Why so many of us hate the sound of our voice

Part 3 of the TED Radio Hour episode Soundtracks of our lives

Why do we react harshly when we listen to recordings of ourselves? Voice expert Rebecca Kleinberger explains the mechanics of how we hear our own voice—and why that elicits mixed feelings.

About Rébecca Kleinberger

Rébecca Kleinberger is a voice expert and assistant professor of humanics and voice technology at Northeastern University in the College of Arts Media Design. She is also the director of the INTERACT Animal Lab. Kleinberger's work mixes science, engineering, design, and art to craft experiences for vocal connection and to facilitate enriching animal-human interactions.

Prior to joining Northeastern, Kleinberger worked as an affiliate researcher at MIT Media Lab and the McGovern Institute of Technology. Kleinberger graduated from École National des Arts et Métiers in Paris with a Master's in mechanical engineering, and from University College London with a Master of Research in virtual environments, imaging and visualization.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Matthew Cloutier and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.