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Social modulation of androgens in humans : Psychological mechanisms and adaptative function
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Abstract(s)
Esta tese procura clarificar os processos subjacentes às discrepâncias entre a direcção da resposta de androgénios à competição encontrada em estudos empíricos e as predicções das teorias para a modulação social de androgénios. Sugerimos que estes resultados imprevistos podem resultar de interacções com variáveis cognitivas e elegemos especificamente a avaliação cognitiva como um forte candidato a moderador da resposta de testosterona (T) aos desafios sociais. Várias experiências foram realizadas para testar esta hipótese. No Capítulo II e III, testou-se o efeito da familiaridade do oponente e da avaliação do resultado da competição como ameaça/desafio, na resposta de T a uma competição contra um membro do mesmo sexo. Nas mulheres foi encontrado um maior aumento dos níveis de T quando eram derrotadas por um oponente não familiar e quando o resultado era avaliado como ameaçador. Este efeito de moderação não foi detectado para os homens. Continuou-se a investigação sobre os efeitos da familiaridade do oponente e avaliação de ameaça no Capítulo IV, mas com um ciclídeo. Num paradigma de repetidas invasões territoriais por machos estranhos e familiares, encontrou-se uma maior resposta de androgénios no macho residente para as intrusões realizadas por um estranho, comparada com as de um macho familiar. O efeito do componente de expectativas da avaliação cognitiva, na resposta de T à competição em mulheres, foi testado através da manipulação das expectativas dos participantes em relação ao resultado da competição antes da tarefa competitiva (Capítulo V). Os vencedores inesperados baixaram os níveis de T depois da competição, mostrando uma inversão da resposta predicta pelos modelos teóricos. No Capítulo VI, testou-se o efeito directo das alterações afectivas nos níveis de T usando excertos de filmes emocionais. Um decréscimo significativo de T foi observado nos participantes da condição de tristeza, numa direcção congruente com as predicções da literatura. Finalmente, no Capítulo VII, abordou-se a função adaptiva das mudanças de androgénios induzidas pela competição proposta pelos modelos teóricos. Especificamente, testou-se o efeito do resultado da competição e dos níveis pós-competitivos de T na capacidade do individuo detectar faces emocionais ameaçadoras. Os nossos resultados sugerem que os vencedores foram mais rápidos e melhores a discriminar faces de raiva do que os perdedores. A discriminação de raiva foi também melhorada quando os níveis de T pós-competição eram elevados. No geral, estes resultados apoiam a hipótese de uma moderação cognitiva da resposta de T em mulheres. As implicações destes resultados para as teorias de modulação social de andrógenios são discutidas numa perspectiva comparada e integrativa.
ABSTRACT : This thesis aims to clarify the processes underlying the discrepancies between the direction of the androgen response to competition found in empirical studies and predictions of the theories for the social modulation of androgens. We suggest that these unpredicted results could result from interactions with cognitive variables and specifically select appraisal as a strong candidate to moderate the testosterone (T) response to social challenges. Several experiments were conducted to test this hypothesis. On Chapter II and III, we have tested the effect of opponent familiarity and the evaluation of the competition outcome as a threat/challenge on the T response to a competition with a member of the same sex. We have found that women show greater increases in T levels when they were defeated by an unfamiliar opponent and evaluated the outcome as threat. This moderation effect was not detected for men. We have continued the research on the effects of opponent familiarity and threat assessment on Chapter IV, but this time using a cichlid fish. In a paradigm of repeated territorial intrusions by stranger and familiar males, the resident male’s androgen response was higher for the intrusions performed by a stranger compared to those performed by a familiar male. The effect of the expectations component of appraisal on the T response to competition in women was tested by manipulating the expectations of the participants on the outcome of the competition before the competitive task (Chapter V). We have found that the unexpected winners decreased their T levels, showing a reversal of response predicted by the theoretical models. On Chapter VI, we have tested the direct effect of affective changes on T levels using emotional film clips. T significantly decreased for those participants assigned to the sadness condition, a direction that is congruent with predictions of the literature. Finally, on Chapter VII, we have addressed the adaptive function of the androgen changes elicited by the competition, as proposed by the theoretical models. Specifically, we have tested the effect of the competition outcome and post-competition T levels on the individual’s capacity to detect threatening emotional faces. Our findings suggest that winners were faster and better in discriminating angry faces than losers. Anger discrimination was also enhanced when post-competition T levels were high. Together these findings support the hypothesis of a cognitive moderation of the T response to competition in women. Results are discussed in terms of their implication to the theories for the social modulation of androgens in a comparative and integrative perspective.
ABSTRACT : This thesis aims to clarify the processes underlying the discrepancies between the direction of the androgen response to competition found in empirical studies and predictions of the theories for the social modulation of androgens. We suggest that these unpredicted results could result from interactions with cognitive variables and specifically select appraisal as a strong candidate to moderate the testosterone (T) response to social challenges. Several experiments were conducted to test this hypothesis. On Chapter II and III, we have tested the effect of opponent familiarity and the evaluation of the competition outcome as a threat/challenge on the T response to a competition with a member of the same sex. We have found that women show greater increases in T levels when they were defeated by an unfamiliar opponent and evaluated the outcome as threat. This moderation effect was not detected for men. We have continued the research on the effects of opponent familiarity and threat assessment on Chapter IV, but this time using a cichlid fish. In a paradigm of repeated territorial intrusions by stranger and familiar males, the resident male’s androgen response was higher for the intrusions performed by a stranger compared to those performed by a familiar male. The effect of the expectations component of appraisal on the T response to competition in women was tested by manipulating the expectations of the participants on the outcome of the competition before the competitive task (Chapter V). We have found that the unexpected winners decreased their T levels, showing a reversal of response predicted by the theoretical models. On Chapter VI, we have tested the direct effect of affective changes on T levels using emotional film clips. T significantly decreased for those participants assigned to the sadness condition, a direction that is congruent with predictions of the literature. Finally, on Chapter VII, we have addressed the adaptive function of the androgen changes elicited by the competition, as proposed by the theoretical models. Specifically, we have tested the effect of the competition outcome and post-competition T levels on the individual’s capacity to detect threatening emotional faces. Our findings suggest that winners were faster and better in discriminating angry faces than losers. Anger discrimination was also enhanced when post-competition T levels were high. Together these findings support the hypothesis of a cognitive moderation of the T response to competition in women. Results are discussed in terms of their implication to the theories for the social modulation of androgens in a comparative and integrative perspective.
Description
Tese de Doutoramento apresentada ao ISPA - Instituto Universitário
Keywords
Competição Testosterona Hipótese do desafio Modelo biosocial do estatuto Avaliação cognitiva Competition Testosterone Challenge hypothesis Biosocial model of status Appraisal
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Publisher
ISPA - Instituto Universitário das Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida