Hormones in speed-dating: The role of testosterone and cortisol in attraction

Hormonal responses to brief social interactions: The role of psychosocial stress and relationship status

This study investigated the effects of psychosocial stress on hormonal responses to a social interaction with an opposite-sex individual to test the hypothesis that stress may interfere with or suppress adaptive neuroendocrine responses to courtship opportunities. Heterosexual men and women were randomly assigned prior to arrival to either a control or psychosocial stress condition (Trier Social Stress Test) and subsequently went through a social interaction test with an opposite-sex individual. Expected increases of testosterone for control participants who interacted with opposite-sex individuals were not observed, and changes in testosterone were not observed for those in the psychosocial stress condition either. However, exploratory analyses in control participants showed main and interaction effects of relationship status were significant for both cortisol and testosterone. Specifically, single individuals showed higher levels of cortisol compared to those in a relationship, and single individuals showed significantly higher concentrations of cortisol after a social interaction when compared to individuals who were in a relationship. For testosterone, only individuals in a relationship decreased in testosterone following the social interaction. This study suggests that relationship status and psychosocial stress may be important variables moderating the relationship between an ecological cue of a potential courtship opportunity and subsequent adaptive physiological responses.

"Time Slows Down Whenever You Are Around" for Women but Not for Men

What happens when we unexpectedly see an attractive potential partner? Previous studies in laboratory settings suggest that the visualization of attractive and unattractive photographs influences the perception of time. The major aim of this research is to study time perception and attraction in a realistic social scenario, by investigating if changes in subjective time measured during a speed dating are associated with attraction. The duration of the dates was variable and participants had to estimate the time that passed. Among other measures, participants also rated the potential partners in terms of their physical attractiveness before and after the dates and reported if they would like to exchange contact with them. Results showed that, in a real speed dating situation, when there is a perception of the partner as being physically more attractive, women tend to overestimate the duration of that meeting, whereas men tend to underestimate its duration. Such changes may reflect evolutionary adaptations which make the human cognitive system more responsive in situations related to reproductive fitness.