Changes in testosterone, cortisol, and vocal display during virval courtship in young adult men

Abstrakt

Previous authors argue that there is still a missing link between research designs aiming to test the purely competitive (involving a rival) and courtship (those which could possibly mean benefit of gaining a mate) situations in relation to free testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) levels. We designed this study to meet this criterion and also test situational changes in vocal displays (mean fundamental frequency (F0), intensity) of young men in courtship-related competitive situations, by employing an experimental within-subject design.

In particular, we aimed to test changes in T and C levels in win and loss situations, and the possible link between these and changes in vocal parameters, to control for link to change in behavioral displays.