Vocal Patterns in Male and Female Groups

Abstract

Ten male and ten female five-person groups spent 20 minutes talking and getting acquainted. Subjects wore lavaliere microphones, and their voices were monitored continuously by a microcomputer system that detected patterns of speech and silence. Raw vocal data were transformed into codes representing conversational states that can occur in a group discussion (e.g., individual turn, pause, simultaneous speech, group turn), and these codes were related to peer ratings and to overall ratings of the group. Talking was generally associated with positive evaluations, though the pattern varied with different speech codes and differed for males and females. Females reported enjoying group interaction more than males did, and females vocalized more within their turns and paused less between their turns.