Testosterone ‘can stop men from questioning their decisions’

High levels of testosterone can make it less likely that men will question their own impulses and instincts.

This is according to a new study from the California Institute of Technology, which aimed to test the hypothesis that higher levels of testosterone increase the tendency in men to rely on intuitive judgments, while reducing their capacity for cognitive reflection.

It was found that men given doses of testosterone performed worse on a test designed to measure cognitive reflection than those given a placebo, meaning they are less able to question whether their gut reactions make sense.

The group that received testosterone answered 20 percent fewer questions correctly on average, as well as being shown to give incorrect answers more quickly, and correct them more slowly, than the placebo group.

Colin Camerer, a professor of behavioural economics at Caltech, said: "We think it works through confidence enhancement. If you're more confident, you'll feel like you're right and will not have enough self-doubt to correct mistakes."

The scientists believe the results raise questions about the potential negative effects of the growing testosterone-replacement therapy industry, aimed at reversing declining sex drive in middle-aged men.

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