Why macho men are so strong on generosity

HAVING a lot of testosterone is usually thought to make a man more aggressive.

But new research has revealed it might also make him more generous. The male sex hormone was revealed in tests to boost charitable donations. However, the scientists behind it say that the generosity is a form of showing off.

Men whose levels of testosterone were artificially boosted gave more money while being watched – suggesting that the activity is a way of ‘seeking high social status’, rather than being a good deed in itself.

Previous research has found that prisoners who commit violent crimes have higher levels of testosterone, as do the most aggressive sportsmen. Research also shows generosity can help people attain power by gaining allies, increasing the likelihood of being seen as a leader and attracting romantic partners.

In the study, scientists gave either testosterone gel or a placebo gel with no active ingredient to 140 healthy young men. They were then given a money transfer of around €6 which they could keep or donate all or part of to various organisations.

In the study, by psychologists at Shenzhen University in China, the charity that received the most money was described as ‘Help the orphan with rare disease’.

The volunteers were either observed by a person sitting behind them, or alone.

The scientists say that most of the men were more generous when being watched, but the testosterone boosted the effect.

The authors say that the findings suggest ‘testosterone promotes status-seeking behaviour’.

‘Status-seeking behaviour’