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The challenge hypothesis makes specific predictions about the association between testosterone and status-seeking behaviors, but the findings linking testosterone to these behaviors are often inconsistent. The dual-hormone hypothesis was developed to help explain these inconsistencies. Specifically, according to this hypothesis, testosterone's association with status-seeking behavior depends on levels of cortisol. Here, we (1) describe the dual-hormone hypothesis in relation to the challenge hypothesis; (2) review recent studies that tested the dual-hormone hypothesis as well as meta-scientific evidence of heterogeneous dual-hormone findings across studies; (3) discuss potential explanations for this heterogeneity, including methodological considerations, contextual factors, and individual differences; and (4) provide recommendations for new work aimed at testing and extending the dual-hormone hypothesis.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104657 | DOI Listing |
Psychoneuroendocrinology
July 2025
Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biosciences, Life Science Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania.
According to the context-dependent dual-hormone hypothesis, higher testosterone levels are associated with status-seeking when cortisol levels are low, and with status-loss avoidance when cortisol levels are high. Given that socially stressful situations may be perceived as status threats, the evaluation of such situations may also be influenced by testosterone, with cortisol moderating this effect. Furthermore, although cortisol is important for coping with negative emotions, its effects may be moderated by testosterone due to its inhibitory influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Psychol
May 2025
Department of Psychology, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, United States.
Human males face tradeoffs in how they invest resources toward mating and parenting. Research on male's transition to fatherhood has revealed shifts in hormones tied to these tradeoffs. While work has focused on the influence of hormones on parenting during this stage, less is known about how these hormones influence mating (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychiatric inpatient aggression is a concern as it poses a threat to safety of both patients and staff. While psychosocial and behavioral approaches are often put forward, the role of biological factors remains underexplored in a clinical context such as psychiatric hospitals. The dual-hormone hypothesis (DHH) posits that low levels of cortisol combined with high levels of testosterone promote status-seeking behaviors with some differences between sexes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychoneuroendocrinology
January 2025
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. Electronic address:
The importance of stressor response in relation to the development of psychopathology has been recognized for decades, yet the relationship is not fully understood. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is an established conditioned stressor and frequently used to assess cortisol response to acute stress in different psychopathologies. The 35 % CO Challenge is a biological stressor and has mostly been utilized to assess subjective responses in anxiety related disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Psychiatry
July 2024
Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States.
Objective: In order to gain a better understanding of the individual and joint impact of testosterone and cortisol on behavior, the present study was developed to test the differences in each hormone alone and conjointly between perpetrators of IPV and non-violent controls.
Method: Perpetrators of IPV on probation were compared to a control group of non-aggressive males from Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley on baseline testosterone and cortisol, as well as several relevant questionnaires measuring aggression and trait anger. Differences in cortisol following exposure to a stressful event were also examined.