Deep Is Dominant: A Sociological Explanation for Elizabeth Holmes’s Voice
One of the most noticeable features of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is her atypically deep voice. If you make a quick Google search for “Elizabeth Holmes”, “Elizabeth Holmes voice” is one of the first suggested searches. This year, Hulu introduced the docudrama, “The Dropout”, which depicts the rise and fall of Holmes and her Silicon Valley company. One notable scene shows Elizabeth, portrayed by Amanda Seyfried, standing in front of the mirror saying: “This is an inspiring step forward.” She repeats the phrase several times, her voice deepening with each reiteration. Holmes’ distinctly low voice could be viewed as one of her trademarks, and there is ongoing speculation that she is “faking” it. The scene in “The Dropout” depicting an apparent voice change only deepened speculation. Watching old interviews with Holmes, during which her voice seemingly shifts tone, it is easy to accept this theory.
Coupled with her trademark voice, Holmes was a young, attractive woman who rose through the ranks of Silicon Valley and gained the trust of numerous high-profile investors and politicians. There is something to be said about her anomalous style and the serious influence she had in her field. While there is no definitive proof that she altered her voice, the case of Elizabeth Holmes raises important questions about the perception of speech. Holmes' supposed modification of her voice could be viewed as a response to deep-rooted cultural biases towards feminine vocal characteristics, and an attempt to appear more authoritative in a male-dominated field.
The Rise and Fall of Theranos
In 2003, Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of Stanford University at 19 years old to start the now-infamous life sciences company Theranos. Working out of the basement of a college house in Palo Alto, and with the help of a few of her former professors, Holmes filed a patent application for a “medical device for analyte monitoring and drug delivery” that was granted in 2007. Her device was revolutionary—it would enable a full range of laboratory tests to be facilitated with a mere drop of blood, prior to or in place of an office visit, making it more efficient and less costly than conventional methods.
Holmes’ bold claims and authoritative presence helped her gain significant support from prominent investors, and in 2014, she was named the world’s youngest self-made woman billionaire with a net worth of $4.5 billion. At its peak, Theranos was valued at $9 billion, which is around the same time that the blood-testing company began facing public scrutiny for exaggerating the device’s capabilities after numerous patient tests yielded inaccurate results.
In 2018, Holmes and former Theranos President Ramesh Balwani were charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with conducting a massive fraud after raising over $700 million from investors for a false product. Earlier this year, a jury found Elizabeth Holmes guilty of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of substantive wire fraud. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled and she remains free on bond.
Evidence submitted during trial showed that Theranos’ device had accuracy problems and that Holmes knowingly misrepresented its capabilities. Further, the evidence revealed that Holmes provided fraudulent reports to investors, claiming that Theranos was endorsed by numerous pharmaceutical companies. In light of this evidence, it's hard to understand why Theranos’ investors trusted Holmes and her erroneous claims.
Vocal Pitch and Dominance
In general, women speak about an octave higher than men. The generally deeper voices that men have tend to come off as louder, while the higher-pitched voices typical of women give the opposite effect. These differences in vocal pitch between men and women may explain why women are interrupted in conversation more than twice as much as men. While male voices may give a greater impression of “loudness,” they also give an impression of dominance. Research has shown that people associate higher-pitched voices with less dominance in women, but not men. This suggests that gender plays a significant role in speech bias; it is not limited to perceptions of vocal pitch. If Elizabeth Holmes altered her voice, it very well may have been in an effort to sound more authoritative.
Speech and gender biases can still be present regardless of seniority or status. In a study analyzing Supreme Court oral arguments, it was found that female justices were interrupted three times more often than male justices. It was theorized that over time, female justices adapted to this imbalance by learning to speak more like their male counterparts. These findings are troubling, as women remain open to belittlement even in positions of great authority.
Surprisingly, the association with lower-pitch voices and dominance does not always discriminate on the basis of gender. Psychological studies have shown that both men and women tend to prefer deeper, more “masculine” voices in candidates for leadership roles, regardless of gender. The conclusion in the aforementioned paper was that individuals associate lower-pitched voices with increased competence and trustworthiness in both men and women. Similar to the case of SCOTUS justices, this bias may explain why women’s voices have naturally lowered over time, and why Elizabeth Holmes may have felt inclined to change her vocal pitch.
An intentional voice change by Elizabeth Holmes may seem extreme, even sociopathic, but considering her case in a broader social context makes it seem more reasonable. After all, former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher underwent vocal training to “sound more authoritative.”
In Closing
While an intentional vocal change may suggest an attempt by Holmes to assert greater dominance and influence in the male-dominated technology sector, the question of why she intentionally lowered her voice is still open to speculation. Nevertheless, it is valuable to examine it, for the case of Elizabeth Holmes can be viewed in a broader social context.
Why does vocal pitch even matter? After all, one’s vocal pitch is most likely not something that individuals consciously take into consideration on a daily basis. However, research regarding the perception of feminine voices and the impact of lower vocal pitches indicates that the way women speak carries an undeniable impact on the way they are perceived. While speech biases are present towards both genders, women face greater criticism even in positions of power. The case of Elizabeth Holmes could be seen as an adaptation to these biases.