Human newborns' perception of male voices: preference, discrimination, and reinforcing value.

Human newborns were tested with an operant choice procedure to determine whether they would prefer their fathers' voices to that of another male. No preference was observed. Subsequent testing revealed that they could discriminate between the voices but that the voices lacked reinforcing value. These results contrast sharply with newborns' perception of their mothers' voices, in particular, and female voices, in general. The data were interpreted as supporting an hypothesis that prenatal experience significantly influences human newborns' earliest voice preferences.