Testosterone is associated with cooperation during intergroup competition by enhancing parochial altruism.

ABSTRACT: The steroid hormone testosterone is widely associated with negative behavioral effects, such as aggression or dominance. However, recent studies applying economic exchange tasks revealed conflicting results. While some point to a prosocial effect of testosterone by increasing altruistic behavior, others report that testosterone promotes antisocial tendencies. Taking into account additional factors such as parochial altruism (i.e., ingroup favoritism and outgroup hostility) might help to explain this contradiction. First evidence for a link between testosterone and parochial altruism comes from recently reported data of male soccer fans playing the ultimatum game. In this study high levels of endogenous testosterone predicted increased altruistic punishment during outgroup interactions and

SUBMITTER: Reimers L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4464174 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature