Why computer voices are mostly female

[Doomsday101]

From voice-mail systems to GPS devices to Siri and beyond, why are so many computerized voices female?

One answer may lie in biology. Scientific studies have shown that people generally find women's voices more pleasing than men's.

"It's much easier to find a female voice that everyone likes than a male voice that everyone likes," said Stanford University Professor Clifford Nass, author of "The Man Who Lied to His Laptop: What Machines Teach Us About Human Relationships." "It's a well-established phenomenon that the human brain is developed to like female voices."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/21/tech/innovation/female-computer-voices/index.html?hpt=hp_bn6

 

[casmith07]

I've always hypothesized that on my own, but never seen it officially.

I've always said that the GPS voices are more of a suggestion, almost like a sexy woman giving you directions. If it was a man saying "TURN, LEFT, NOW" you'd be like "don't tell me when to turn!!"

 

[Doomsday101]

I've always hypothesized that on my own, but never seen it officially.

I've always said that the GPS voices are more of a suggestion, almost like a sexy woman giving you directions. If it was a man saying "TURN, LEFT, NOW" you'd be like "don't tell me when to turn!!"

Well thankfully the GPS does not use landmarks as a means to give direction as many women tend to do.

He says go straight for three miles and turn east. She says drive past the school and turn right at the green house. Both sets of directions will get you to the same grocery store just as easily, but they embody the language barrier between the sexes that lurks behind many a front-seat argument.

Deborah Saucier, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge in Canada, examined the differences in phrasing in her 2003 study. She observed that, after studying a map and being asked how to get to various locations, women typically give directions that feature landmarks and left and right turns. Men, on the other hand, employ compass directions and distances measured in minutes or miles.

http://www.popsci.com/entertainment...03/whos-better-giving-directions-men-or-women

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I've always hypothesized that on my own, but never seen it officially.

I've always said that the GPS voices are more of a suggestion, almost like a sexy woman giving you directions. If it was a man saying "TURN, LEFT, NOW" you'd be like "don't tell me when to turn!!"

I like his GPS skit (GPS part starts at the 1:30 mark)

[youtube]QqDhIIdW-5g[/youtube]

 

[zrinkill]

Pauly ..... you are the greatest!

 

[Idgit]

It's because men are used to women telling them how and where to drive.

I find myself expecting my navigator to start asking me "Why are you going this way? The other way is faster!"

 

[Wimbo]

When production cars started getting voice alerts (low fuel, door adjar, etc) back in the 1980's (Nissan was first, I think), i remember hearing that the voice alerts originated in military aircraft. They used female voices because they thought it would be less panic inducing for the pilots to hear critical information from a soft, female voice. The pilots nick-named the voice system, "B**CHIN' BETTY".

Not sure if this is true or not... just something I heard back then.

 

[VietCowboy]

Yes, I give detailed directions using landmarks. It's easier than squinting and looking for a street sign that may or may not be visible at a distance.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Yes, I give detailed directions using landmarks. It's easier than squinting and looking for a street sign that may or may not be visible at a distance.

Oh yeah, getting there is easy breezy. You just turn left where the old barn used to be. Then turn right were my buddy James stepped in dog crap last year. Left at that thing and then it will be on your right after driving for a few.

 

[tupperware]

I've always hypothesized that on my own, but never seen it officially.

I've always said that the GPS voices are more of a suggestion, almost like a sexy woman giving you directions. If it was a man saying "TURN, LEFT, NOW" you'd be like "don't tell me when to turn!!"

:laugh2:

 

[VietCowboy]

Oh yeah, getting there is easy breezy. You just turn left where the old barn used to be. Then turn right were my buddy James stepped in dog crap last year. Left at that thing and then it will be on your right after driving for a few.

nobody has ever had trouble following my directions, so I guess either you've had horrible directions or you won't admit your challenged directionally.

"When you get off exit 209B, make a left at the first light. You if see Union Station, you have gone too far. You will cross a bridge and get to the naked statue roundabout. Turn right at that roundabout, and take the street where there is a street light up ahead. Take one of two left lanes and follow that street to the first light you see, you will just passed GAC building on your right. Make a left at the first stop sign. Just go straight passed one more stop sign and you will see a parking lot on the right, turn into that parking lot. If you see Sony building on the left, you have gone too far."

It's difficult to give street address at a turnabout b/c you don't see the street name until you've made a turn into that street. FYI, for music row here in Nashville where I direct parents to my research study.

 

[Doomsday101]

nobody has ever had trouble following my directions, so I guess either you've had horrible directions or you won't admit your challenged directionally.

"When you get off exit 209B, make a left at the first light. You if see Union Station, you have gone too far. You will cross a bridge and get to the naked statue roundabout. Turn right at that roundabout, and take the street where there is a street light up ahead. Take one of two left lanes and follow that street to the first light you see, you will just passed GAC building on your right. Make a left at the first stop sign. Just go straight passed one more stop sign and you will see a parking lot on the right, turn into that parking lot. If you see Sony building on the left, you have gone too far."

It's difficult to give street address at a turnabout b/c you don't see the street name until you've made a turn into that street. FYI, for music row here in Nashville where I direct parents to my research study.

Nothing wrong with your direction but as studies have shown how men and women give direction tend to be different with women more prone to landmarks

 

[casmith07]

Well thankfully the GPS does not use landmarks as a means to give direction as many women tend to do.

He says go straight for three miles and turn east. She says drive past the school and turn right at the green house. Both sets of directions will get you to the same grocery store just as easily, but they embody the language barrier between the sexes that lurks behind many a front-seat argument.

Deborah Saucier, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge in Canada, examined the differences in phrasing in her 2003 study. She observed that, after studying a map and being asked how to get to various locations, women typically give directions that feature landmarks and left and right turns. Men, on the other hand, employ compass directions and distances measured in minutes or miles.

http://www.popsci.com/entertainment...03/whos-better-giving-directions-men-or-women

Land navigation techniques from the Army have me able to judge distances really well. I also do really well with landmarks, but not things like a "green house."

I much prefer someone to tell me to turn left on a particular street (I can remember street names really well).

Also - PLEASE don't tell me "if you see X you've gone too far" -- not necessary information because if I miss the street I know I'll have gone too far

 

[YosemiteSam]

nobody has ever had trouble following my directions, so I guess either you've had horrible directions or you won't admit your challenged directionally.

lol, I was joking! Notice how every landmark I noted where to turn doesn't actually exist anymore? :laugh2:

 

[YosemiteSam]

Nothing wrong with your direction but as studies have shown how men and women give direction tend to be different with women more prone to landmarks

My wife if BIG TIME directionally impaired. Last weekend we were at a hotel in Dallas. Every single time we walked out of the hotel room, she would turn the wrong direction heading away from the elevators. :laugh2:

Once or twice? Okay, but the 5th, 6th, and 7th times it becomes funny as hell. :laugh2: