Hormones, Status, and the Relationship between Social Behaviors and Intellectual Performance

激素、状态以及社会行为和智力表现之间的关系

• 批准号: 0423405
• 负责人: Robert Josephs
• 金额: $ 9.87万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-09-01 至 2007-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0423405&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Hormones; Status; Relationship; between; Social

Testosterone and cortisol are some of the most intensively studied biological substances, yet our understanding of their behavioral effects in human beings is surprisingly limited. In many species, variations in hormone levels are powerful predictors of a wide variety of behaviors, and human beings should be no exception. The proposed research is designed to test a critically important idea underlying hormones and behavior -- that individuals high in testosterone possess a need or desire to maintain high status. The core of this proposal seeks to test the hypothesis that differential testosterone levels, whether chronic or the result of transient changes, bear a functional relationship to status-seeking behavior. The initial experimental proposition put forth in this application is straightforward. After a competitive interaction, individuals either lose status or gain status. Then, they are given the option to attempt to regain their lost status or defend their high status. The primary prediction associated with this experiment is that individual differences in testosterone will predict a person's intention to pursue further competition. Change in cortisol level, a reliable measure of the stress response, is predicted to influence behavioral intention as well, but only among individuals with high levels of testosterone, who presumably possess strong status-seeking motives. An implicit measure of unconscious status seeking and power, the Picture Story Exercise will also be administered as a means of validating the hormonal measures. Further confirmation and validation of these measures will be assessed through cognitive activation of status needs using a modification of the Stroop color-naming procedure.This research also has the potential to move experimental social psychology and the study of biological basis of social behavior forward through the innovative synthesis of these areas. Furthermore, this work will provide the theoretical foundation for future research that addresses the chronic problem of representation, retention, and achievement of talented individuals from underrepresented groups who may have status concerns. This enhanced understanding could inform strategies to increase the participation of women and minorities in science, engineering, and math.

睾酮和皮质醇是一些研究最深入的生物物质，但我们对它们对人类行为影响的了解却令人惊讶地有限。 在许多物种中，激素水平的变化是各种行为的有力预测因素，人类也不例外。 这项拟议中的研究旨在测试一个至关重要的想法，即激素和行为的基础-睾丸激素高的个体拥有保持高地位的需要或愿望。 这个提议的核心是试图检验一个假设，即不同的睾酮水平，无论是长期的还是短暂的变化，都与地位寻求行为有着函数关系。在本申请中提出的初始实验命题是直接的。 在竞争性互动之后，个体要么失去地位，要么获得地位。 然后，他们可以选择试图恢复他们失去的地位或捍卫他们的高地位。与这个实验相关的主要预测是，睾丸激素的个体差异将预测一个人追求进一步竞争的意图。 皮质醇水平的变化是衡量压力反应的一个可靠指标，预计也会影响行为意图，但仅限于睾酮水平高的个体，他们可能具有强烈的地位追求动机。 图片故事练习是对无意识的地位寻求和权力的一种隐性测量，也将作为验证荷尔蒙测量的一种手段。 这些措施的进一步确认和验证将通过使用修改的Stroop颜色命名procedure.This研究的状态需要的认知激活进行评估也有可能移动实验社会心理学和社会行为的生物学基础的研究，通过这些领域的创新合成前进。 此外，这项工作将提供理论基础，为未来的研究，解决代表性，保留和成就的人才代表性不足的群体谁可能有地位的关注的长期问题。 这种增强的理解可以为提高妇女和少数民族参与科学、工程和数学的战略提供信息。