Men With High Testosterone Gaze at Women Regardless of Their Dressing, Says Study; Know The Functions of the Hormone
Oct 09, 2024
News
Most men think that women who dress up in provocative clothes or are scantily clad, are less intelligent and more promiscuous than those who dress modestly
No matter how women dress – even without showing skin and conservatively, men, especially those with high testosterone will continue their toxic male gaze, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology has revealed that fully dressed women are no safer from some men than those who dress sexy.
The study, conducted by Canada's Nipissing University has said that most men think that women who dress up in provocative clothes or are scantily clad, are less intelligent and more promiscuous than those who dress modestly, and so, it makes them common targets of harassment.
Study authors said it may be due to the testosterone levels of men
“Given these harmful outcomes, it’s important to understand the mechanisms that lead to the dehumanization of women. We were interested in contributing to this effort by investigating whether physiological factors, such as increases in testosterone levels, play a role in men’s dehumanization of sexualized and non-sexualized women,” said study author Francesca Luberti of Nipissing University in a statement for PsyPost.
Testosterone levels in men linked to social behaviour
Previously as well, various studies have shown that testosterone levels in men are linked to their social behaviors which include heightened sexual aggression and impulsivity - both of which come from a dehumanization of another.
Scientists say dehumanizing someone means demeaning that person's humanity or individuality and ignoring their capacity for human qualities, such as the ability to feel sad, scared, or behave morally.
How was the study conducted?
For the study, researchers took participants which included 20 men between the ages of 18 and 38 years with healthy testosterone levels to participate in two experiments - during which volunteers were given supplemental doses of the hormone or a placebo.
Then, they watched a video featuring a woman dressed conservatively or provocatively but behaved all the same. Finally, the men completed a series of tasks to demonstrate their impulse toward the dehumanization of women.
The results showed men, who took extra testosterone were more likely to dehumanize even conservatively dressed women when compared to men who did not receive hormones. Testosterone levels had no significant effect on a man’s view of a woman in revealing clothing and were just as likely to dehumanize her regardless of hormones, confirming previous assumptions of society’s negative view of female sexuality.
“We were definitely surprised to find that testosterone did not further increase emotion-based dehumanization toward a sexualized woman, as we had predicted, but instead led to the emotion-based dehumanization of a non-sexualized woman,” Luberti said.
“Based on these results, the takeaway message is that sexualization leads to emotion-based dehumanization toward a target woman, but heightened testosterone levels can trigger this type of dehumanization even in the absence of sexualization cues,” she concluded.
How does testosterone work in men?
Testosterone is a sex hormone that plays an important role in men’s bodies. Apart from regulating sex drive or libido, it also boosts bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass, and strength. A few other functions of testosterone include:
- Development of secondary male sex characteristics like deeper voice, facial hair, and muscle growth
- Stimulation and production of red blood cells
- Determination of the body
- Boost energy and mood
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