论文标题：Single-dose testosterone administration increases men’s preference for status goods

期刊：Nature Communications

作者：G. Nave, A. Nadler, D. Dubois, D. Zava, C. Camerer & H. Plassmann

发表时间：2018/07/03

数字识别码：10.1038/s41467-018-04923-0

原文链接：https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04923-0?utm_source=Other_website&utm_medium=Website_links&utm_content=RenLi-Nature-NATCOMMS-Sociology-China&utm_campaign=NATCOMMS_USG_JRCN_RL_testosterone_sciencenet_article_2nd_July

近期《自然-通讯》发表的一项研究Single-dose testosterone administration increases men’s preference for status goods表明，面对两种质量相仿但地位象征不同的品牌，注射睾酮会增加男性对地位象征高的品牌的偏好。

美国宾夕法尼亚大学沃顿商学院的Gideon Nave及其同事的研究灵感来自这样一个事实：许多雄性动物在繁殖季的睾酮水平会上升。该激素似乎会驱动雄性动物进行显眼的状态展示，如鸟类“唱歌”求偶，公鹿长出茸角。

图1：对产品相同但地位象征不同的品牌的偏好测试任务。

Nave et al.

作者推测睾酮可能也会促进人类进行地位展示，因此招募了243名男性志愿者（年龄在18-55岁之间），并给其中一半的人注射凝胶形式的睾酮，而给另一半的人注射无效的安慰剂凝胶。之后，研究人员在被试面前成对展示品牌产品（如牛仔裤）——质量相仿但地位象征不同，并要求被试选出他们更偏好的一种品牌。

结果表明，注射了睾酮的男性更有可能偏好地位象征高的品牌。当相关产品附带广告性文本，宣传其具有提升地位的功能时，这种睾酮效应尤其明显。

作者指出，未来的研究方向应该是在其他群体中再现以上发现。

摘要：In modern human cultures where social hierarchies are ubiquitous, people typically signal their hierarchical position through consumption of positional goods—goods that convey one’s social position, such as luxury products. Building on animal research and early correlational human studies linking the sex steroid hormone testosterone with hierarchical social interactions, we investigate the influence of testosterone on men’s preferences for positional goods. Using a placebo-controlled experiment (N = 243) to measure individuals’ desire for status brands and products, we find that administering testosterone increases men’s preference for status brands, compared to brands of similar perceived quality but lower perceived status. Furthermore, testosterone increases positive attitudes toward positional goods when they are described as status-enhancing, but not when they are described as power-enhancing or high in quality. Our results provide novel causal evidence for the biological roots of men’s preferences for status, bridging decades of animal behavioral studies with contemporary consumer research.

阅读论文全文请访问：https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04923-0?utm_source=Other_website&utm_medium=Website_links&utm_content=RenLi-Nature-NATCOMMS-Sociology-China&utm_campaign=NATCOMMS_USG_JRCN_RL_testosterone_sciencenet_article_2nd_July

（来源：科学网）