Imagine you’re walking down the street with your kid and some guy comes barreling out of a store in a rage and dropping F-bombs loud and clear. What do you do, avoid the “bundle of joy” or confront him about making a scene in front of your son? If you don’t want to confront him, you’re not alone. What you may not know is that avoiding angry people may be caused by your owtack of testosterone.
Researchers at Radboud University in the Netherlands recently conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled study involving testosterone-driven reactions to both happy and angry faces. (Source) The study involved 54 participants who received a randomized administration of either 0.5 mg dosage of testosterone or a placebo four hours prior to testing. Participants underwent fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) scans while the study controls showed them photos of happy and angry faces. The fMRI results showed a boost in amygdala activity in participants with testosterone treatment.
Karin Roelofs, Professor of Experimental Psychopathology at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and the Behavioural Science Institute at Radboud University explained,
“Previous research has shown that higher testosterone levels lead to an intensified amygdala reaction in the presence of angry faces. It seems that testosterone facilitates social approach by specifically activating the amygdalae only if social approach is desired… We are the first to demonstrate that the impact of testosterone on amygdala response depends on the motivational context.” (Source)
The presence of testosterone naturally increases amygdala activity, the innate “fight or flight” feeling we experience during potentially threatening situations. Of course, neither avoiding conflict or confronting angry people make you more or less of a man. Many people with higher testosterone levels still avoid angry people for a variety of good reasons. What they do benefit from is the courage and motivation to confront angry people for the right reasons at the right time.
If you’re concerned about having low testosterone, Mantality is here for you. Our team created a FREE eBook available here for instant download to help you learn more about our various testosterone treatment methods. This is a great conversation starter for you and your doctor or one of our board-certified staff physicians. Download your FREE eBook right now and schedule your next appointment at Mantality.