Gender moderates the relationship between testosterone and marital interaction.

Full Abstract

Higher testosterone levels are related to assertiveness and dominance. Given the relevance of those behavioral correlates to spouses' daily transactions, links between testosterone levels and marital interaction were explored among 92 newlywed couples. Marital problem-solving and social support transactions were assessed, and saliva was collected and assayed for testosterone. Whether marital behavior was related to husbands' and wives' testosterone levels was examined. The link between spouses' testosterone and their behavior was contingent on the partner's testosterone levels. Husbands exhibited more adaptive problem-solving behaviors and social support provision when husbands and wives were concordant for lower testosterone levels. In contrast, wives exhibited more adaptive support provision when spouses had discordant testosterone levels such that wives had higher levels and husbands had lower levels.

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Author information

Author/s: Cohan, Catherine L (CL); Booth, Alan (A); Granger, Douglas A (DA);

Affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, 110 Henderson Building South, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16801, USA. CLC18@psu.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43) (J Fam Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Mar; vol 17 (issue 1) : pp 29-40

Dates: Created 2003/04/01; Completed 2003/06/06; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12666461, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Male
Marriage - psychology
Problem Solving - physiology
Saliva - metabolism
Social Support
Testosterone - metabolism

Associated Chemicals: Testosterone (58-22-0)

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