory Movements ◽  
Animal Vocalizations ◽  
Second Formant ◽  
Voice Modulation

Vocal tract elongation, which uniformly lowers vocal tract resonances (formant frequencies) in animal vocalizations, has evolved independently in several vertebrate groups as a means for vocalizers to exaggerate their apparent body size. Here, we propose that smaller speech-like articulatory movements that alter only individual formants can serve a similar yet less energetically costly size-exaggerating function. To test this, we examine whether uneven formant spacing alters the perceived body size of vocalizers in synthesized human vowels and animal calls. Among six synthetic vowel patterns, those characterized by the lowest first and second formant (the vowel /u/ as in ‘boot’) are consistently perceived as produced by the largest vocalizer. Crucially, lowering only one or two formants in animal-like calls also conveys the impression of a larger body size, and lowering the second and third formants simultaneously exaggerates perceived size to a similar extent as rescaling all formants. As the articulatory movements required for individual formant shifts are minor compared to full vocal tract extension, they represent a rapid and energetically efficient mechanism for acoustic size exaggeration. We suggest that, by favouring the evolution of uneven formant patterns in vocal communication, this deceptive strategy may have contributed to the origins of the phonemic diversification required for articulated speech. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part II)’.

scholarly journals Across demographics and recent history, most parents sing to their infants and toddlers daily

2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1840) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran Yan ◽  
Ghazal Jessani ◽  
Elizabeth S. Spelke ◽  
Peter de Villiers ◽  
Jill de Villiers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Technological Environment ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
The Past ◽  
Recorded Music ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
Voice Modulation

Music is universally prevalent in human society and is a salient component of the lives of young families. Here, we studied the frequency of singing and playing recorded music in the home using surveys of parents with infants ( N = 945). We found that most parents sing to their infant on a daily basis and the frequency of infant-directed singing is unrelated to parents’ income or ethnicity. Two reliable individual differences emerged, however: (i) fathers sing less than mothers and (ii) as infants grow older, parents sing less. Moreover, the latter effect of child age was specific to singing and was not reflected in reports of the frequency of playing recorded music. Last, we meta-analysed reports of the frequency of infant-directed singing and found little change in its frequency over the past 30 years, despite substantial changes in the technological environment in the home. These findings, consistent with theories of the psychological functions of music, in general, and infant-directed singing, in particular, demonstrate the everyday nature of music in infancy. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part I)’.

scholarly journals Even violins can cry: specifically vocal emotional behaviours also drive the perception of emotions in non-vocal music

2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1840) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Bedoya ◽  
P. Arias ◽  
L. Rachman ◽  
M. Liuni ◽  
C. Canonne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Vocal Music ◽  
Singing Voice ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Human Voice ◽  
Musical Background ◽  
Vocal Tremor ◽  
Voice Modulation

A wealth of theoretical and empirical arguments have suggested that music triggers emotional responses by resembling the inflections of expressive vocalizations, but have done so using low-level acoustic parameters (pitch, loudness, speed) that, in fact, may not be processed by the listener in reference to human voice. Here, we take the opportunity of the recent availability of computational models that allow the simulation of three specifically vocal emotional behaviours: smiling, vocal tremor and vocal roughness. When applied to musical material, we find that these three acoustic manipulations trigger emotional perceptions that are remarkably similar to those observed on speech and scream sounds, and identical across musician and non-musician listeners. Strikingly, this not only applied to singing voice with and without musical background, but also to purely instrumental material. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part I)’.

scholarly journals A dual larynx motor networks hypothesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1840) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Belyk ◽  
Nicole Eichert ◽  
Carolyn McGettigan
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Dual Representation ◽  
Human Phenotype ◽  
Laryngeal Muscles ◽  
Motor Network ◽  
Voice Modulation

Humans are vocal modulators par excellence. This ability is supported in part by the dual representation of the laryngeal muscles in the motor cortex. Movement, however, is not the product of motor cortex alone but of a broader motor network. This network consists of brain regions that contain somatotopic maps that parallel the organization in motor cortex. We therefore present a novel hypothesis that the dual laryngeal representation is repeated throughout the broader motor network. In support of the hypothesis, we review existing literature that demonstrates the existence of network-wide somatotopy and present initial evidence for the hypothesis' plausibility. Understanding how this uniquely human phenotype in motor cortex interacts with broader brain networks is an important step toward understanding how humans evolved the ability to speak. We further suggest that this system may provide a means to study how individual components of the nervous system evolved within the context of neuronal networks. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part I)’.

scholarly journals Vocal communication across cultures: theoretical and methodological issues

2021 ◽  
Vol 377 (1841) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory A. Bryant
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Human Communication ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Cultural Variations ◽  
Speech Research ◽  
Voice Modulation ◽  
Behavioural Sciences

The study of human vocal communication has been conducted primarily in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic (WEIRD) societies. Recently, cross-cultural investigations in several domains of voice research have been expanding into more diverse populations. Theoretically, it is important to understand how universals and cultural variations interact in vocal production and perception, but cross-cultural voice research presents many methodological challenges. Experimental methods typically used in WEIRD societies are often not possible to implement in many populations such as rural, small-scale societies. Moreover, theoretical and methodological issues are often unnecessarily intertwined. Here, I focus on three areas of cross-cultural voice modulation research: (i) vocal signalling of formidability and dominance, (ii) vocal emotions, and (iii) production and perception of infant-directed speech. Research in these specific areas illustrates challenges that apply more generally across the human behavioural sciences but also reveals promise as we develop our understanding of the evolution of human communication. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part II)’.

scholarly journals Social Connections and Homeless’ People Views on them

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-244
Author(s):  
Kirill Zlokazov ◽  
Ivanina Ancheva
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Homeless People ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Living Standard ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Introduction. The significance of social connections is due to diverse and crucial impact of environment to human life. The study of social connections enables to identify a person’s living standard and wellbeing. Addressing homeless people means better awareness and the opportunity to organize psychological assistance to them as well as to clarify the issue of social ties formation. The study aims to review the theoretical concept of personal social connections and to analyze the homeless’ subjective views on their state. The research tasks are to review a social connections structure; to carry out research on the homeless’ social connections and to analyze the characteristics of these ties. Methodology. The social-subjective approach to social interaction is the key methodology of the study. It enables to form a concept of the homeless’ ties with other people and build the model of their social interaction. The advantage of the approach is the possibility to research the social ties of the homeless, to gather data about the parameters of these connections, to understand how the homeless perceive people around them, the society and themselves. The main method of the study was the self-report. The survey on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of social connections of the homeless as well as the questionnaire on the key parameters of the person’s interaction with society (getting support from the social environment, self – assessment of the interaction, the impact on social environment) were conducted. The data were processed by descriptive statistics and Kruskal–Wallis H test. The sample of the study consisted of 197 participants aged 45–50. The majority of the sample (80%) was male. The research procedure. We compared the subjective awareness of social interaction of the homeless and people who have accommodation. Our results show the decrease of social impact on the person among the homeless. It is determined by low rapport, poor interpersonal communication, low authority and low reference as well as little value of social environment. The research reveals that the homeless make an improper evaluation of their interaction with social environment. That results in low assessment of social support, underestimation of their own impact on the environment and overestimation of their ability to interact. Scientific novelty. The findings of the study expand the understanding of the state of homelessness. They reveal socialpsychological characteristics of the homeless interaction with the environment as well as specifies the concept of socialperceptive ideas formed during these interactions with the environment. Practical significance. This study emphasizes the necessity of forming the homeless social skills, indicates the issues of psychological prevention in counseling and providing social assistance to this category of citizens.

scholarly journals The bouba/kiki effect is robust across cultures and writing systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 377 (1841) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Ćwiek ◽  
Susanne Fuchs ◽  
Christoph Draxler ◽  
Eva Liina Asu ◽  
Dan Dediu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Writing Systems ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Round Shape ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondence ◽  
Visual Shape ◽  
Visual Properties ◽  
The Voice ◽  
Voice Modulation

The bouba/kiki effect—the association of the nonce word bouba with a round shape and kiki with a spiky shape—is a type of correspondence between speech sounds and visual properties with potentially deep implications for the evolution of spoken language. However, there is debate over the robustness of the effect across cultures and the influence of orthography. We report an online experiment that tested the bouba/kiki effect across speakers of 25 languages representing nine language families and 10 writing systems. Overall, we found strong evidence for the effect across languages, with bouba eliciting more congruent responses than kiki . Participants who spoke languages with Roman scripts were only marginally more likely to show the effect, and analysis of the orthographic shape of the words in different scripts showed that the effect was no stronger for scripts that use rounder forms for bouba and spikier forms for kiki . These results confirm that the bouba/kiki phenomenon is rooted in crossmodal correspondence between aspects of the voice and visual shape, largely independent of orthography. They provide the strongest demonstration to date that the bouba/kiki effect is robust across cultures and writing systems. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part II)’.

scholarly journals Perception of group membership from spontaneous and volitional laughter

2021 ◽  
Vol 377 (1841) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roza G. Kamiloğlu ◽  
Akihiro Tanaka ◽  
Sophie K. Scott ◽  
Disa A. Sauter
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Group Identity ◽  
Group Membership ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Bayesian Analyses ◽  
Two Cultures ◽  
Social Signal ◽  
The Two Cultures ◽  
Voice Modulation ◽  
Production Mechanisms

Laughter is a ubiquitous social signal. Recent work has highlighted distinctions between spontaneous and volitional laughter, which differ in terms of both production mechanisms and perceptual features. Here, we test listeners' ability to infer group identity from volitional and spontaneous laughter, as well as the perceived positivity of these laughs across cultures. Dutch ( n = 273) and Japanese ( n = 131) participants listened to decontextualized laughter clips and judged (i) whether the laughing person was from their cultural in-group or an out-group; and (ii) whether they thought the laughter was produced spontaneously or volitionally. They also rated the positivity of each laughter clip. Using frequentist and Bayesian analyses, we show that listeners were able to infer group membership from both spontaneous and volitional laughter, and that performance was equivalent for both types of laughter. Spontaneous laughter was rated as more positive than volitional laughter across the two cultures, and in-group laughs were perceived as more positive than out-group laughs by Dutch but not Japanese listeners. Our results demonstrate that both spontaneous and volitional laughter can be used by listeners to infer laughers’ cultural group identity. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part II)’.

scholarly journals Voice modulatory cues to structure across languages and species

2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1840) ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa Matzinger ◽  
W. Tecumseh Fitch
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Vocal Production ◽  
Cognitive Constraints ◽  
Vocal Signals ◽  
Efficient Communication ◽  
Shared Ancestry ◽  
Voice Modulation

Voice modulatory cues such as variations in fundamental frequency, duration and pauses are key factors for structuring vocal signals in human speech and vocal communication in other tetrapods. Voice modulation physiology is highly similar in humans and other tetrapods due to shared ancestry and shared functional pressures for efficient communication. This has led to similarly structured vocalizations across humans and other tetrapods. Nonetheless, in their details, structural characteristics may vary across species and languages. Because data concerning voice modulation in non-human tetrapod vocal production and especially perception are relatively scarce compared to human vocal production and perception, this review focuses on voice modulatory cues used for speech segmentation across human languages, highlighting comparative data where available. Cues that are used similarly across many languages may help indicate which cues may result from physiological or basic cognitive constraints, and which cues may be employed more flexibly and are shaped by cultural evolution. This suggests promising candidates for future investigation of cues to structure in non-human tetrapod vocalizations. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part I)’.

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