High-testosterone men
Posted on 04/25/2006 5:06:56 AM PDT by billorites
It seems that the more macho a man is — at least according to his hormones — the more the sight of an attractive woman will affect his judgement.
Researchers at the University of Leuven in Belgium asked men to play an ultimatum game, in which they split a certain amount of money between them. High-testosterone men drove the hardest bargain — unless they had previously viewed pictures of bikini-clad models, in which case they were more likely to accept a poorer deal.
The sight of flesh had less effect on the bargaining tactics of low-testosterone men.
The testosterone dose that interested the researchers was that encountered by their participants when developing in the womb. This can be measured by comparing the lengths of the index and ring fingers — a relatively long ring finger is a sign of a high-testosterone man.
For these men, even handling a bra was enough to sap their resolve, report economists Bram Van den Bergh and Siegfried Dewitte, who publish their findings in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B1. Pictures of landscapes or elderly women, or handling a t-shirt, had no effect on the men's steely bartering power.
Alluring ads
The discovery might help to explain advertisers' reliance on sexy women to hawk their products, the researchers speculate. "Commercials and advertisements are populated with beautiful and sexy women, but the consequences on cognitive processes of males had not been fully investigated," Van den Bergh says.
This is not the first study to show the effect of a well-turned ankle on male behaviour. For example, the sight of a beautiful woman makes men more likely to accept a small cash sum up front rather than a larger one later, perhaps so as to appear wealthy straight away (see 'Women addle men's maths').
But that doesn't explain why sultry sirens can sell anything from computers to carving knives. Perhaps men faced with an attractive woman just don't strive so hard for a good deal, Van den Bergh suggests.
Fight for fairness
In the game, one player, the proposer, was given 10 euros and had to offer a cut to the other, the responder, who had already secretly declared the minimum he would accept. If the offer is less than this minimum, both players get nothing.
As something is always better than nothing, one would expect the responder to set his sights low, leaving the proposer safe to make a paltry offer. But the responder's pride and an aggressive sense of fairness often leave both players out of pocket.
High-testosterone men fight hardest for a large cut, the researchers found. But the most testosterone-driven men were also the most likely to slacken their cash demands after viewing sexy women. Perhaps they relaxed and began to care less about money. Or perhaps, the researchers suggest, with a 'mate' to impress the men were driven to have some wealth, however modest.
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The sight of a potential mate might therefore actually make men more sensible, Van den Bergh says. "Since a few coins is better than no coins at all, men thus become more economically rational after exposure to lingerie or sexy women," he says.
High-testosterone men
[BTW You'll be a lot happier if you don't try to always understand the "mystery" of women.]
I call foul! It is not men that seek to understand women. Men gave up and work within the parameters of the unknown. Man invented the "shrug" to deal with the mysteries of women.
On the other hand, men are as simple creatures as there can be. My wife wants asked me while on a vacation drive, "What are you thinking?" I explained to here that I was wondering where you would find a replacement bumper for a '68 corvette and what it would cost. She asked me why I had to be a smart Xss. I was confused. Do not over complicate our thoughts, intentions, what we say or why we do what we do.
LOL
LOL!!!
none of those things sound so bad!
;-)
gotta run to work!!
see-- a good neanderthall wouldn't LET me work!
;-0
LOL!!!!
GREAT POINT!
I LOVE IT!
Well, duh.
And this is news????? Advertisers have known this for years.
No problem, LOL
Well, it is a sexy picture to me, too!
Any real man is more than willing to go toe-to-toe, but the mammaries are just too damn distracting, especially when they get shaken. They are just too hypnotic! Even the semi-nerdy knuckle draggers like me who try to keep in control of any situation can be mesmerized, much to the perpetual annoyance of my wife.
I love that. I had it on my fridge at home for weeks.
My wife is the greatest woman I know. I married up. That said, she gets very upset when I refuse to argue over emotional events. Case in point; She says, Your sister mentioned something that I interpreted to mean...yadda yadda yadda...." I say, "I don't think she meant that at all and you are likely over reacting and being insecure." Suddenly there is an argument. I retreat to to the, "...ok, alright, could be, sorry, your right,..." Then the poo pops the fan because to her I have apparently lost interest in the argument and just want it to be over.
EXACTLY! And what is wrong with that? I practically let her win and somehow I lose for losing. Who is it that is difficult to understand?
Great thread.
Perhaps you were drooling and that tipped her off that she should ask her very innocuous question in a very provocative way.
"I call foul! It is not men that seek to understand women. Men gave up and work within the parameters of the unknown. Man invented the "shrug" to deal with the mysteries of women."
You forgot the ever popular "Uh-hu", or "Yes Dear" responses for the one sided yakfest she is carrying on with you while you are lost in your own thoughts.
Hey Buddy, you're married and still have not learned that you can never win any argument? Even by losing you still lose. I just take my lumps and go merrily about my business doing what I want to anyway.
[You forgot the ever popular "Uh-hu", or "Yes Dear" responses for the one sided yakfest she is carrying on with you while you are lost in your own thoughts.]
LOL! Now I am in full laugh arrest. My assistant just walked in and wanted to know what was so funny.
I gotta get back to work. Or at least fake it better.
I eventually came to the conclusion that, as long as we were still going to have sex, I could live with perpetually losing arguments.
Oh Pleeeeeeeese what an one note simplied observation about a whole category of people!
Yes our very interesting and exciting world is an ever-changing landscape but the fact that you think that as born muti-taskers, we have limited control shows that you haven't been paying attention!
For example, There may be times we show to you, limited control but just as a sign that we would like (and need) some assistance
And yes, women and men DO NEED each other!
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