Testosterone

• What is testosterone

  Androgen
• What is testosterone responsible for

  • Development of male characteristics
  • Affect the brain
• A high proportion of people arrested for violence against another person in the UK are men
• Indicators testosterone is linked to aggression
• Set up of Dabbs et al (1987) study


  • Measured saliva levels
  • 89 male prison inmates
• Dabbs et al (1987) findings


  • Higher testosterone concentration more likely to be convicted of violent crimes
  • Most with lowest levels of testosterone convicted of non-violent crimes
• Issues with Dabbs et al (1987) study

  • Cause and effect makes it only correlational
  • Another factor could be causing behaviour
  • Third variable
• Van Goozen et al (1994) study of testosterone

  • Study effects of testosterone directly
  • Avoid correlational data
  • Cause and effect easier to establish
• Van Goozen et al (1994), Method

  • Repeated measures design
  • 50 trans gender people using hormonal therapy
  • Questionnaires about proneness to aggression
  • Completed questionnaires before hormone use
  • Man to woman transition use anti-androgens
  • Woman to man transitions use testosterone
• Van Goozen et al (1994), Results

  • Female to Male had increase in Aggression
  • Male to female had decrease in aggression
• Van Goozen et al (1994), Conclusion

  • Levels of testosterone determine likelihood of displaying aggressive behaviour
• Van Goozen et al (1994), Evaluation

  • Controlling levels of testosterone meant cause and effect between testosterone and aggression was established
  • Self-report is subjective --> Invalid ?
  • Participants may have conformed to stereotypes of gender roles for aggression
• AO3: Humans show excess of aggression --> theory can't explain human cruelty
• AO3: Humans are complex as they have:

  • Deindividuation
  • Group processes
  • In-group
  • Out-group
  • Politics
  • Ideology
• AO3: Not account for individual differences in aggression
• AO3: Book et al:

  Meta-analysis of 9760 people

  + 0.14 correlation between testosterone and aggression
• AO3: action of testosterone on brain begins in embryonic stage
• AO3: Testosterone is higher in aggressive behaviour
• AO3, O'connor et al (2007)

  • Super high doses of testosterone
  • Increase aggression in men
• AO3, Field studies

  • Testosterone increases in aggressive sports
  • Testosterone rises in winners of competitions
  • Testosterone rises in dominance trials
• AO3: Kilnesmith et al (2006), Correlation is not causation
• AO3: Testosterone significant in the development of muscular system
• AO3: Social and Environmental context (Testosterone)

  • Testosterone not sufficient explaining aggression itself
  • Explains surges of aggression (some situations)
  • Relevant to males only
• AO3: Social and cognitive factors in aggression

  • Aggression in NHAs is supressed in man
  • Familial, social and legal inhibitions
• AO3: Biological reductionism of testosterone

  • Can't look at testosterone by itself
  • Factor, Limbic system, serotonin, circuitry, genetics and cortisol
• AO3: Testosterone in aggression is useful for highlighting sex differences in aggressive behaviour
• Men have 7 to 8 times more testosterone than women
• With testosterone your penis and testes grow
• What hairs grow

  • facial
  • pubic
  • body
• Your voice deepens
• Sperm production increases
• What facial areas grow

  • Jaw
  • Brow
  • Chin
  • Nose
• Bone maturation increases
• Sebaceous gland enlargement
• Increase in energy & focus
• Testosterone puberty risks

  • Drug usage
  • alcohol usage
  • Sexual activities
• Testosterone during puberty is 50 times high than prepubescent
• What age does body odour increase

  7
• When do boys become fertile

  13
• What age range does secretion of androgens increase

  6 to 8