Utterances of two adults males were analyzed and synthesized by a fast Fourier Transforms method. Each of the two voices was synthesized in each of the twenty‐seven combinations of three levels each of rate, meanFØ, and variance ofFØ(a total of fifty‐four “voices” generated from two). The effects of the rate, meanFØ, and variance ofFØmanipulations, the interactive effects of rate and variance ofFØ, and the effects due to speaker were all statistically significant predictors of personality ratings given the voices. They accounted for 86%, 4%, 3%, 2%, and I% of the variance, respectively, in competence ratings and 48%, 1%, 6%, 1%, and 8% of the variance, respectively, in benevolence ratings. Increased speaking rate was found to decrease the benevolence ratings, and decreased rate was found to decrease competence ratings. Decreased variance ofFØwas found to decrease the ratings on both competence and benevolence. Increased meanFØin these male voices was also found to decrease competence and benevolence ratings.