Social status, masculinity, and testosterone in young men

    Authors

    M. H. McIntyre; A. Y. Li; J. F. Chapman; S. F. Lipson;P. T. Ellison

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Pers. Individ. Differ.

    Keywords

    Testosterone; 2D:4D; Digit ratios; Status; Dominance; CHIMPANZEES PAN-TROGLODYTES; LEMURS LEMUR-CATTA; DOMINANCE RANK; CHALLENGE HYPOTHESIS; MACACA-FASCICULARIS; MODERATING ROLE; PRISON-INMATES; AGGRESSION; BEHAVIOR; SEX; Psychology, Social

    Abstract

    Among other things, sexual selection theory posits that in species with limited male parental investment, males should evolve biological mechanisms to competitively dominate or otherwise compete with one another. It is unclear whether such proposed mechanisms would influence status hierarchies in small human groups. We report the results of a study investigating possible effects of prenatal (index-to-ring finger length ratio or 2D:4D) and salivary testosterone, and masculine identification, on status among 71 male college students living in nine residential groups. The results indicate no role of either prenatal or salivary testosterone in maintaining status hierarchies in these groups. A possible explanation is that peer-assessed status in these groups was arrived at cooperatively rather than through dominance contests. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Personality and Individual Differences

    Volume

    51

    Issue/Number

    4

    Publication Date

    1-1-2011

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    392

    Last Page

    396

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000293056200006

    ISSN

    0191-8869

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