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Updated: Jan 18, 2026
11:51
Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
Published on: March 2, 2011
15.6K
Delineating testosterone's impact on model-based and model-free decision-making processes
Nace Mikus1,2, Hana H Kutlikova1,3, Eisenegger Christoph1
1Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|January 15, 2026
Summary
Testosterone does not bias decision-making towards intuition. This study found testosterone reduced reflexive (model-free) decision-making, challenging the idea it lowers cognitive effort for intuitive choices.
Area of Science:
- Neuroendocrinology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Testosterone is linked to impulsive behavior, prompting research into its effects on decision-making.
- A key debate questions if testosterone favors intuitive choices by reducing cognitive effort.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate testosterone's impact on the balance between goal-directed (model-based) and reflexive (model-free) decision-making.
- To assess if testosterone administration influences cognitive effort allocation in decision processes.
Main Methods:
- Administered testosterone to 216 healthy men.
- Utilized a sequential decision-making task.
- Employed computational modeling to analyze decision strategies.
Main Results:
- Testosterone did not alter the weighting of model-based valuation in decision-making.
- Testosterone administration decreased the weighting of model-free valuation.
- Performance decreased on task trials not requiring stage-mapping memory.
Conclusions:
- Findings contradict the hypothesis that testosterone promotes intuitive decision-making by reducing cognitive effort.
- Testosterone appears to modulate, rather than simply reduce, cognitive effort in decision-making processes.
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