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Winning, losing, mood, and testosterone.

K D McCaul¹, B A Gladue, M Joppa

¹Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105.

Hormones and Behavior

|December 1, 1992

Summary

Winning a small amount of money, even by chance, improved mood and increased testosterone levels in male college students. This suggests a link between winning, mood, and hormonal changes, specifically testosterone.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Endocrinology
Behavioral Science

Background:

Previous research indicates that social status and competition can influence hormone levels.
Understanding the physiological and psychological effects of winning and losing is crucial for behavioral science.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of winning and losing money on mood and hormone levels in men.
To determine if changes in testosterone and cortisol levels are associated with the outcome of a chance-based task.

Main Methods:

Two experiments were conducted with male college students.
Participants either won, lost, or remained neutral in a chance-controlled monetary task.
Mood changes and levels of testosterone and cortisol were measured before and after the task.

Main Results:

Winners reported a more positive mood change compared to losers and a neutral group.
Winners showed significantly higher testosterone levels than losers.
Cortisol levels did not differ significantly among the groups, indicating a specific effect on testosterone.

Conclusions:

Winning can lead to alterations in testosterone levels in men.
Mood changes may play a mediating role in the relationship between winning and testosterone levels.
The hormone-behavior response to winning appears specific to testosterone, not cortisol.

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