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Study
The researchers had 234 men aged 18-55 years rub a gel on their upper body. Half of the men was given a gel with testosterone, in the other half a gel with no active substances.
Four hours after applying the gel, the men had to read advertising text for 6 products.
For each product the men read 3 texts: a text in which the emphasis was on the quality of the article [Quality], what useful things you could do with it [Power] or the status-increasing properties of the thing [Status].
The men then told which description made them desire the product the most.
Results
The men who had received testosterone had significantly more preference for the status-enhancing products than the men who had rubbed themselves with a gel without testosterone.
Conclusion
More testosterone means more appreciation for status symbols
"In the animal kingdom, testosterone promotes aggression, but the aggression is in service of status", co-author Colin Camerer says in a press release. [sciencedaily.com July 3, 2018]
"In our closest animal kin, males spend a lot of time and energy fighting to establish dominance. We do, too, but our weapons are what we wear, drive, and live in rather than claws, fists, and muscles."
"A lot of human behaviors are repurposed behaviors seen in our primate relatives. So, here, we're replacing physical aggression with a sort of 'consumer' aggression."
The researchers had 234 men aged 18-55 years rub a gel on their upper body. Half of the men was given a gel with testosterone, in the other half a gel with no active substances.
Four hours after applying the gel, the men had to read advertising text for 6 products.
For each product the men read 3 texts: a text in which the emphasis was on the quality of the article [Quality], what useful things you could do with it [Power] or the status-increasing properties of the thing [Status].
The men then told which description made them desire the product the most.
Results
The men who had received testosterone had significantly more preference for the status-enhancing products than the men who had rubbed themselves with a gel without testosterone.
Conclusion
More testosterone means more appreciation for status symbols
"In the animal kingdom, testosterone promotes aggression, but the aggression is in service of status", co-author Colin Camerer says in a press release. [sciencedaily.com July 3, 2018]
"In our closest animal kin, males spend a lot of time and energy fighting to establish dominance. We do, too, but our weapons are what we wear, drive, and live in rather than claws, fists, and muscles."
"A lot of human behaviors are repurposed behaviors seen in our primate relatives. So, here, we're replacing physical aggression with a sort of 'consumer' aggression."
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