1
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Grebe NM, Schmidt J, Eckardt W, Umuhoza R, Mayo D, Stoinski TS, Santymire RM, Rosenbaum S. Examining the dual hormone hypothesis in wild male mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Horm Behav 2024; 164:105588. [PMID: 38880022 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The Challenge Hypothesis is an influential framework for understanding how androgens are involved in the promotion of competitive behavior during mating-related challenges and has been tested extensively in studies across scientific disciplines. Mixed support in psychological research led scholars to develop the Dual Hormone Hypothesis as a potential path forward, which argues that glucocorticoids moderate the relationship between androgens and status-striving. In the current study, we examine the Challenge Hypothesis and the Dual Hormone Hypothesis in wild male mountain gorillas, representing the first time the latter hypothesis has been tested in a non-human primate. In a sample of 30 adult males comprising over 600 days of observation, we find some limited support for the Challenge Hypothesis. Greater daily rates of targeted aggression toward other adult males corresponded to higher fecal androgen metabolites 1-2 days following observations, though this pattern did not fully generalize to dominance rank or other competitive behaviors examined. However, we find no support for the Dual Hormone Hypothesis: neither dominance rank nor any category of competitive behavior was predicted by the interaction between androgens and glucocorticoids. We close by discussing how this initial investigation might be leveraged toward the development of an expanded Dual Hormone Hypothesis that draws on the large evidence base in primate behavioral ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Grebe
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America.
| | - Josephine Schmidt
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | | | | | - Dominic Mayo
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Tara S Stoinski
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Rachel M Santymire
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Stacy Rosenbaum
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
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2
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Ilkevič E, Hausmann M, Grikšienė R. Emotion recognition and regulation in males: Role of sex and stress steroids. Front Neuroendocrinol 2024; 74:101145. [PMID: 38862092 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2024.101145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Understanding emotions in males is crucial given their higher susceptibility to substance use, interpersonal violence, and suicide compared to females. Steroid hormones are assumed to be critical biological factors that affect and modulate emotion-related behaviors, together with psychological and social factors. This review explores whether males' abilities to recognize emotions of others and regulate their own emotions are associated with testosterone, cortisol, and their interaction. Higher levels of testosterone were associated with improved recognition and heightened sensitivity to threatening faces. In contrast, higher cortisol levels positively impacted emotion regulation ability. Indirect evidence from neuroimaging research suggested a link between higher testosterone levels and difficulties in cognitive emotion regulation. However, this notion must be investigated in future studies using different emotion regulation strategies and considering social status. The present review contributes to the understanding of how testosterone and cortisol affect psychological well-being and emotional behavior in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Ilkevič
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Science Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | | | - Ramunė Grikšienė
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Science Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania.
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3
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Casto KV, Cohen DJ, Akinola M, Mehta PH. Testosterone, gender identity and gender-stereotyped personality attributes. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105540. [PMID: 38652981 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Sex/gender differences in personality associated with gender stereotyped behavior are widely studied in psychology yet remain a subject of ongoing debate. Exposure to testosterone during developmental periods is considered to be a primary mediator of many sex/gender differences in behavior. Extensions of this research has led to both lay beliefs and initial research about individual differences in basal testosterone in adulthood relating to "masculine" personality. In this study, we explored the relationships between testosterone, gender identity, and gender stereotyped personality attributes in a sample of over 400 university students (65 % female assigned at birth). Participants provided ratings of their self-perceived masculinity and femininity, resulting in a continuous measure of gender identity, and a set of agentic and communal personality attributes. A saliva sample was also provided for assay of basal testosterone. Results showed no compelling evidence that basal testosterone correlates with gender-stereotyped personality attributes or explains the relationship between sex/gender identity and these attributes, across, within, or covarying out sex assigned at birth. Contributing to a more gender diverse approach to assessing sex/gender relationships with personality and testosterone, our continuous measure of self-perceived masculinity and femininity predicted additional variance in personality beyond binary sex and showed some preliminary but weak relationships with testosterone. Results from this study cast doubt on the activational testosterone-masculinity hypothesis for explaining sex differences in gender stereotyped traits and within-sex/gender variation in attributes associated with agency and communality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen V Casto
- Kent State University, Department of Psychological Sciences, United States of America.
| | - Dale J Cohen
- University of North Carolina Wilmington, Department of Psychology, United States of America
| | - Modupe Akinola
- Columbia University, Columbia Business School, United States of America
| | - Pranjal H Mehta
- University College London, Department of Experimental Psychology, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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4
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Kotov DA, Corpuz R. No evidence for relationship between paternal post-partum depressive symptoms and testosterone or cortisol in first-time fathers. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1348031. [PMID: 38425562 PMCID: PMC10902172 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1348031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Male life history strategies are regulated by the neuroendocrine system. Testosterone (T) and cortisol regulate male behaviors including parenting and facilitate managing tradeoffs at key transitions in development such as first-time fatherhood. Both hormones demonstrate marked fluctuations in the postnatal period, and this presents an opportunity to investigate the role of T and cortisol in postpartum depressive symptoms-comparably less studied in fathers than in mothers in the evolutionary literature. Prior work on depressive symptoms has yet to integrate insights from the "dual hormone hypothesis (DHH)" which has focused on how T and cortisol interact to jointly regulate traits associated with dominance and status-seeking (i.e., mating effort) but has yet to be included in models of parenting effort. In this research, we use secondary data to investigate the relationship between DHH and traits ostensibly opposed to status seeking (i.e., depressive symptoms). First-time fathers (n = 193) provided morning saliva samples 10 months following parturition and reported on the presence of depressive symptoms (BDI-II). Responses were decomposed into three factors: cognitive, affective, and somatic. Using hybrid latent variable structural equation modeling, we did not find evidence that T predicted variability in cognitive, affective, or somatic depressive symptom factors. We found a null effect for cortisol as well. Finally, we could not find evidence that the DHH variable (T × cortisol interaction) predicted any variability in cognitive, affective, or somatic depressive symptoms. While we did not find evidence to support our hypotheses using a secondary data set, this study contributes to research on the neuroendocrinology of depression in fathers. Discussion focuses on the limitations of sample demographics, timing of saliva and self-report collection, and the lack of extant theory specific to paternal postpartum depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Randy Corpuz
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
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5
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Inoue Y, Burriss RP, Hasegawa T, Kiyonari T. Testosterone promotes dominance behaviors in the Ultimatum Game after players' status increases. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18029. [PMID: 37865708 PMCID: PMC10590433 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45247-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Although testosterone is generally considered to promote dominance behaviors, in humans it fosters behaviors appropriate to achieving and maintaining social status, contingent upon the situation. Recent cross-sectional studies, such as Inoue et al. (Sci Rep 7:5335, 2017), have shown that dominance behaviors induced by testosterone are modulated by high status. Yet, it remains ambiguous whether a rise in social status within real-world social groups reshapes the relationship between testosterone and dominance behavior. To investigate this longitudinal question, we added a second wave to Inoue et al.'s study, collecting further data after an interval of 2 years. Members of a university rugby team that adheres to a rigid hierarchical order rooted in seniority played the Ultimatum Game with teammates and provided saliva for assays of testosterone and cortisol. Our analysis reveals that individuals with higher baseline salivary testosterone levels exhibited more dominance as their position in the hierarchy increased according to their seniority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukako Inoue
- Department of Social Psychology, Yasuda Women's University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | | | - Toshikazu Hasegawa
- Graduate school of Arts and Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toko Kiyonari
- School of Social Informatics, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1, Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-5258, Japan.
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6
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Kutlikova HH, Zhang L, Eisenegger C, van Honk J, Lamm C. Testosterone eliminates strategic prosocial behavior through impacting choice consistency in healthy males. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1541-1550. [PMID: 37012404 PMCID: PMC10425362 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01570-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Humans are strategically more prosocial when their actions are being watched by others than when they act alone. Using a psychopharmacogenetic approach, we investigated the endocrinological and computational mechanisms of such audience-driven prosociality. One hundred and ninety-two male participants received either a single dose of testosterone (150 mg) or a placebo and performed a prosocial and self-benefitting reinforcement learning task. Crucially, the task was performed either in private or when being watched. Rival theories suggest that the hormone might either diminish or strengthen audience-dependent prosociality. We show that exogenous testosterone fully eliminated strategic, i.e., feigned, prosociality and thus decreased submission to audience expectations. We next performed reinforcement-learning drift-diffusion computational modeling to elucidate which latent aspects of decision-making testosterone acted on. The modeling revealed that testosterone compared to placebo did not deteriorate reinforcement learning per se. Rather, when being watched, the hormone altered the degree to which the learned information on choice value translated to action selection. Taken together, our study provides novel evidence of testosterone's effects on implicit reward processing, through which it counteracts conformity and deceptive reputation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana H Kutlikova
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Christoph Eisenegger
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jack van Honk
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Claus Lamm
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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7
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Freiler MK, Smith GT. Neuroendocrine mechanisms contributing to the coevolution of sociality and communication. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 70:101077. [PMID: 37217079 PMCID: PMC10527162 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Communication is inherently social, so signaling systems should evolve with social systems. The 'social complexity hypothesis' posits that social complexity necessitates communicative complexity and is generally supported in vocalizing mammals. This hypothesis, however, has seldom been tested outside the acoustic modality, and comparisons across studies are confounded by varying definitions of complexity. Moreover, proximate mechanisms underlying coevolution of sociality and communication remain largely unexamined. In this review, we argue that to uncover how sociality and communication coevolve, we need to examine variation in the neuroendocrine mechanisms that coregulate social behavior and signal production and perception. Specifically, we focus on steroid hormones, monoamines, and nonapeptides, which modulate both social behavior and sensorimotor circuits and are likely targets of selection during social evolution. Lastly, we highlight weakly electric fishes as an ideal system in which to comparatively address the proximate mechanisms underlying relationships between social and signal diversity in a novel modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K Freiler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.
| | - G Troy Smith
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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8
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Nickels McLean N, Maestripieri D. Hormonal responses to brief social interactions: The role of psychosocial stress and relationship status. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287153. [PMID: 37352264 PMCID: PMC10289427 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Nickels McLean
- Department of Psychological Science, Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Dario Maestripieri
- Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
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9
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Sarkar A, Wrangham RW. Evolutionary and neuroendocrine foundations of human aggression. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:468-493. [PMID: 37003880 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Humans present a behavioural paradox: they are peaceful in many circumstances, but they are also violent and kill conspecifics at high rates. We describe a social evolutionary theory to resolve this paradox. The theory interprets human aggression as a combination of low propensities for reactive aggression and coercive behaviour and high propensities for some forms of proactive aggression (especially coalitionary proactive aggression). These tendencies are associated with the evolution of groupishness, self-domestication, and social norms. This human aggression profile is expected to demand substantial plasticity in the evolved biological mechanisms responsible for aggression. We discuss the contributions of various social signalling molecules (testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, vasopressin, serotonin, and dopamine) as the neuroendocrine foundation conferring such plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Sarkar
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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10
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Rodgers EL, Kuhlman KR. Early life adversity is associated with attenuated testosterone reactivity to acute stress among adolescents. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 153:106087. [PMID: 37019055 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how testosterone responds to stress or challenge may be integral to uncovering biological pathways to potentially harmful behaviors like aggression. Yet, studies investigating patterns of testosterone reactivity under stress within adolescent populations are limited. Among those conducted, even fewer have investigated environmental factors which may shape such patterns. Exposure to early life adversity (ELA) has been shown to influence other biological markers of stress reactivity, though how it may be associated with alterations in testosterone reactivity remains underexplored. The current study addresses these gaps by examining salivary testosterone concentrations across the administration of a Trier Social Stress Test for Children in a sample of 87 adolescents (46.4% female, Mage = 13.91 years, SDage = 1.57). The current study tested two central hypotheses: (1) that testosterone would rise in response to a standardized laboratory stressor, and (2) that greater ELA would be associated with higher baseline (or, pre-stress) testosterone scores and a dampened testosterone response to stress. Adolescents in the current sample showed a robust increase in testosterone following administration of the TSST-C, supporting the limited previous findings which indicate testosterone does mount an acute stress response in adolescents. Contrary to hypotheses, ELA was not associated with significant elevations in baseline testosterone scores. However, ELA was associated with dampened testosterone reactivity, even after controlling for important demographic and biological factors. Methodological implications, including considerations for researchers aiming to capture an acute testosterone response, as well as how our understanding of ELA's role in adolescent biological functioning is extended by our findings regarding testosterone, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Louise Rodgers
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, United States.
| | - Kate Ryan Kuhlman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, United States; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, United States; Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, United States
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11
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Casto KV, Prasad S, Josephs RA, Zilioli S, Welker K, Maslov A, Jones AC, Mehta PH. No Compelling Evidence that Self-Reported Personality Traits Explain Basal Testosterone and Cortisol’s Associations with Status-Relevant Behavior. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-023-00210-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Objective
A goal of behavioral neuroendocrinology is to understand how basal hormone levels relate to behavior. Studies of human participants sometimes measure self-reported personality traits, in addition to or instead of direct behavioral observation. Although personality traits often predict their respective behaviors, whether personality explains hormone-behavior relationships remains unclear.
Methods
We obtained data from eight previous studies (total N = 985) that examined baseline testosterone and cortisol as predictors of status-relevant behavior (competitiveness, dominance, risk-taking, aggression, affiliation, and social status). We tested whether the previously reported hormone-behavior relationships are mediated by self-reported personality traits (e.g., trait dominance, prestige, extraversion). As a secondary research question, we also tested whether trait dominance moderated the testosterone-behavior relationships.
Results
As expected, self-reported personality traits often predicted status-relevant behaviors, but there was little evidence that traits also correlated with basal testosterone or the testosterone × cortisol interaction. Across all eight studies, personality traits did not significantly mediate hormone-behavior relationships. Indeed, the effect sizes of the hormone-behavior relationships were robust to the inclusion of personality traits as covariates. Further, we did not find strong or consistent evidence that trait dominance moderates the testosterone-behavior association.
Conclusion
Results suggest that basal testosterone and cortisol predict status-related behavior independent of self-reported personality. We discuss how these results may have broader implications for the physiological mechanisms by which testosterone and cortisol influence behavior, a process that could be unconscious and automatic. We also discuss alternative explanations, limitations, and future directions.
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12
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Alzate-Pamplona FA, Galindo-Caballero Ó, Escudero JPS, Zapata JV. Economic Decisions, Attractiveness, and Intrasexual Competition during Menstrual Cycle in the Ultimatum Game. Int J Psychol Res (Medellin) 2023; 16:6-15. [PMID: 37547862 PMCID: PMC10402649 DOI: 10.21500/20112084.5919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction it seems that, in the phase of greatest fertility, women's intrasexual competition (toward attractive women who live nearby) increases due to access to resources, status, and biologically desirable partners. Objective to compare the economic decisions (ED) during the ovulatory (OP) and luteal (LP) phases of the menstrual cycle (MC) with exposure to two stimuli: a photograph of a more attractive woman and a photograph of a less attractive woman, through the ultimatum game (UG). Methodology the research followed a cross-sectional design between subjects to see group differences by contrasting hypotheses. The sampling was probabilistic, with a sample of 100 heterosexual women, students at a public university with an age range of 18 to 24 years, with regular MC, who did not use hormonal contraceptive methods and did not have any endocrine condition. The inverse counting method with confirmation was applied to identify CM phases; and the UG to evaluate the DE. Results the phases of the MC had no effect on the ED; the women behaved similarly in their decisions, regardless of the phase of the cycle they were in or the type of stimulus to which they were exposed. Conclusion OP and LP do not affect the ED of women when they are exposed to an attractive stimulus. The discussion is made considering the evolutionary theory of the ovulatory shift hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fraidy-Alonso Alzate-Pamplona
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Fundación Universitaria María Cano. Medellín, Colombia.Fundación Universitaria María CanoFacultad de Ciencias de la SaludFundación Universitaria María CanoMedellínColombia
- Programa de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad Manuela Beltrán. Bogotá, Colombia.Universidad Manuela BeltránUniversidad Manuela BeltránBogotáColombia
| | - Óscar Galindo-Caballero
- Programa de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad Manuela Beltrán. Bogotá, Colombia.Universidad Manuela BeltránUniversidad Manuela BeltránBogotáColombia
| | - Juan Pablo Sánchez Escudero
- Facultad Nacional de Salud Pública, Universidad de Antioquia. Medellín, Colombia.Universidad de AntioquiaFacultad Nacional de Salud PúblicaUniversidad de AntioquiaMedellínColombia
| | - Johny Villada Zapata
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad de Antioquia. Medellín, Colombia.Universidad de AntioquiaFacultad de Ciencias Sociales y HumanasUniversidad de AntioquiaMedellínColombia
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13
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Knight EL, Morales PJ, Christian CB, Prasad S, Harbaugh WT, Mehta PH, Mayr U. The causal effect of testosterone on men's competitive behavior is moderated by basal cortisol and cues to an opponent's status: Evidence for a context-dependent dual-hormone hypothesis. J Pers Soc Psychol 2022; 123:693-716. [PMID: 35201818 PMCID: PMC9901191 DOI: 10.1037/pspa0000305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Testosterone has been theorized to direct status-seeking behaviors, including competitive behavior. However, most human studies to date have adopted correlational designs, and findings across studies are inconsistent. This experiment (n = 115) pharmacologically manipulated men's testosterone levels prior to a mixed-gender math competition and examined basal cortisol (a hormone implicated in stress and social avoidance) and context cues related to an opponent's perceived status (an opponent's gender or a win/loss in a prior competition) as factors that may moderate testosterone's impact on competitive behavior. We test and find support for the hypothesis that testosterone given to low-cortisol men evokes status-seeking behavior, whereas testosterone given to high-cortisol men evokes status-loss avoidance. In the initial rounds of competition, testosterone's influence on competitive decisions depended on basal cortisol and opponent gender. After providing opponent-specific win-lose feedback, testosterone's influence on decisions to reenter competitions depended on basal cortisol and this objective cue to status, not gender. Compared to placebo, men given exogenous testosterone who were low in basal cortisol showed an increased tendency to compete against male and high-status opponents relative to female and low-status opponents (status-seeking). Men given exogenous testosterone who were high in basal cortisol showed the opposite pattern-an increased tendency to compete against female and low-status opponents relative to male and high-status opponents (status-loss avoidance). These results provide support for a context-dependent dual-hormone hypothesis: Testosterone flexibly directs men's competitive behavior contingent on basal cortisol levels and cues that signal an opponent's status. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik L. Knight
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon,Center for Healthy Aging, Pennsylvania State University,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder,Corresponding Authors Erik L. Knight, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, ; Ulrich Mayr, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97405-1227,
| | | | | | - Smrithi Prasad
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon,Division of Social Sciences, Yale-NUS College, Singapore
| | | | - Pranjal H. Mehta
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon,Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London
| | - Ulrich Mayr
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon,Corresponding Authors Erik L. Knight, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, ; Ulrich Mayr, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97405-1227,
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14
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Knight EL. Two Routes to Status, One Route to Health: Trait Dominance and Prestige Differentially Associate with Self-reported Stress and Health in Two US University Populations. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 8:461-488. [PMID: 36034092 PMCID: PMC9395955 DOI: 10.1007/s40750-022-00199-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Objective Social status has been extensively linked to stress and health outcomes. However, two routes by which status can be earned - dominance and prestige - may not uniformly relate to lower stress and better health because of inherent behavioral and stress-exposure differences in these two routes. Methods In one exploratory and two preregistered studies, participants (total N = 978) self-reported their trait dominance and prestige and self-reported several stress and health outcomes. Results The meta-effects evident across the three studies indicate that higher trait dominance was associated with worse outcomes - higher stress, poorer physical and mental health, poorer behavioral health, poorer life satisfaction, higher negative affect (range of absolute values of non-zero correlations, |r| = [0.074, 0.315], ps < 0.021) - and higher trait prestige was associated with better outcomes - lower stress, better physical and mental health, better behavioral health, better life satisfaction, higher positive and lower negative mood (|r| = [0.134, 0.478], ps < 0.001). These effects remained evident (with few exceptions) after controlling for socioeconomic status, other status-relevant traits, or self-enhancing motives; associations with behavior relevant to the COVID19 pandemic generally were not robust. Conclusions This work indicates that evolved traits related to the preferred route by which status is earned likely impact self-reported stress and health outcomes. Future research is necessary to examine physiological and other objective indicators of stress and health in more diverse populations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40750-022-00199-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik L. Knight
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Muenzinger D244, 345 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0345 USA
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15
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Valdez DJ. An updated look at the mating system, parental care and androgen seasonal variations in ratites. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 323-324:114034. [PMID: 35367461 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Androgens modulate multiple key aspects of male reproduction, from morphology to mating behavior. Across animals the seasonal patterns of androgens are tightly linked to many of the species' life-history traits and their evolution. One popular framework to address this issue has been the Challenge Hypothesis, which proposed a testosterone-mediated trade-off between mating and parental care in males. Given the lack of empirical support, especially in birds, this hypothesis has been recently revisited (Challenge Hypothesis 2.0), integrating aspects such as male-female interactions and the diversity of reproductive systems in birds. Ratites constitute the most basal avian group (Palaeognathae: ratites together with Tinamiformes) and have certain characteristics that make them unique. They are flightless and generally have promiscuous mating systems with communal nests and male-only parental care (nest building, incubation and chick rearing). Furthermore, male testosterone concentrations remain high during the entire parental care period. Here we review the reproductive biology of ratites, integrating information on seasonal variations in parental care, social interactions and androgen levels across the group, in light of the Challenge Hypotheses and the Challenge Hypothesis 2.0 (there are no seasonal hormonal data for Tinamiformes, therefore they are not included in this review). We also discuss the constraints that could explain the lack of experimental approaches in behavioral endocrinology across ratites. I hope this review will motivate further research on this basal group of birds and further our understanding of the evolution of the mechanisms in the endocrine system that underly reproductive behavior across birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego J Valdez
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoología Aplicada. Rondeau 798, CP X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina.
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16
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Beijers R, Breugelmans S, Brett B, Willemsen Y, Bos P, de Weerth C. Cortisol and testosterone concentrations during the prenatal and postpartum period forecast later caregiving quality in mothers and fathers. Horm Behav 2022; 142:105177. [PMID: 35512479 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Given that parental caregiving quality affects child development from birth onwards, it is important to detect parents who are at risk for low-quality caregiving as early as possible, preferably before or soon after birth. This study investigated whether cortisol (CORT) and testosterone (T) measured during the last trimester of pregnancy and six weeks postpartum were associated with observed caregiving quality at child age 3 in mothers (N = 63) and fathers (N = 45). CORT and T were measured during an interaction with a simulator infant (pregnancy) and their own infant (postpartum). In mothers, no associations were found with CORT and T during pregnancy, but higher postpartum CORT during a mother-infant interaction was related to higher caregiving quality during toddlerhood. In fathers, the association between T during pregnancy and caregiving quality in toddlerhood was more negative for fathers with low CORT. In contrast to mothers, higher postpartum CORT in fathers was associated with lower caregiving quality in toddlerhood. These findings proved robust after applying the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure to control for false discovery rate. Our findings indicate that CORT and T during the perinatal period can forecast caregiving quality in both mothers and fathers. Moreover, our results provided evidence for the dual-hormone hypothesis, but only in fathers. These findings contribute to our growing understanding on how endocrine measures explain individual differences in caregiving quality in mothers and fathers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Social Development, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands.
| | - Sara Breugelmans
- Department of Social Development, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands
| | - Bonnie Brett
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Yvonne Willemsen
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Bos
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
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17
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Maruska KP, Anselmo CM, King T, Mobley RB, Ray EJ, Wayne R. Endocrine and neuroendocrine regulation of social status in cichlid fishes. Horm Behav 2022; 139:105110. [PMID: 35065406 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Position in a dominance hierarchy profoundly impacts group members' survival, health, and reproductive success. Thus, understanding the mechanisms that regulate or are associated with an individuals' social position is important. Across taxa, various endocrine and neuroendocrine signaling systems are implicated in the control of social rank. Cichlid fishes, with their often-limited resources of food, shelter, and mates that leads to competition, have provided important insights on the proximate and ultimate mechanisms related to establishment and maintenance of dominance hierarchies. Here we review the existing information on the relationships between endocrine (e.g., circulating hormones, gonadal and other tissue measures) and neuroendocrine (e.g., central neuropeptides, biogenic amines, steroids) systems and dominant and subordinate social rank in male cichlids. Much of the current literature is focused on only a few representative cichlids, particularly the African Astatotilapia burtoni, and several other African and Neotropical species. Many hormonal regulators show distinct differences at multiple biological levels between dominant and subordinate males, but generalizations are complicated by variations in experimental paradigms, methodological approaches, and in the reproductive and parental care strategies of the study species. Future studies that capitalize on the diversity of hierarchical structures among cichlids should provide insights towards better understanding the endocrine and neuroendocrine mechanisms contributing to social rank. Further, examination of this topic in cichlids will help reveal the selective pressures driving the evolution of endocrine-related phenotypic traits that may facilitate an individual's ability to acquire and maintain a specific social rank to improve survival and reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America.
| | - Chase M Anselmo
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America
| | - Teisha King
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America
| | - Robert B Mobley
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America
| | - Emily J Ray
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America
| | - Rose Wayne
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America
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18
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Greenberg D, Snyder KP, Filazzola A, Mastromonaco GF, Schoof VAM. Hormonal correlates of male dominance rank, age, and genital colouration in vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 316:113948. [PMID: 34826430 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Primates are the most colourful members of the Mammalian clade. In vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), males are characterized by their red penis and blue scrotum. Such colour signals are often used in conspecific communication, and thus could be used to convey signaller condition. We quantified scrotal and penile colour characteristics using digital photographs between May-June 2016 from males in two neighboring groups along the shores of Lake Nabugabo, Uganda. We examined the relationship between fecal hormones, male dominance rank, age (adult vs. immature), and colour. Adult males were higher ranking than immatures, but there were no rank or age differences in fecal hormone levels. Glucocorticoids and androgens were positively correlated in immature, but not adult males. All scrotal characteristics were predicted by age, with adult males having more teal (i.e., less blue, more green) and more luminant scrota. Within adult males, those with higher androgens levels had more saturated blue scrotal colouration and higher-ranking males were more luminant. Penile colouration was also associated with age and rank. High-ranking males had a more saturated red penis, and adult male penile colour was more luminant and bluer than in immature males. Our findings are consistent with previous reports that scrotal colouration advertises sexual or reproductive maturity (i.e., age), but we also find that within adult males, colour also advertises dominance rank and may be mediated by androgen levels. Penile colouration also appears to signal information about male age and dominance rank but does not appear to be mediated by hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Greenberg
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - K P Snyder
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - A Filazzola
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - G F Mastromonaco
- Reproductive Sciences Unit, Toronto Zoo, 361A Old Finch Avenue, Toronto, ON M1B 5K7, Canada
| | - V A M Schoof
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada; Bilingual Biology Program, Department of Multidisciplinary Studies, Glendon College, York University, 2275 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M6, Canada.
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19
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Reynolds CJ, Makhanova A, Nikonova L, Eckel LA, Conway P. Testosterone and cortisol do not predict rejecting harm or maximizing outcomes in sacrificial moral dilemmas: A preregistered analysis. Horm Behav 2021; 136:105063. [PMID: 34598057 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Contemporary moral psychology explores the biological underpinnings of morality, including how neuromodulators influence moral judgment and decision making. Some studies suggest that higher circulating testosterone is associated with increased acceptance of sacrificial harm, such as killing one person to save five lives, consistent with utilitarian ethics and inconsistent with deontological ethics. However, most studies employ conventional analytic techniques that conflate concern about outcomes with reduced concern about sacrificial harm, many are statistically underpowered, and none examine potential regulating effects of cortisol. Therefore, we examined whether salivary concentrations of testosterone and cortisol jointly predict sacrificial dilemma judgments among a large sample of undergraduates (n = 199). We utilized an advanced cognitive modeling technique (process dissociation) to independently assess sensitivity to causing harm and maximizing outcomes, preregistering the prediction that higher testosterone would predict reduced harm-rejection rather than increased concern for outcomes, especially among people low in cortisol. However, neither testosterone, nor cortisol, nor their interaction predicted sacrificial dilemma response tendencies. Such findings raise questions about the robustness of past evidence suggesting links between testosterone and sacrificial dilemma judgments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb J Reynolds
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Rd., Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA.
| | - Anastasia Makhanova
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Larissa Nikonova
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Lisa A Eckel
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Paul Conway
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, King Henry I Street, King Henry Building, PO1 2DY Portsmouth, United Kingdom
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20
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Casto KV, Root ZL, Geniole SN, Carré JM, Bruner MW. Exploratory Analysis of the Relationship between Social Identification and Testosterone Reactivity to Vicarious Combat. HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 2021; 32:509-527. [PMID: 34231127 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-021-09407-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) fluctuates in response to competitive social interactions, with the direction of change typically depending on factors such as contest outcome. Watching a competition may be sufficient to activate T among fans and others who are invested in the outcome. This study explores the change in T associated with vicarious experiences of competition among combat sport athletes viewing a teammate win or lose and assesses how individual differences in social identification with one's team relates to these patterns of T reactivity. Twenty-six male combat athletes completed a social identity questionnaire on a neutral day. Later, salivary samples (assayed for T) were obtained before and after athletes viewed a video of a teammate engaged in a formal contest. T reactivity to viewing a teammate compete varied among participants in both the magnitude and direction of change, independent of contest outcome. Individual differences in cognitive centrality, a core feature of social identification, showed a strong positive relationship with T reactivity, particularly if their teammate won. Initial findings suggest that dominance-linked androgen responses associated with watching a teammate win a competition might depend on the belief that team membership is central to one's own identity. These exploratory results in a small sample of combat athletes should be interpreted with caution. Uncovering the role of social group dynamics in influencing T responses to competition is particularly important in light of the evolutionary history of coalitional combat in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen V Casto
- Social Sciences Division, New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL, USA.
| | - Zach L Root
- School of Physical and Health Education, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shawn N Geniole
- Department of Psychology, University of Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark W Bruner
- School of Physical and Health Education, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada.
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21
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Kutlikova HH, Geniole SN, Eisenegger C, Lamm C, Jocham G, Studer B. Not giving up: Testosterone promotes persistence against a stronger opponent. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 128:105214. [PMID: 33836382 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent research suggests that when we lack a sense of control, we are prone to motivational failures and early quitting in competitions. Testosterone, on the other hand, is thought to boost competitiveness. Here we investigate the interaction between these factors, testing the testosterone's potential to enhance persistence in a competition against a stronger opponent, depending on experimentally manipulated perceived control. Healthy participants were administered a single dose of testosterone or placebo. They first underwent a task designed to either induce low or high perceived control and then entered a costly competition against a progressively stronger opponent that they could quit at any time. In the placebo group, men with low perceived control quitted twice as early as those with high perceived control. Testosterone countered this effect, making individuals with low control persist in the competition for as long as those with high perceived control, and did so also despite raising participants' explicit awareness of the opponents' advantage. This psychoendocrinological effect was not modulated by basal cortisol levels, CAG repeat polymorphism of the androgen receptor gene, or trait dominance. Our results provide the first causal evidence that testosterone promotes competitive persistence in humans and demonstrate that this effect depends on the psychological state elicited prior to the competition, broadening our understanding of the complex relationships between testosterone and social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana H Kutlikova
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewiczova 1, 813 71 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Shawn N Geniole
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychology, University of the Fraser Valley, 33844 King Road, Abbotsford V2S 7M8, Canada.
| | - Christoph Eisenegger
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Gerhard Jocham
- Biological Psychology of Decision Making, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Bettina Studer
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 140225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Mauritius Hospital Meerbusch, Strümper Straße 111, 40670 Meerbusch, Germany.
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22
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Maguire SM, DeAngelis R, Dijkstra PD, Jordan A, Hofmann HA. Social network dynamics predict hormone levels and behavior in a highly social cichlid fish. Horm Behav 2021; 132:104994. [PMID: 33991797 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Group living confers many benefits while simultaneously exposing group members to intense competition. An individual's rise to prominence within a group may conflict with the overall functioning of the group. There is therefore a complex and dynamic relationship between the behavioral displays that directly benefit an individual, the consequences of these actions for the community, and how they feed back on individual-level fitness. We used a network analysis approach to study the link between behavior, social stability, and steroid hormone levels in replicate communities of the cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni, which live in social groups with a dominance hierarchy. We demonstrate that individual behavior can have direct and indirect effects on the behavior of others while also affecting group characteristics. Our results show that A. burtoni males form stable social networks, where dominant individuals act as hubs for social interactions. However, there was variation in the temporal stability in these networks, and this variation in stability impacted hormone levels. Dominant males had higher testosterone levels, however, the differences in testosterone levels between dominant and subordinate males were greatest in stable communities. In sum, our analyses provide novel insights into the processes by which individual and community properties interact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Maguire
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ross DeAngelis
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Peter D Dijkstra
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Alex Jordan
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Institue for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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23
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Shields AN, Brandes CM, Reardon KW, España RA, Tackett JL. Do Testosterone and Cortisol Jointly Relate to Adolescent Dominance? A Pre-registered Multi-method Interrogation of the Dual-Hormone Hypothesis. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-021-00167-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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24
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Casto KV, Edwards DA. Individual differences in hormonal responsiveness to social encounters: Commentary on Félix et al., 2020 and review of pertinent issues. Horm Behav 2021; 129:104921. [PMID: 33428922 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The results of a recent study, Félix et al., 2020, give new information about the behavioral and endocrine correlates of individual differences in the potential for androgen response in male cichlid fish. We think the study raises issues that are pertinent to the study of hormones and competition in other species, particularly humans. Focusing mostly on androgen reactivity to social challenge, we emphasize the importance of inter-individual variability in physiology, personality, and motivation in studies of hormone responses to social encounters. Additionally, we give special attention to matters of "repeatability" and the timing of hormone sampling. We conclude with an appreciation of the value of comparative analysis in behavioral endocrinology.
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25
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Crewther BT, Hecht M, Cook CJ. Diurnal Within-Person Coupling Between Testosterone and Cortisol in Healthy Men: Evidence of Positive and Bidirectional Time-Lagged Associations Using a Continuous-Time Model. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-021-00162-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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26
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Duell N, van Hoorn J, McCormick EM, Prinstein MJ, Telzer EH. Hormonal and neural correlates of prosocial conformity in adolescents. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 48:100936. [PMID: 33611148 PMCID: PMC7903062 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The dual hormone hypothesis, which centers on the interaction between testosterone and cortisol on social behavior, offers a compelling framework for examining the role of hormones on the neural correlates of adolescent peer conformity. Expanding on this hypothesis, the present study explored the interaction between testosterone and cortisol via hair concentrations on adolescents' conformity to peers. During fMRI, 136 adolescents (51 % female) ages 11-14 years (M = 12.32; SD = 0.6) completed a prosocial decision-making task. Participants chose how much of their time to donate to charity before and after observing a low- or high-prosocial peer. Conformity was measured as change in behavior pre- to post-observation. High testosterone with low cortisol was associated with greater conformity to high-prosocial peers but not low prosocial peers. Focusing on high prosocial peers, whole-brain analyses indicated greater activation post- vs. pre-observation as a function of high testosterone and low cortisol in regions implicated in social cognition, salience detection, and reward processing: pSTS/TPJ, insula, OFC, and caudate nucleus. Results highlight the relevance of hormones for understanding the neural correlates of adolescents' conformity to prosocial peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Duell
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 United States.
| | - Jorien van Hoorn
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ethan M McCormick
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Mitchell J Prinstein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Eva H Telzer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
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27
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Estimating the Associations between Big Five Personality Traits, Testosterone, and Cortisol. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00159-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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28
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Burk CL, Wiese BS. How to alleviate the agony of providing negative feedback: Emotion regulation strategies affect hormonal stress responses to a managerial task. Horm Behav 2021; 127:104868. [PMID: 33045241 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Providing negative feedback can be demanding, as it typically requires dealing with multiple negative emotions. The first aim of this study was to transfer this work-related task to a new laboratory protocol and to investigate short-term hormonal changes among feedback providers. The second aim was to test if such hormonal stress responses can be attenuated through a priori instructions on how to regulate emotions. Each of 150 participants (51% women) provided eight saliva samples before, during, and after anticipating and conducting a negative feedback conversation with a professional actor who displayed negative emotional reactions. Participants were divided into four conditions regarding the way they were instructed to regulate their emotions: expressive suppression (keeping a neutral expression); cognitive reappraisal (staying task-oriented and emotionally distanced); affect utilization (moving towards and using emotions); or control condition. By means of three-phase spline growth models, latent growth factors during baseline, stress response, and recovery were specified. Providing negative feedback was followed by significant temporary testosterone decreases as well as cortisol increases. Testosterone (but not cortisol) responses were attenuated when feedback providers had been instructed to either follow a cognitive reappraisal or affect utilization strategy. This study provides evidence that a typical managerial task, that is, having to provide negative feedback, is a testosterone- and cortisol-relevant experience. Down-regulation of an individual's emotional involvement through reappraisal, as well as the newly introduced technique of moving towards and making use of the interaction partner's emotions (affect utilization), revealed consequences in terms of attenuating the testosterone response to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian L Burk
- RWTH Aachen University, Jaegerstrasse 17-19, D-52056 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Bettina S Wiese
- RWTH Aachen University, Jaegerstrasse 17-19, D-52056 Aachen, Germany.
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Lausen A, Broering C, Penke L, Schacht A. Hormonal and modality specific effects on males' emotion recognition ability. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 119:104719. [PMID: 32544773 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Successful emotion recognition is a key component of human socio-emotional communication skills. However, little is known about the factors impacting males' accuracy in emotion recognition tasks. This pre-registered study examined potential candidates, focusing on the modality of stimulus presentation, emotion category and individual baseline hormone levels. In an additional exploratory analysis, we examined the association of testosterone x cortisol interaction with recognition accuracy and reaction times. We obtained accuracy and reaction time scores from 282 males who categorized voice, face and voice-face stimuli for nonverbal emotional content. Results showed that recognition accuracy was significantly higher in the audio-visual than in the auditory or visual modality. While Spearman's rank correlations showed no significant association of testosterone (T) with recognition accuracy or with response times for specific emotions, the logistic and linear regression models uncovered some evidence for a positive association between T and recognition accuracy as well as between cortisol (C) and reaction time. In addition, the overall effect size of T by C interaction with recognition accuracy and reaction time was significant, but small. Our results establish that audio-visual congruent stimuli enhance recognition accuracy and provide novel empirical support by showing that the interaction of testosterone and cortisol relates to males' accuracy and response times in emotion recognition tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Lausen
- Department of Affective Neuroscience and Psychophysiology, Institute of Psychology, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany; Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom; Leibniz ScienceCampus "Primate Cognition", 37077 Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Christina Broering
- Department of Affective Neuroscience and Psychophysiology, Institute of Psychology, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany; Department of Psychology, Private University of Applied Sciences (PFH) Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Lars Penke
- Department of Biological Personality Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus "Primate Cognition", 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Annekathrin Schacht
- Department of Affective Neuroscience and Psychophysiology, Institute of Psychology, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus "Primate Cognition", 37077 Goettingen, Germany
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Nave G, Daviet R, Nadler A, Zava D, Camerer C. Reflecting on the Evidence: A Reply to Knight, McShane, et al. (2020). Psychol Sci 2020; 31:898-900. [DOI: 10.1177/0956797620930966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gideon Nave
- Department of Marketing, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Remi Daviet
- Department of Marketing, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
| | | | | | - Colin Camerer
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology
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