Preliminary evidence that androgen signaling is correlated with men's everyday language

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jennifer Streiffer Mascaro, Emory University; Kelly E. Rentscher, University of Arizona; Patrick D. Hackett, Emory University; Adriana Lori, Emory University; Alana Darcher, Emory University; James K Rilling, Emory University; Matthias R. Mehl, University of Arizona
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-07-01
• Publisher: Wiley: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.23136
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: American Journal of Human Biology
• ISSN: 1042-0533
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 4
• Start Page: e23136
• End Page: e23136
• Grant/Funding Information: This facility is supported by the Yerkes National Primate Research Center Base Grant 2P51RR000165-51.; This work was supported by a Positive Neuroscience Award from the John Templeton Foundation and by NIH grant R21HD078778.; Blood draws were provided by the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s Clinical Research Network, supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number UL1TR000454.
• Keywords: RECEPTOR GENE; Science & Technology; SALIVARY TESTOSTERONE; Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics; Anthropology; SEXUAL FUNCTION; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; HUMAN-AGGRESSION; EXOGENOUS TESTOSTERONE; CAG REPEAT LENGTH; NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION; ACTIVATED RECORDER EAR; CHALLENGE HYPOTHESIS; Biology; ORBITOFRONTAL CORTEX
• Research Categories: Biology, General; Psychology, General; Language, General

Abstract

Objectives: Testosterone (T) has an integral, albeit complex, relationship with social behavior, especially in the domains of aggression and competition. However, examining this relationship in humans is challenging given the often covert and subtle nature of human aggression and status-seeking. The present study aimed to investigate whether T levels and genetic polymorphisms in the AR gene are associated with social behavior assessed via natural language use. Methods: We used unobtrusive, behavioral, real-world ambulatory assessments of men in partnered heterosexual relationships to examine the relationship between plasma T levels, variation in the androgen receptor (AR) gene, and spontaneous, everyday language in three interpersonal contexts: with romantic partners, with co-workers, and with their children. Results: Men's T levels were positively correlated with their use of achievement words with their children, and the number of AR CAG trinucleotide repeats was inversely correlated with their use of anger and reward words with their children. T levels were positively correlated with sexual language and with use of swear words in the presence of their partner, but not in the presence of co-workers or children. Conclusions: Together, these results suggest that T may influence social behavior by increasing the frequency of words related to aggression, sexuality, and status, and that it may alter the quality of interactions with an intimate partner by amplifying emotions via swearing.