Manly may also mean honest

The results, reported in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE, showed that those men with boosted testosterone lied less.

The results, reported in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE, showed that those men with boosted testosterone lied less.

Published Nov 12, 2012

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London - Testosterone is often associated with aggression and antisocial behaviour.

But it seems high levels of the male hormone, which boosts libido and builds muscle, may make men less likely to lie and cheat.

In a study, scientists boosted the testosterone levels of 46 men by smearing their skin with a gel containing the hormone. Another 45 were treated with a placebo.

Both groups were then asked to take part in a behavioural study which involved playing a simple game of dice in an isolated booth. The higher the scores they entered into a computer, the more money they received as a reward.

Neuroscientist Professor Bernd Weber, from the University of Bonn, said: “These experiments were designed such that the test subjects were able to lie.

“Due to the separate booths, nobody knew whether they were entering their real scores into the computer, or higher ones in order to get more money.”

However, the German scientists were later able to determine if any of the volunteers had been cheating.

The results, reported in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE, showed that those men with boosted testosterone lied less. The researchers said the hormone was likely to increase a man’s sense of pride and the need to develop a positive self-image. - Daily Mail

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