James Mich
Wed, Jun-21-06, 06:16
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2006 Jun;90(6):999-1013.
The mismatch effect: when testosterone and status are at odds.
Josephs RA, Sellers JG, Newman ML, Mehta PH.
Department of PsychologyThe University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, TX, US.
Why do some people strive for high status, whereas others
actively avoid it? In the present studies, the authors
examined the psychological and physiological consequences of
a mismatch between baseline testosterone and a person's
current level of status. The authors tested this mismatch
effect by placing high and low testosterone individuals into
high or low status positions using a rigged competition. In
Study 1, low testosterone participants reported greater
emotional arousal, focused more on their status, and showed
worse cognitive functioning in a high status position. High
testosterone participants showed this pattern in a low status
position. In Study 2, the emotional arousal findings were
replicated with heart rate, and the cognitive findings were
replicated using a math test. In Study 3, the authors
demonstrate that testosterone is a better predictor of
behavior than self-report measures of the need for dominance.
Discussion focuses on the value of measuring hormones in
personality and social
psychology. ((c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).
The mismatch effect: when testosterone and status are at odds.
Josephs RA, Sellers JG, Newman ML, Mehta PH.
Department of PsychologyThe University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, TX, US.
Why do some people strive for high status, whereas others
actively avoid it? In the present studies, the authors
examined the psychological and physiological consequences of
a mismatch between baseline testosterone and a person's
current level of status. The authors tested this mismatch
effect by placing high and low testosterone individuals into
high or low status positions using a rigged competition. In
Study 1, low testosterone participants reported greater
emotional arousal, focused more on their status, and showed
worse cognitive functioning in a high status position. High
testosterone participants showed this pattern in a low status
position. In Study 2, the emotional arousal findings were
replicated with heart rate, and the cognitive findings were
replicated using a math test. In Study 3, the authors
demonstrate that testosterone is a better predictor of
behavior than self-report measures of the need for dominance.
Discussion focuses on the value of measuring hormones in
personality and social
psychology. ((c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).