The Effects of Being in a "new Relationship" on Levels of Testosterone in Men

Overview

Journal Evol Psychol

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialties Biology
Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2015 Mar 18

PMID 25782185

Citations 3

Authors

Daniel Farrelly

Rebecca Owens

Hannah Elliott

Hannah Walden

Mark Wetherell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In light of previous research showing that different types of relationships affect levels of testosterone in men, this study examined whether categorizing relationship types according to relationship length can shed further light on variations in levels of testosterone. Salivary testosterone samples were obtained from a sample of men and details about their relationship status, sociosexual orientation, extra-pair sexual interest, and their perceptions of their relationships were recorded. Using a median split analysis, participants who indicated that they had been in their relationship for less than 12 months were categorized as being in "new relationships" and those in longer relationships being categorized as in long-term relationships. Results showed that levels of testosterone of single men and men in new relationships did not differ, but both had significantly greater levels of testosterone than men in long-term relationships. Differences in levels of testosterone were unrelated to sociosexual orientation and extra-pair sexual interest. These findings support the evolutionary explanation of levels of testosterone in men varying in accordance with their internal motivation to seek new potential mates.

Citing Articles

Effect of standardized root extract of ashwagandha () on well-being and sexual performance in adult males: A randomized controlled trial.

Chauhan S, Srivastava M, Pathak A Health Sci Rep. 2022; 5(4):e741.

PMID: 35873404 PMC: 9297375. DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.741.

A meta-analysis of the association between male dimorphism and fitness outcomes in humans.

Lidborg L, Cross C, Boothroyd L Elife. 2022; 11.

PMID: 35179485 PMC: 9106334. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.65031.

Tandem Androgenic and Psychological Shifts in Male Reproductive Effort Following a Manipulated "Win" or "Loss" in a Sporting Competition.

Longman D, Surbey M, Stock J, Wells J Hum Nat. 2018; 29(3):283-310.

PMID: 30090999 PMC: 6132838. DOI: 10.1007/s12110-018-9323-5.

References

Gray P, Chapman J, Burnham T, McIntyre M, Lipson S, Ellison P . Human male pair bonding and testosterone. Hum Nat. 2015; 15(2):119-31. DOI: 10.1007/s12110-004-1016-6. View

Henrich J, Heine S, Norenzayan A . The weirdest people in the world?. Behav Brain Sci. 2010; 33(2-3):61-83. DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X0999152X. View

Gray P, Campbell B, Marlowe F, Lipson S, Ellison P . Social variables predict between-subject but not day-to-day variation in the testosterone of US men. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2004; 29(9):1153-62. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2004.01.008. View

Gettler L, McDade T, Feranil A, Kuzawa C . Longitudinal evidence that fatherhood decreases testosterone in human males. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011; 108(39):16194-9. PMC: 3182719. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1105403108. View

Harman S, Metter E, Tobin J, Pearson J, Blackman M . Longitudinal effects of aging on serum total and free testosterone levels in healthy men. Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001; 86(2):724-31. DOI: 10.1210/jcem.86.2.7219. View

Edelstein R, Chopik W, Kean E . Sociosexuality moderates the association between testosterone and relationship status in men and women. Horm Behav. 2011; 60(3):248-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.05.007. View

van Anders S . Chewing gum has large effects on salivary testosterone, estradiol, and secretory immunoglobulin A assays in women and men. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2009; 35(2):305-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.06.009. View

Alvergne A, Faurie C, Raymond M . Variation in testosterone levels and male reproductive effort: insight from a polygynous human population. Horm Behav. 2009; 56(5):491-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.07.013. View

Simpson J, Gangestad S . Individual differences in sociosexuality: evidence for convergent and discriminant validity. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1991; 60(6):870-83. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.60.6.870. View

10.

van Anders S, Hamilton L, Watson N . Multiple partners are associated with higher testosterone in North American men and women. Horm Behav. 2007; 51(3):454-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.01.002. View

11.

Gray P . Marriage, parenting, and testosterone variation among Kenyan Swahili men. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2003; 122(3):279-86. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.10293. View

12.

van Anders S, Watson N . Testosterone levels in women and men who are single, in long-distance relationships, or same-city relationships. Horm Behav. 2007; 51(2):286-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2006.11.005. View

13.

van Anders S, Watson N . Relationship status and testosterone in North American heterosexual and non-heterosexual men and women: cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2006; 31(6):715-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2006.01.008. View

14.

DABBS Jr J . Salivary testosterone measurements: reliability across hours, days, and weeks. Physiol Behav. 1990; 48(1):83-6. DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(90)90265-6. View

15.

van Anders S, Goldey K . Testosterone and partnering are linked via relationship status for women and 'relationship orientation' for men. Horm Behav. 2010; 58(5):820-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.08.005. View

16.

Muller M, Marlowe F, Bugumba R, Ellison P . Testosterone and paternal care in East African foragers and pastoralists. Proc Biol Sci. 2008; 276(1655):347-54. PMC: 2674347. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1028. View

17.

Burnham T, Chapman J, Gray P, McIntyre M, Lipson S, Ellison P . Men in committed, romantic relationships have lower testosterone. Horm Behav. 2003; 44(2):119-22. DOI: 10.1016/s0018-506x(03)00125-9. View

18.

Barrett E, Tran V, Thurston S, Jasienska G, Furberg A, Ellison P . Marriage and motherhood are associated with lower testosterone concentrations in women. Horm Behav. 2012; 63(1):72-9. PMC: 3540120. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.10.012. View

19.

McIntyre M, Gangestad S, Gray P, Chapman J, Burnham T, ORourke M . Romantic involvement often reduces men's testosterone levels--but not always: the moderating role of extrapair sexual interest. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2006; 91(4):642-51. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.91.4.642. View

20.

Perini T, Ditzen B, Fischbacher S, Ehlert U . Testosterone and relationship quality across the transition to fatherhood. Biol Psychol. 2012; 90(3):186-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2012.03.004. View