During the Olympics, scientists linked high testosterone levels to athletic success and also better career opportunities. But beyond sports, new research has found little evidence that testosterone meaningfully affects people's life chances. A new study suggests that despite society's myths,Testosterone less influencethan might previously have been assumed.
Can high testosterone levels affect the chances of success?
It is already known that testosterone in men is linked to socioeconomic position, such as income or educational attainment. To self-isolate its effect, the research team used an approach called Mendelian randomization in a sample of 306,248 British adults. They examined the influence of testosterone on socioeconomic position, including income, employment status, health and education. The study results suggest that despite much of the mythology surrounding testosterone, its social impact may be overstated. Men with more testosterone in their blood had higher household incomes, lived in less deprived areas and were more likely to have a university degree and a skilled job. In women, high testosterone levels were associated with lower socioeconomic position.
Such research has supported the popular idea that testosterone can influence success by influencing behavior. There is evidence from experiments that testosterone can make a person more confident or willing to take risks. These are characteristics that would bring advantages on the job market, for example. However, according to the study authors, the link between higher testosterone levels and success may simply reflect an influence of good health on both. Alternatively, socioeconomic circumstances could influence testosterone levels. According to the authors, the perception of one's own success couldthis studyalso affect testosterone. For example, previous research on sports games found that high testosterone levels are seen in the winner compared to the loser. However, whether it is actually because testosterone influences socioeconomic position requires further research.
