The Power of the Voice: 390 Milliseconds to Create a First Impression

First impressions are essential in human interaction, as they allow us to quickly assess those around us, even when we have limited information. One of the most revealing factors in this process is the voice and the signals it emits, which help us infer aspects of personality in a matter of milliseconds. A study conducted by McAleer et al. (2014) at the University of Glasgow found that in just 390 milliseconds a voice fragment is enough for listeners to form a first impression of the speaker. This phenomenon is closely related to the concept of intuitive intelligence , explored by Malcolm Gladwell (2005) in his book Intuitive Intelligence: Why We Know the Truth in Two Seconds. Therefore, the voice influences our first impressions and yet we use it less and less given the great change in the way we relate to them in the digital age. Let’s analyze this entire process.

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The first impression in 390 milliseconds and the concept of intuitive intelligence

In the study by McAleer et al. (2014), short speech fragments containing the word ” hello ” were presented, and listeners rated characteristics such as trustworthiness , competence , and likeability . These findings support the hypothesis that the human brain uses selective attention to process key elements of speech, such as pitch and rhythm, allowing for a rapid and intuitive response.

This phenomenon is consistent with the theory of intuitive intelligence proposed by Gladwell in his work Intuitive Intelligence: Why We Know the Truth in Two Seconds? (2005). According to Gladwell , humans have the ability to assess their environment in a matter of seconds, using what he calls “ quick thinking ” or “ intuition .” These intuitive decisions occur at an unconscious level and take advantage of accumulated experience and previously established patterns in the brain. In the case of the voice, this type of processing allows people to form an idea of a speaker’s personality without conscious and detailed analysis, based on automatic impressions . As Gladwell argues , this intuitive intelligence is fast, effective, and in many cases reliable, especially in social contexts where vocal information is crucial for an adaptive response .

Paralanguage and its influence on social perception

Paralanguage , which includes aspects such as tone , volume , and rhythm of the voice , is a critical component of communication that goes beyond words ( Trager , 1958). These elements significantly affect our first impressions , as they provide emotional and meaning clues that allow us to interpret the speaker’s attitude and intentions .

Several studies reinforce this importance of paralanguage : a deep, slow and controlled voice is associated with a trustworthy and competent personality , while a high-pitched and accelerated voice is often interpreted as a sign of insecurity or lack of confidence ( Scherer , 2003). This type of signaling is essential in contexts where visual information is not present, such as in telephone calls, where paralanguage becomes the main means of conveying emotions. The way we speak can offer clues about our emotional states and even our mental state , as demonstrated by the work of Knapp & Hall (2014), who highlight how these non-verbal signals support or contradict the verbal content in any interaction.

Neural processes involved in voice perception

The brain employs several areas to process the voice and its emotional components. Neuroimaging studies have shown that the superior temporal cortex , known as the “voice brain,” is the region that processes and analyzes auditory stimuli ( Belin et al., 2000). This area of the brain discriminates vocal characteristics such as pitch and intonation , key elements that allow us to capture the personality of the person speaking. In addition, the amygdala , a brain structure related to emotion processing , is also activated in response to certain tones of voice, especially those that communicate threat or security ( Sander , Grandjean , & Scherer , 2005).

Voice processing in the brain is rapid and involuntary, supporting Gladwell ‘s idea of intuitive intelligence , which suggests that our minds have systems designed to rapidly evaluate social stimuli. The amygdala and superior temporal cortex work together to process and interpret these signals, facilitating almost automatic adaptive responses to people we meet for the first time.

Paralanguage and communication in the digital age

With the rise of digital communication , where direct contact and voice are becoming less frequent, one of the most obvious challenges is the absence of paralanguage . Without tone , rhythm , and volume , text messages lose the emotional cues that accompany verbal content. As a result, on instant messaging platforms or social media, people cannot benefit from that intuitive intelligence to understand the personality or emotions of their interlocutor ( Derks , Fischer, & Bos , 2008).

Without paralanguage , the quick impressions that can be formed about a person are incomplete and often less accurate. To compensate, users turn to emojis , gifs , and other visual aids, but these fail to match the emotional richness that voice brings to interpersonal communication. The lack of paralanguage in digital interactions underscores the importance of voice in forming authentic interpersonal connections and poses a challenge for relationships in an increasingly digital context.

Real-life example: the influence of the voice in an emergency situation

Let’s imagine a situation where someone makes a call to the emergency services to request help. The person receiving the call has only a few seconds to assess the seriousness of the situation and act accordingly. The quality of the requester’s voice, its tone and pace can indicate a state of real distress or simply nervousness . In this context, the operator’s intuitive intelligence comes into play, allowing him to quickly analyze those vocal signals to decide whether to prioritize the call and send immediate assistance. Here, paralanguage becomes an essential element that can save lives, as it allows the seriousness of the message to be quickly interpreted and a quick and adaptive judgment to be made, thus confirming the value of the first impression of the voice.

paralanguage are therefore crucial elements in forming first impressions and in effective communication . Studies such as that by McAleer et al. (2014) show that humans can pick up on personality aspects from short voice fragments in just 390 milliseconds. This process is based on the principle of selective attention and intuitive intelligence systems described by Gladwell (2005), which allow for quick and adaptive decisions. In the digital age, where paralanguage is largely absent, these quick and accurate impressions are limited, hindering our ability to authentically connect with others. Understanding the role of voice and paralanguage in communication can improve our relationships and enrich the quality of interpersonal interaction in an increasingly digital world.

References

• Belin, P., Zatorre, RJ, Lafaille, P., Ahad, P., & Pike, B. (2000). Voice-selective areas in human auditory cortex. Nature , 403(6767), 309-312. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002078
• Derks, D., Fischer, A.H., & Bos, A.E. (2008). The role of emotion in computer-mediated communication: A review. Computers in Human Behavior , 24(3), 766-785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2007.04.004
• Gladwell, M. (2005). Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking . New York: Little, Brown and Company.
• James, W. (1890). The Principles of Psychology . New York: Henry Holt and Company.
• Knapp, M.L., & Hall, J.A. (2014). Nonverbal communication in human interaction (8th ed.). Cengage Learning .
• McAleer, P., Todorov, A., & Belin, P. (2014). How do you say ‘hello’? Personality impressions from brief novel voices. PLoS ONE , 9(3), e90779. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090779
• Sander, D., Grandjean, D., & Scherer, K. R. (2005). A systems approach to appraisal mechanisms in emotion. Neuropsychologia , 43(5), 685-696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2004.06.010
• Scherer, K. R. (2003). Vocal communication of emotion: A review of research paradigms. Speech Communication , 40(1-2), 227-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-6393(02)00084-5
• Trager, G. L. (1958). Paralanguage: A first approximation. Studies in Linguistics , 13(1-2), 1-12