You virtual assistants Voices are becoming increasingly popular and can help us have a more complete experience when it comes to enjoying all the benefits that technology can offer. Whether it’s iPhones, online translators or GPS devices, it’s hard to find someone who hasn’t used the famous “voices” at least once.
However, what few people ask is why these resources use a female voice to interact with the user? According to scientists, most people find it easier to find a female voice that is pleasant to them, while modulating a male voice that achieves the same goal is more difficult.
Part of this success is also due to the fact that we all have a hidden emotional memory within us. This memory goes back to our mother’s speech during childhood. Therefore, most people tend to respond positively when receiving guidance through a vocalization that reminds us of a woman.
A novelty that is not so new
But anyone who thinks this is a recent discovery is mistaken. In past decades, the majority of secretaries and telephone operators were women. So much so that even today there is a certain preference for women to occupy these positions in large companies.
There are even some very interesting curiosities about the subject, for example, in the 1940s, US Air Force pilots nicknamed the aircraft warning system, calling it “Bitching Betty”, due to its mechanized intonation.
Back in the late 20th century, when voice technology migrated from aircraft to automobiles, many men complained about GPS because they didn’t want to hear a woman giving them orders.
At a time when sexism was still very strong, complaints like this seem absurd, to say the least, but believe me, they happened! We must always remember that technology and scientific advances are made by humans, and unfortunately, prejudices and ideologies often end up being transmitted in the process.
Finally, regardless of belief, social status or political affiliation, it is a fact that, psychologically speaking, a person is more sensitive to a female voice. In fact, a 2014 study revealed that during prenatal care, a fetus already responds to stimuli from its parents’ voices, and it prefers its mother’s!