Mathilde Massenet
Biography
I am a behavioral biologist interested in the evolution of human and nonhuman animal vocal communication. In my research I examine connections between acoustic structure in vocalizations and perceptual effects on listeners, and how these relationships shed light on evolved functions in social interaction.
Selected Publications
Lego L, Cornec C, Corvin S, Massenet M, Papet L, Patural H, Reby D, Jouen F, Mathevon N. (2025) Nonlinear acoustic phenomena tune the adults’ facial thermal response to baby cries with the cry amplitude envelope. J. R. Soc. Interface 22: 20250150. doi: 10.1098/rsif. 2025.0150. PDF
Terrade A (†), Massenet M (†), Pernel L, Mathevon N, Anikin A, Reby D. (2025) Nonlinear phenomena make animal calls alarming for human listeners. iScience 28, 112600. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2025.112600. PDF
Massenet M, Mathevon N, Anikin A, Briefer EF, Fitch WT, Reby D. (2025) Nonlinear phenomena in vertebrate vocalizations: Mechanisms and communicative functions. Phil. Trans. B 380, 20240002. doi:10.1098/rstb.2024.0002. PDF
Massenet M, Pisanski K, Reynaud K, Mathevon N, Reby D, Anikin A. (2025) Acoustic context and dynamics of nonlinear phenomena in mammalian calls: The case of puppy whines. Phil. Trans. B 380, 20240022. doi:10.1098/rstb.2024.0022. PDF
Corvin S, Massenet M, Hardy A, Patural H, Peyron R, Fauchon C, Mathevon N. (2025) Nonlinear acoustic phenomena affect the perception of pain in human baby cries. Phil. Trans. B 380, 20240023. doi:10.1098/rstb.2024.0023. PDF
Massenet M, Philippe R, Pisanski K, Arnaud V, Barluet de Beauchesne L, Reynaud K, Mathevon N, Reby D. (2024) Puppy whines mediate maternal behavior in domestic dogs. PNAS 121, e2316818121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2316818121. PDF
Anikin A, Canessa-Pollard V, Pisanski K, Massenet M, Reby D. (2023). Beyond speech: Exploring diversity in the human voice. iScience 26, 108204. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108204. PDF
Massenet M, Anikin A, Pisanski K, Reynaud K, Mathevon N, Reby D. (2022). Nonlinear vocal phenomena affect human perceptions of distress, size and dominance in puppy whines. Proc. R. Soc. B289, 20220429. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0429. PDF
Anikin A, Pisanski K, Massenet M, Reby D. (2021). Harsh is large: nonlinear vocal phenomena lower voice pitch and exaggerate body size. Proc. R. Soc. B 288, 20210872. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0872. PDF
Barluet de Beauchesne L, Massenet M, Oudejans MG, Kok ACM, Visser F, Curé C. (2021). Friend or foe: Risso’s dolphins eavesdrop on conspecific sounds to induce or avoid intra-specific interaction. Anim. Cogn. 25, 287–296. doi: 10.1007/s10071-021-01535-y. PDF
Jourdain E, Karoliussen R, Curé C, Massenet M, Barrett-Lennard L, Ellis GM. (2019). A Case of Natural Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Entrapment in Northern Norway: From Assessment to Rescue. Aquat. Mamm. 45, 14–20. doi: 10.1578/AM.45.1.2019.14. PDF
Curé C, Isojunno S, I Vester H, Visser F, Oudejans M, Biassoni N, Massenet M, Barluet de Beauchesne L, Wensveen P, Sivle LD, Tyack PL, Miller PJO. (2019). Evidence for discrimination between feeding sounds of familiar fish and unfamiliar mammal-eating killer whale ecotypes by long-finned pilot whales. Anim. Cogn. 22, 863–882. doi: 10.1007/s10071-019-01282-1. PDF
† indicates first author
