A sweet voice: The influence of crossmodal correspondences between taste and vocal pitch on advertising effectiveness

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kosuke Motoki ◽  
Toshiki Saito ◽  
Rui Nouchi ◽  
Ryuta Kawashima ◽  
Motoaki Sugiura
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Information ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Advertising Effectiveness ◽  
Voice Pitch ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondences ◽  
Human Voice ◽  
Recent Scholarship ◽  
Vocal Pitch ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondence

Crossmodal correspondences have been increasingly reported in recent scholarship, and pitch–taste associations have been observed. People consistently associate high-pitched vocal tones with sweet/sour foods, while low-pitched tones tend to be associated with bitter foods. The human voice is key in broadcast advertising, and the role of voice in communication generally is partly characterized by acoustic parameters of pitch. However, it remains unknown whether voice pitch and other senses relevant to product attributes (e.g., taste) interactively influence consumer behavior. Since congruent sensory information is desirable, it is plausible that voice pitch and taste interactively guide consumers’ responses to advertising. Based on the crossmodal correspondence phenomenon, this study aimed to elucidate the role played by voice pitch/taste correspondences in advertising effectiveness. Participants listened to voiceover advertisements (at a high or low pitch) for three food products with distinct tastes (sweet, sour, and bitter) and rated their buying intention (an indicator of advertising effectiveness). The results show that the participants were likely to exhibit greater buying intention toward both sweet and sour food when they listened to high-pitched (vs. low-pitched) voiceover advertisements. The effects for sweet food occurred when the vocal pitch was considerably high (Studies 2 and 3), but not when pitch was only moderately high (Study 1). The influence of high pitch on sour food preferences was somewhat inconsistent. These findings emphasize the role that voice pitch/taste correspondence plays in preference formation, and advance the applicability of crossmodal correspondences to business.

A Sweet Voice: The Influence of Cross-Modal Correspondences Between Taste and Vocal Pitch on Advertising Effectiveness

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 401-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kosuke Motoki ◽  
Toshiki Saito ◽  
Rui Nouchi ◽  
Ryuta Kawashima ◽  
Motoaki Sugiura
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Rapid Growth ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Advertising Effectiveness ◽  
Voice Pitch ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Human Voice ◽  
Sweet Food

Abstract We have seen a rapid growth of interest in cross-modal correspondences between sound and taste over recent years. People consistently associate higher-pitched sounds with sweet/sour foods, while lower-pitched sounds tend to be associated with bitter foods. The human voice is key in broadcast advertising, and the role of voice in communication generally is partly characterized by acoustic parameters of pitch. However, it remains unknown whether voice pitch and taste interactively influence consumer behavior. Since consumers prefer congruent sensory information, it is plausible that voice pitch and taste interactively influence consumers’ responses to advertising stimuli. Based on the cross-modal correspondence phenomenon, this study aimed to elucidate the role played by voice pitch–taste correspondences in advertising effectiveness. Participants listened to voiceover advertisements (at a higher or lower pitch than the original narrator’s voice) for three food products with distinct tastes (sweet, sour, and bitter) and rated their buying intention (an indicator of advertising effectiveness). The results show that the participants were likely to exhibit greater buying intention toward both sweet and sour food when they listened to higher-pitched (vs lower-pitched) voiceover advertisements. The influence of a higher pitch on sweet and sour food preferences was observed in only two of the three studies: studies 1 and 2 for sour food, and studies 2 and 3 for sweet food. These findings emphasize the role that voice pitch–taste correspondence plays in preference formation, and advance the applicability of cross-modal correspondences to business.

scholarly journals Round Faces Are Associated with Sweet Foods: The Role of Crossmodal Correspondence in Social Perception

Foods ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kosuke Motoki ◽  
Toshiki Saito ◽  
Rui Nouchi ◽  
Ryuta Kawashima ◽  
Motoaki Sugiura
Keyword(s):  
Social Perception ◽  
Sweet Taste ◽  
Taste Preferences ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondences ◽  
Facial Cues ◽  
Know How ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondence ◽  
Sweet Foods ◽  
Product Recommendations

In retail settings, social perception of other peoples’ preferences is fundamental to successful interpersonal interactions (e.g., product recommendations, gift-giving). This type of perception must be made with little information, very often based solely on facial cues. Although people are capable of accurately predicting others’ preferences from facial cues, we do not yet know how such inferences are made by crossmodal correspondence (arbitrary sensory associations) between facial cues and inferred attributes. The crossmodal correspondence literature implies the existence of sensory associations between shapes and tastes, and people consistently match roundness and angularity to sweet and sour foods, respectively. Given that peoples’ faces have dimensions characterized by roundness and angularity, it may be plausible that people infer others’ preferences by relying on the correspondence between facial roundness and taste. Based on a crossmodal correspondence framework, this study aimed to reveal the role of shape–taste correspondences in social perception. We investigated whether Japanese participants infer others’ taste (sweet/sour) preferences based on facial shapes (roundness/angularity). The results showed that participants reliably inferred that round-faced (vs. angular-faced) individuals preferred sweet foods (Study 1). Round-faced individuals and sweet foods were well matched, and the matching mediated the inference of other person’s preferences (Study 2). An association between facial roundness and inference of sweet taste preferences was observed in more natural faces, and perceived obesity mediated this association (Study 3). These findings advance the applicability of crossmodal correspondences in social perception, and imply the pervasiveness of prejudicial bias in the marketplace.

scholarly journals Individual differences in human voice pitch are preserved from speech to screams, roars and pain cries

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 191642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Pisanski ◽  
Jordan Raine ◽  
David Reby
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Considerable Variability ◽  
Voice Pitch ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Human Voice ◽  
Social Traits ◽  
Nonverbal Vocalizations ◽  
Acoustic Analyses ◽  
Socially Relevant

Fundamental frequency ( F 0, perceived as voice pitch) predicts sex and age, hormonal status, mating success and a range of social traits, and thus functions as an important biosocial marker in modal speech. Yet, the role of F 0 in human nonverbal vocalizations remains unclear, and given considerable variability in F 0 across call types, it is not known whether F 0 cues to vocalizer attributes are shared across speech and nonverbal vocalizations. Here, using a corpus of vocal sounds from 51 men and women, we examined whether individual differences in F 0 are retained across neutral speech, valenced speech and nonverbal vocalizations (screams, roars and pain cries). Acoustic analyses revealed substantial variability in F 0 across vocal types, with mean F 0 increasing as much as 10-fold in screams compared to speech in the same individual. Despite these extreme pitch differences, sexual dimorphism was preserved within call types and, critically, inter-individual differences in F 0 correlated across vocal types ( r = 0.36–0.80) with stronger relationships between vocal types of the same valence (e.g. 38% of the variance in roar F 0 was predicted by aggressive speech F 0). Our results indicate that biologically and socially relevant indexical cues in the human voice are preserved in simulated valenced speech and vocalizations, including vocalizations characterized by extreme F 0 modulation, suggesting that voice pitch may function as a reliable individual and biosocial marker across disparate communication contexts.

Round faces are associated with sweet foods: The role of crossmodal correspondence in social perception

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kosuke Motoki ◽  
Toshiki Saito ◽  
Rui Nouchi ◽  
Ryuta Kawashima ◽  
Motoaki Sugiura
Keyword(s):  
Social Perception ◽  
Sweet Taste ◽  
Taste Preferences ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondences ◽  
Facial Cues ◽  
Know How ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondence ◽  
Sweet Foods ◽  
Product Recommendations

In retail settings, social perception of other peoples’ preferences is fundamental to successful interpersonal interactions (e.g., product recommendations, gift-giving). This type of perception must be made with little information, very often based solely on facial cues. Although people are capable of accurately predicting others’ preferences from facial cues, we do not yet know how such inferences are made by crossmodal correspondence (arbitrary sensory associations) between facial cues and inferred attributes. The crossmodal correspondence literature implies the existence of sensory associations between shapes and tastes, and people consistently match roundness and angularity to sweet and sour foods, respectively. Given that peoples’ faces have dimensions characterized by roundness and angularity, it may be plausible that people infer others’ preferences by relying on the correspondence between facial roundness and taste. Based on a crossmodal correspondence framework, this study aimed to reveal the role of shape–taste correspondences in social perception. We investigated whether Japanese participants infer others’ taste (sweet/sour) preferences based on facial shapes (roundness/angularity). The results showed that participants reliably inferred that round-faced (vs. angular-faced) individuals preferred sweet foods (Study 1). Round-faced individuals and sweet foods were well matched, and the matching mediated the inference of other person’s preferences (Study 2). An association between facial roundness and inference of sweet taste preferences was observed in more natural faces, and perceived obesity mediated this association (Study 3). These findings advance the applicability of crossmodal correspondences in social perception, and imply the pervasiveness of prejudicial bias in the marketplace.

Assessing the Role of Taste Intensity and Hedonics in Taste–Shape Correspondences

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 209-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Velasco ◽  
Andy Woods ◽  
Jason Liu ◽  
Charles Spence
Keyword(s):  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Shape Matching ◽  
Taste Quality ◽  
Taste Intensity ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondences ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Perceived Intensity ◽  
Crossmodal Correspondence ◽  
The Way

Taste liking influences the way in which people match tastes to shapes. However, taste–shape matching cannot be explained entirely by taste hedonics. Here, we assess whether variations in taste intensity influence such crossmodal correspondences. Participants were presented with five basic tastants in two concentrations and had to rate them on roundness/angularity shape scales, as well as in terms of liking, and intensity. The results revealed that taste quality, intensity, and participants’ liking of the taste significantly predicted the roundness/angularity of the tastants. The results also revealed a positive correlation between perceived intensity and roundness/angularity for each of the tastants except sweet, and a negative correlation between liking and roundness/angularity for all of the tastes. These results are discussed in terms of the mechanism(s) that underlie the crossmodal correspondence between taste and shape.

scholarly journals Speaking with a Happy Voice Makes You Sound Younger

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Sumi Shigeno
Keyword(s):  
Chronological Age ◽  
Voice Pitch ◽  
Vocal Pitch ◽  
Gender Based

<p>This study investigates the effects of emotional voices (expressing neutral emotion, sadness, and happiness) on a judgement of a speaker’s age. An experiment was conducted to explore whether happy voices sound younger than neutral and sad voices. The identification of 24 speakers’ ages (12 of each gender) based on their emotional voices was done by 40 participants. The speakers’ ages were 24-75 years. Participants identified the age of each speaker only by hearing his/her emotional voice. The results showed that when a speaker spoke with a happy voice, participants estimated their age to be younger than their chronological age. Furthermore, the results regarding female happy voices were more conspicuous than male happy voices. In contrast, when a speaker spoke with a sad voice, participants estimated them to be older. The results suggest that a happy voice sounds younger because of its higher voice pitch (<em>F0</em>). We discussed the role of vocal pitch and other paralinguistic factors for providing an aging impression.</p>

Pulvino-cortical interaction: an integrative role in the control of attention

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexia Bourgeois ◽  
Carole Guedj ◽  
Emmanuel Carrera ◽  
Patrik Vuilleumier
Keyword(s):  
Executive Control ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Cortical Circuits ◽  
Attention And Executive Control ◽  
Neural Communication ◽  
Subcortical Regions ◽  
Theoretical Proposal ◽  
Selection Of

Selective attention is a fundamental cognitive function that guides behavior by selecting and prioritizing salient or relevant sensory information of our environment. Despite early evidence and theoretical proposal pointing to an implication of thalamic control in attention, most studies in the past two decades focused on cortical substrates, largely ignoring the contribution of subcortical regions as well as cortico-subcortical interactions. Here, we suggest a key role of the pulvinar in the selection of salient and relevant information via its involvement in priority maps computation. Prioritization may be achieved through a pulvinar- mediated generation of alpha oscillations, which may then modulate neuronal gain in thalamo-cortical circuits. Such mechanism might orchestrate the synchrony of cortico-cortical interaction, by rendering neural communication more effective, precise and selective. We propose that this theoretical framework will support a timely shift from the prevailing cortico- centric view of cognition to a more integrative perspective of thalamic contributions to attention and executive control processes.

scholarly journals Differences in Salivary Proteins as a Function of PROP Taster Status and Gender in Normal Weight and Obese Subjects

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 2244
Author(s):  
Melania Melis ◽  
Mariano Mastinu ◽  
Stefano Pintus ◽  
Tiziana Cabras ◽  
Roberto Crnjar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Preferences ◽  
Specific Weight ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Nutrition Status ◽  
Salivary Proteins ◽  
Specific Proteins ◽  
Obese Subjects ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Cystatin Sn

Taste plays an important role in processes such as food choices, nutrition status and health. Salivary proteins contribute to taste sensitivity. Taste reduction has been associated with obesity. Gender influences the obesity predisposition and the genetic ability to perceive the bitterness of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), oral marker for food preferences and consumption. We investigated variations in the profile of salivary proteome, analyzed by HPLC-ESI-MS, between sixty-one normal weight subjects (NW) and fifty-seven subjects with obesity (OB), based on gender and PROP sensitivity. Results showed variations of taste-related salivary proteins between NW and OB, which were differently associated with gender and PROP sensitivity. High levels of Ps-1, II-2 and IB-1 proteins belonging to basic proline rich proteins (bPRPs) and PRP-1 protein belonging to acid proline rich proteins (aPRPs) were found in OB males, who showed a lower body mass index (BMI) than OB females. High levels of Ps-1 protein and Cystatin SN (Cyst SN) were found in OB non-tasters, who had lower BMI than OB super-tasters. These new insights on the role of salivary proteins as a factor driving the specific weight gain of OB females and super-tasters, suggest the use of specific proteins as a strategic tool modifying taste responses related to eating behavior.

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