Model-based prosodic analysis of charismatic speech

This study examines at a new level of quantitative detail the intonation and timing properties of charismatic speech by comparing two popular CEOs, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, who are known from informal observations and formal perception experiments alike to be more or less charismatic speakers, respectively. By applying the Fujisaki model we decomposed F0 contours into baseline frequency, phrasal F0 excursions and pitch accent-associated F0 excursions. Timing details are examined by applying Pfitzinger’s model of perceived local speech rate to phone and syllable segmentations. Results suggest that high pitch not only involves generally higher F0 levels, but that these increases in F0 are not the same for every prosodic domain or level of the Fujisaki model. In addition we found significant differences depending on whether customers or investors are addressed.