Spspll. Some Control Experiments on a Model for Prominence

The fundamental frequency (FO) of speech has been used for examining both transient emotional states [D. A. Vakoch, 1. Acoust. Soc. Am. 95, 2974 (1994)] and more stable personality traits. For example, low perceived pitch has been associated with attributions of high emotional stability [K. R. Scherer, Eur. J. Soc. Psycho!. 8, 467-487 (1978)]. In the current study, characteristics derived from FO were related to five personality traits as measured by the NEO-PI: neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. A high degree of openness was predicted by a high mean FO of an utterance (p<0.025) and by a great variability in FO within an utterance (p<0.004). The best predictor of neuroticism was peak FO within an utterance, with subjects scoring high on this scale having a higher maximum FO (p<0.021). The latter finding, in conjunction with previous research on attributions of emotional stability, suggests a convergence between objective acoustical measures and subjective perceptions of personality.