Men with deep voices are more likely to cheat on their partners, women believe.

And men feel that if a woman has a high-pitched voice, she is more likely to be unfaithful.

The authors of the first study to examine the connection between voice pitch and fidelity say the findings show insights into how we pick our partners.

They say the voice could give a warning sign of future sexual behaviour.

The connection is down to hormones – the more testosterone a man has, the lower his voice, and the more oestrogen a woman has, the higher her voice is likely to be.

Researchers at Canada’s McMaster University asked people to listen to recorded clips of a male and female voice, which were electronically altered to become higher or lower pitched.

They were then asked to rate which one from each pair was more likely to cheat, reports the journal Evolutionary Psychology.

Lead author Jillian O’Connor said: ‘In terms of sexual strategy, we found that men and women will use voice pitch as a warning sign of future betrayal.

‘So the more attractive the voice – a higher pitch for women and lower pitch for men – the more likely the chances he or she will cheat.’

(Read by Renee Haines. Renee Haines is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)