‘Pretty women make men reckless’
Washington: If you think that young men take more risks around attractive women just to impress them, think again, for a new study has claimed that the presence of beautiful females elevates male’s testosterone hormone levels.
To examine the links between physical risk-taking in young men and the presence of attractive women, researchers conducted a field experiment with young male skateboarders.
To examine the links between physical risk-taking in young men and the presence of attractive women, researchers conducted a field experiment with young male skateboarders.
The study found the skateboarders took more risks at the skate park when they were observed by an attractive female experimenter than when they were observed by a male subject. And, this increased risk-taking led to more successes but also more crash landings in front of the female observer.
The researchers measured testosterone from subjects’ saliva and found that the skateboarders’ increased risk-taking was caused by elevated testosterone levels brought about by the presence of the attractive females.
According to them, the findings suggest evolutionary basis for male risk-taking.
“Historically, men have competed with each other for access to fertile women and the winners of those competitions are the ones who pass on their genes to future generations.
Risk-taking would have been inherent in such a competitive mating strategy.
“Our results suggest that displays of physical risk-taking might best be understood as hormonally fuelled advertisements of health and vigour aimed at potential mates, and signals of strength, fitness, and daring intended to intimidate potential rivals,” lead researcher of the study, Prof. Bill von Hippel of University of Queensland said.
   —PTI
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