Testosterone Does Not Increase Aggression - The Myth
In contrary to popular belief that has been circulated by Hollywood or mainstream media's pop psychology, testosterone does not increase aggression. This effect may be true when it comes to animals, but when it comes to humans, increase in testosterone level, actually, decreases aggression. This myth has been contradicted in recent studies with placebo - the false cultural belief about testosterone is so strong that people who were given fake testosterone pills started behaving aggressively and egocentricaly, while those who were actually given testosterone started acting more friendly and considerately towards the others.
Testosterone, that exists both in men and women, is responsible for many important physical characteristics such as muscle growth or bone density. Right after birth our bodies produce very large amounts of testosterone which progressively decreases to very tiny level by four to six months of age. The levels starts to increase again when we begin our puberty.
Researchers from University of Pisa conducted the study on two groups of people: the Love Group with those who within previous six months had been romantically infatuated with someone, and the Control Group with those who were single or in long-term relationship. They found out that testosterone levels between males in Love Group were lower than in Control Group, while women in Love Group had higher levels than those in Control Group. The result highlights that, depending on the stage of relationship, the testosterone levels between sexes appeared to balance each other. This discovery suggests that these differences help in finding emotional stability between the partners.
References:
"Hormonal changes when falling in love.", University of Pisa 2016.
"Testosterone does not induce aggression.", University of Zurich, 2009.
"Testosterone deficiency: myth, facts, and controversy.", Collaboration, 2001.
"Prejudice and truth about the effect of testosterone on human bargaining behaviour", Nature, 2012.
"Strange but True: Testosterone Alone Does Not Cause Violence", Scientific American, 2007.
"Effects of Testosterone on Mood, Aggression, and Sexual Behavior in Young Men: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Study", Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2004.
-logic
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That is very interesting. I didn't know this.
👍 :-D
Thanks Brian
Really helpful post...
Thanks.
ostras que sorpresa me he llevado! saludos amigo.
Gracias, saludos.
Wow, that's really crazy to read this. I honestly need to do a bit of research about that myself, because my first inclination is honestly to not believe it. I guess the cultural stereotype is pretty strongly engrained in me too!
Hah ok, well it was surprising for me too.
Learning never stops... thanks! :)
Anyway... I think aggression comes mostly from low self-esteem, stupidity and alcohol.
Testosterone is for growing beards. :D
Hey, thanks for the comment.
Aggression is a behaviour that appears to be conditioned by the environment (as any behaviour) with some possible minor genetic predispositions :-)
Gender certainly is one of those predispositions. Women can also be aggressive... oh believe me, I know one or two... but men have to prove their strength and hardness from school to job and in the streets. They want to lead the herd. And this is also encouraged by media and entertainment. That's the way it is... hope it won't be forever. Maybe evolution will to it's thing. :D
It is not gender. Gender is a social construct. I think that you meant sex.
Yes, both sexes have different hormonal physiology that is predetermined by genetics (it is mentioned in the article).
Intensity of aggressive behaviour is largely conditioned by the environment. Certain cultures are more aggressive than others (some not at all) due to many environmental factors such as value system, tradition, scarcity of resources, state of healthcare, economic class, psychologically unsustainable upbringing/childcare, etc.
Once you understand, root causes of aggressive behaviour within social environment, and how to eradicate them, you can design society that is almost completely void of aggressive behaviour (almost because there some genetically determined cognitive disorders that are random and not shaped by environment).
Gender and sex really have different meanings? Didn't know that... in German there is only the word "Geschlecht" which translates to gender and sex. Thank you for clarifying this! :)
No problem mr :-)
Check that up
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_and_gender_distinction
Read somewhere girls become women after puberty. Men, have to prove we are men over and over again.. thought that was Interresting! There are studys n that..
That picture of wolverine tells me otherwise...
It is selected on purpose to contradict the bias.
I suppose it would make sense that lower t causes agression due to the feelings of frustration and low well being experienced.
That is possible.
I read recently that testosterone increases in people who are exposed to aggression, that in relation to aggresion testosterone is an enabler, but not a pure cause.
In monkeys there is often a strict heirarchy, so if you take 5 monkeys that dont know each other and put them in a cage, they will fight until the heirarchy is sorted 1-5, those with the higher testosterone levels being at the top, those with the lower testosterone levels being at the bottom. But if you take monkey 3 (who is in the middle of the group) and inject him with massive amounts of testosterone and put him back with the other 4, he doesnt attack monkeys 1 & 2 who are higher than him, he mercilessly beats monkeys 4 & 5 who are lower than him.
We aim our aggression at those who we feel it is acceptable to put it onto; those who we see as lower than ourselves. This means testosterone does not make us aggressive beyond control, we decide who gets hurt.
Hey.
It is valid example with some apes but humans are much different than other apes. Our social behaviour is much more complex. We are also capable of abstract thinking and have ability to be aware and take control over our emotions.
Yes, I have read the testosterone increase is rather response to hostile environment (to stress, aggression) rather than cause of aggression.
Check that up if you have time.
That is amazing...Thanks for sharing this useful piece of Research...upvoted
👍
Interesting article and thank you for putting the sources in as well!
It seems intuitive, that through spending time with the other, people assimilate. Not only in their hormone levels, but also in behaviour, speech, taste...
Pick your friends and partners wisely, guys (and gals)
Thanks for comment.
You are right. We should chose wisely as hormonal balancing may not work much with someone who we are not attracted to as much or get attached, in the first place. Even if we "force" ourselves to relationship.
Interesting i always thought it does increase aggression since some boxers abstain from sex and mastrubation to increase their Testosteron level.
Yeah I thought so too. People have thought or been doing a lot of things that are not just based in science but plain stupid. Punching each other in the head for the entertainment of others causing little concussion and brain damage with every hit, is one of them haha :-)
Indeed my friend, indeed...
well i disagree with the research first there is no medical TRT based on pills, the supplements are waste of money and 99% don't work, gels also have low concetrations of testosterone, the mood swings takes place when you pass the 1200 ng/dl on total test , and if the subject using also any type of androgens (testosterone rating 100 / androgen rating 80-500) thats x5 time the test effectiveness right ! Thats where the shit is getting real ! and stop being a myth !
Thanks for your comment.
Aggressive or violent personality, and stressful or competitive environment increases testosterone level not the other way around. That is why violent inmates have higher testosterone levels. Studies showed that increasing testosterone level in psychologically stable men did not rise their aggression level or induced violent tendencies.
https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v463/n7279/full/nature08711.html
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-testosterone-alone-doesnt-cause-violence/
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/89/6/2837/2870329/Effects-of-Testosterone-on-Mood-Aggression-and
Totally agree with the 3rd link, which is way more specific & accurate , crossing the lines is where the troubles starts ! thanks for sharing
From what I understand testosterones main purpose it to strive for status. It also decreases fear and strive for man to man competition. I found "Men are good" on youtube and he talks a lot about testosterone, might wanna check it out 😊
Thanks for recommendation.
You got it. Some research does not seem to appear to the public. Tom Golden is the guys name who runs the site, he got research that challenged my views on manhood, testosterone and feminism quite frankly. Hope you like it!
Thanks Robert!
Let me know what you think about it
Thanks for the sources, good to put a myth down to rest.
Thanks for the comment. Some more sources for you:
tendencies.
https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v463/n7279/full/nature08711.html
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-testosterone-alone-doesnt-cause-violence/
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/89/6/2837/2870329/Effects-of-Testosterone-on-Mood-Aggression-and
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It is a very old fashioned notions about the endocrine system that also lead to the belief hystrionic women would benefit from a hysterectomy as it was believed that sex hormones alone effect mood.
There is still so much to be learned and unlearned about hormones and their effect on mood and behaviour.
The idea that gender and behaviour is defined either by the presence of estrogen or testosterone levels is a false and simplistic view that even many doctors still prescribe to.
NorAdrenalin, serotonin, cortisol, thyroxin, melatonin... The list is long. All of these hormones effect mood and intern can effect behaviour. They work together in a delicate balance.
You are very right. Thank you for your valuable comment!