Testosterone and human behavior: the role of individual and contextual variables

Carré, Justin M.; Archer, John

doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.021

Cited by 104 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Only the difference in cortisol levels between alpha and non-alphas, however, was statistically significant. Within this context, these results are consistent with similar research in humans [13,14], and non-human primates [20] and contribute to the growing research on dual-hormone patterns with respect to testosterone and cortisol [15, 64]. For example, Sapolsky [20], found that in stable dominance hierarchies of wild olive baboons, subordinate males exhibited higher cortisol levels than alpha males.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Hormones and the Human Alpha Female

Sumra

2019

Preprint

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The concept of the alpha female has become widely accepted as a form of female identity in the West. Though relationships between hormone concentrations and alpha-related traits have been demonstrated in alpha nonhuman primates, this has not been examined in the case of the human alpha female. The present study examined the associations of testosterone and cortisol, as well as 3 other hormones, estradiol, oxytocin, and progesterone derived from hair samples, with 11 variables related to the expression of the alpha female identity in a small non-random sample (N=126) of self-identified alpha and non-alpha women in North America. The results revealed statistically significant differences between these groups. When compared to non-alpha women, alpha women scored higher than non-alphas in measures for masculinity, leadership, low introversion, self-esteem, and exhibited lower hair cortisol levels. Alphas exhibited slightly lower estradiol and oxytocin levels than non-alphas though these differences were non-significant. Similar non-significant differences were also found in the case of sexual experience, sexual dominance, testosterone, and progesterone. Though cortisol was not associated with masculine traits, it was positively and significantly associated with leadership. Cortisol was also negatively and significantly associated with strength and a measure for femininity. Progesterone, testosterone, and oxytocin were positively and significantly associated with enjoying sex, as was oxytocin with playing a dominant role in sexual encounters. Surprisingly, testosterone was not associated with alpha status nor with the measure of masculinity, and estradiol was not associated with any of the variables. The results imply that women who identify as alpha may experience less physiological stress than non-alpha females as measured by their lower cortisol levels.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Hormones and the Human Alpha Female

Sumra

2019

Preprint

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“…While mild sleep loss might reduce inhibition of reactive aggression, sleeprestricted men may not have shown more stealing than rested men because men might not inhibit this behavior even in rested conditions, as shown by their strong and reliable tendency to react to PSAP provocations with aggression (Geniole et al, 2016). The notion that sleep loss reduces men's impulses to aggress is supported by evidence that sleep deprivation lowers testosterone (e.g., Carter et al, 2012) and testosterone is associated with aggression in men, particularly those who are less able to control their impulses (Carré & Archer, 2017). The notion that sleep loss reduces men's impulses to aggress is supported by evidence that sleep deprivation lowers testosterone (e.g., Carter et al, 2012) and testosterone is associated with aggression in men, particularly those who are less able to control their impulses (Carré & Archer, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…show less inhibition of aggression relative to women in part because aggression is viewed as more acceptable for men than for women (Eagly & Steffen, 1986). The notion that sleep loss reduces men's impulses to aggress is supported by evidence that sleep deprivation lowers testosterone (e.g., Carter et al, 2012) and testosterone is associated with aggression in men, particularly those who are less able to control their impulses (Carré & Archer, 2017). Cote et al (2013) reported lower reactive aggression among men who experienced a night of total sleep deprivation than among rested men.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other studies have also shown lower testosterone in men after sleep deprivation (Carter, Durocher, Larson, DellaValla, & Yang, 2012;Cortés-Gallegos et al, 1983) and after one week of sleep restriction (Leproult & Van Cauter, 2011). Testosterone and state fluctuations in testosterone have been associated with more aggressive behavior (Archer 2006;Carré & Archer 2017). Competition often increases testosterone in men, and these changes predict competitive aggression more reliably than do baseline concentrations (Carré & Olmstead, 2015;Carré, Putnam, & McCormick, 2009).…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Sleep deprivation had no effect on reactive aggression in young women, who showed less aggression than men overall. Testosterone and state fluctuations in testosterone have been associated with more aggressive behavior (Archer 2006;Carré & Archer 2017). Other studies have also shown lower testosterone in men after sleep deprivation (Carter, Durocher, Larson, DellaValla, & Yang, 2012;Cortés-Gallegos et al, 1983) and after one week of sleep restriction (Leproult & Van Cauter, 2011).…”

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confidence: 98%

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Sleep restriction alters reactive aggressive behavior and its relationship with sex hormones

MacDonald

Lustig

Geniole

et al. 2018

Aggressive Behavior

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Few studies have experimentally manipulated sleep to study its effect on aggressive behavior. The current study examined how reactive aggression was affected by having sleep restricted to 4-hours on a single night, a level of disruption commonly experienced. Both rested and sleep-restricted participants completed the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP), a laboratory task in which participants seek to earn points, are provoked by a fictitious opponent stealing their points, and may choose to steal points in response. Logistic mixed-effect models were used to investigate the effect of sleep restriction and the role of sex hormones on the odds of choosing to steal. For men, and women in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, sleep restriction did not result in significant changes reactive aggression, although the patterns of aggressive behavior appeared less reactive and retaliatory in nature. For women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, sleep restriction was associated with higher levels of reactive aggression. For both men and women in the luteal phase, sleep restriction disrupted an association between hormone change over the task (testosterone and estradiol, respectively) and reactive aggression that was observed in their control participants. In addition, higher testosterone before the PSAP in men was associated with maintaining a high level of stealing over the task. These results indicate a complex dynamic in which sex hormones and sleep interact to predict aggressive behavior in response to provocation. K E Y W O R D Sestradiol, hormones, reactive aggression, sleep, sleep restriction, testosterone

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Consumption on steroids: The effect of testosterone on preferences for conspicuous consumption and the moderating role of intrasexual competition

Nepomuceno

Stenstrom

2021

Behavioral Decision Making

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In line with recent research suggesting that testosterone may only be related to decisions under specific conditions, we show that testosterone is associated with conspicuous consumption only when intrasexual competition is high. In three studies, we provide empirical evidence that prenatal and circulating testosterone are only related to conspicuous consumption when intrasexual competition is high. These findings are in line with recent literature that posits that testosterone is only related to particular decisions or behavior when status is at stake. In Study 1, we find that masculinized digit ratios (an indicator of high prenatal testosterone exposure) are only related to greater conspicuous consumption preferences for men that score high on an intrasexual competitiveness trait measure. In Study 2, we find that masculinized digit ratios are associated with greater conspicuous consumption preferences, but only among men who are primed with an intrasexual competition recall task.Finally, the purpose of Study 3 was to test if similar effects held when measuring circulating testosterone. We show that baseline levels of circulating testosterone are associated with greater conspicuous consumption preferences, but only after men are primed with intrasexual competition. Overall, we identify intrasexual competition as a crucial precondition for relationships between testosterone (prenatal and circulating) and conspicuous consumption to emerge. We argue that men with masculinized digit ratios and men with high circulating testosterone may be more likely to choose conspicuous products as a status-signaling strategy in the mating market if they are inherently intrasexually competitive or when they encounter an intrasexually competitive situation.

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Testosterone and human behavior: the role of individual and contextual variables

Cited by 104 publications

References 49 publications

Hormones and the Human Alpha Female

Hormones and the Human Alpha Female

Sleep restriction alters reactive aggressive behavior and its relationship with sex hormones

Consumption on steroids: The effect of testosterone on preferences for conspicuous consumption and the moderating role of intrasexual competition

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