Study shows testosterone levels influence men’s perceptions of women

A new study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology investigates the impact of testosterone on men’s perceptions of women, revealing that elevated testosterone levels can lead to the dehumanization of women, even when they are conservatively dressed. While previous research has primarily focused on the sexualization of women in revealing clothing as a factor for dehumanization, this study indicates that physiological changes, specifically increased testosterone, can distort men’s views of women irrespective of how they are dressed. Dehumanization, a harmful psychological process, strips individuals of their humanity and can lead to negative consequences such as increased vulnerability to aggression and victim-blaming.

To explore this phenomenon, researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 120 healthy men aged 18 to 38. Participants were administered either a dose of testosterone via nasal gel or a placebo across two sessions. They watched videos featuring the same woman dressed either conservatively or provocatively and then completed tasks to assess various forms of dehumanization. The results revealed that men with elevated testosterone levels were less likely to attribute human emotions, like hope or remorse, to the conservatively dressed woman, indicating that testosterone heightened emotion-based dehumanization. Interestingly, sexualized women were dehumanized regardless of hormone levels, suggesting that sexualization alone was enough to trigger this reaction.

The findings highlight testosterone as a significant factor in emotion-based dehumanization, particularly towards non-sexualized women. However, it did not appear to influence other forms of dehumanization, such as personality-based judgments. The research underscores the complexity of how men perceive women, emphasizing that socio-cultural factors, along with physiological changes, play a crucial role in this dynamic. The lead author, Francesca Luberti, calls for further studies to explore additional aspects of dehumanization and how various factors interact to influence this behavior.