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Testosterone makes men tell the truth
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Scientists from the University of Bonn have discovered that the level of "truthfulness" in men depends on the level of the hormone testosterone.
As is known, testosterone makes men attractive, masculine and is responsible for the propensity to take risks. It also helps build muscle mass, stimulates sexual desire and increases aggressiveness.
The scientists recruited about a hundred men for their experiment. Half of the participants applied a gel containing testosterone to their skin, while the others applied a regular gel. The next morning, the specialists checked the hormone levels in the blood and were convinced that the gel had worked.
The second stage of the experiment consisted of the following: the participants were seated in separate rooms and sat in front of a computer monitor. Their task was to play dice and, depending on the points they scored, receive a small win. They were not under any surveillance, and they knew it. The researchers identified cheaters using a statistical method, based on how many points a person scored on average in this game.
The result of the experiment surprised the experts, because it turned out that the participants who had received a dose of testosterone the day before and whose testosterone level was elevated at the time of the game lied the least. The influence of the "antisocial" hormone on honesty was not associated in any way. But scientists say that the issue here is precisely in the reputation of testosterone, which it earned thanks to the slightly incorrect interpretation of the connection between behavior and testosterone by researchers. In fact, just as testosterone affects behavior, behavior affects testosterone.
"The hormone mobilizes all forces so that a person wins, increases his self-esteem. But the specific actions of a man depend on a specific situation. In this experiment, self-respect was closely linked to honesty, and the small reward that a man could receive by telling a lie was not such a worthy factor that could influence the outcome of the case. That is why in this case honesty won, not greed. But if a situation occurred in life where the rules ceased to exist, behavior would change - here testosterone only enhances the effect," the researchers say.