High testosterone linked to men`s ability to ‘woo’ women

Washington: A new study has said that the old theory that men who are bold and self-assured with women are high on testosterone has some truth to it.

The study from Wayne State University found how testosterone is associated with dominance and competitive success when men battle for the attention of an attractive woman. The study engaged pairs of men in a seven-minute videotaped competition for the attention of an attractive female undergraduate. The researchers measure pre-competition testosterone levels were positively associated with men``s dominance behaviours in the mate competition-including how assertive they were and how much they "took control" of the conversation-and with how much the woman indicated that she "clicked" with each of the men. Results showed that men both high in testosterone and who reported a high need for social dominance appeared to be able somehow suppress their competitors`` ability to attract potential mates. "We found that testosterone levels influenced men``s dominance behaviours during the competitions, how much they derogated (or ‘bashed``) their competitors afterward, and how much the woman said she ‘clicked`` with them," said Richard Slatcher. "Books, film and television often portray men who are bold and self-assured with women as being high in testosterone. Our results suggest that there is a kernel of truth to this stereotype, that naturally circulating testosterone indeed is associated with men``s behaviours when they try to woo women." "These findings highlight an important difference between humans and animals," said Slatcher. “Our findings indicate that testosterone is associated with dominance behaviours and success when men compete for the attention of an attractive woman, particularly when men also have a strong conscious desire for social dominance." The study is published online Feb. 28 in the journal, Social Psychological and Personality Science. ANI