Now scientists claim that being in a position of power can fundamentally change the way you speak and other people can pick up on these vocal¹ cues.

 

They say that the cues - such as talking more loudly with less variation in pitch - tell people who is really in charge, regardless of what an individual is saying.

 

'Our findings suggest that whether it's parents attempting to assert authority over unruly children, haggling² between a car salesman and customer, or negotiations³ between heads of states, the sound of the voices involved may profoundly determine the outcome of those interactions,' psychological scientist Sei Jin Ko of San Diego State University said.

 

Dr Ko and her team had long been interested in non-language-related properties of speech, but it was former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher⁴ that inspired them to investigate the relationship between acoustic⁵ cues and power.

 

'It was quite well known that Thatcher had gone through extensive voice coaching to exude⁶ a more authoritative⁷, powerful persona,' she explained.

 

'We wanted to explore how something so fundamental as power might elicit⁸ changes in the way a voice sounds, and how these situational vocal changes impact the way listeners perceive and behave toward the speakers.'

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