Likability versus Competence?

Thanks again to the NY Times Style section for a VERY interesting article about the science behind listening... Whoever thought that GPS voices were an area for sex-related division?!

The article, linked above, looks at the varying effects of the GPS voice selected, both on the driver and the passenger.

"Female voices are still used for warnings in many airplane cockpits and have earned the slang term Bitching Betty among pilots. Patricia Hoyt, who recorded the voice-overs used in many planes, recently revealed herself as Betty in a YouTube video in which she recites common phrases like “auto pilot” and “landing gear.” When GPS devices first appeared in cars, manufacturers chose male voices, which according to studies, command more respect than female voices. “When the key dimension is competence, the male voice is better,” said Clifford I. Nass, a communication professor at Stanford University and a consultant to many car companies. “When the key dimension is likability, the female voice is better.” As confidence in the technology grew, the primary consideration switched to friendliness.

“The main reason you have female voices in cars is not the technical qualifications like hearability,” said Dr. Nass. “It’s that finding a female voice that is pleasing to almost everyone is infinitely easier than finding a male voice.” Humans are more attuned to female voices from birth, he noted. “Even in the womb, a fetus will be able to distinguish a mother’s voice from all other voices and will not be able to distinguish the father’s voice.”"

How do these realities about voice and sound influence politics? Do Americans walk away from each political commercial swayed just by voice? Are women always less credible? How do we train ourselves to let go of these natural notions?