Die akustischen und perzeptuellen Korrelate von Geschlecht in Kinderstimmen

Until puberty, anatomical and physiological differences in the larynx and vocal tracts between girls and boys are negligible. Nevertheless, gender-specific differences have repeatedly been found in prepubertal voices. Furthermore, adult listeners are able to identify the gender of a child’s voice above chance level. In some voices, identification rates even exceed 90%, reaching the identification levels of gender in adult voices.

This project investigates the perceptual and acoustic correlates of gender in prepubertal voices in a longitudinal study. Speech recordings of the same primary school children were made at four time points (first to fourth grade). Further recordings of the children from fifth grade onwards are planned. Since the children's gender role self-concept may play an important role in the acoustic and perceptual variation, it is also determined as part of the project. Additionally, various listening experiments are conducted.

The aim of the project is to identify perceptual and acoustic correlates in prepubertal voices that lead to robust or ambivalent gender judgments. The study also examines the relationship between these correlates and the children's gender role self-concept/gender conformity. By conducting this project as a longitudinal study, changes in the acoustic and perceptual characteristics of gender and gender conformity during childhood and the onset of puberty can also be observed.