Wanna lie less? Do this more!
What if I told you that testosterone, the very hormone often blamed for aggression, might actually make men more honest?
Not “honest” because they’re worried about looking good for others, but honest because they’re acting from their values.
That’s not just my opinion! Several well-designed studies have tested it. And the results are fascinating.
I recently read a post from a mentor that stopped me in my tracks. His name is Nico Misleh, and I respect his ways of practicing medicine and his teaching style immensely.
He wrote about a 2012 research study, saying:
“Testosterone seemed to strip away the social pressure to ‘perform goodness’ for the crowd.”
And he continued:
“They weren’t swayed by the idea of looking nice — only by what they actually valued.”
Then came the mic drop:
Nico pointed out a conclusion from a 2023 study:
“Our results are, furthermore, in line with studies showing that testosterone decreases deception.”
Naturally, I followed him straight down the research rabbit hole.
I found another remarkable paper. A 2018 study that replicated the 2012 findings Nico was referencing.
This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. (Neither the researchers nor the 242 college-aged male participants knew who received testosterone and who got placebo.)
Each participant was placed in a private cubicle. No one could see them, not even the researchers. They were each given:
A six-sided die
A pen
A slip of paper
They were instructed by computer to roll the die and report the result on the paper and into the computer. Their payment was equal to the number they reported, so higher numbers meant more money.
Here’s what they found:
“In a large randomized trial (N = 242), men given testosterone reported significantly lower average die-rolls (3.94 vs. 4.21), and a combined analysis with a prior study showed a meaningful decrease in dishonesty (effect size d = –0.27, p < .05), suggesting testosterone may enhance honesty via mechanisms like status and pride.”
It’s worth noting that no one was “caught” lying. They were not watched, remember? Dishonesty was detected by comparing the group’s reported rolls to what would be expected by chance.
A few big studies found something interesting. When men got testosterone, they lied less. In a simple game where fibbing could win them more money, the testosterone group stayed more honest. Researchers think it’s because testosterone can boost pride and status. So these college-aged guys wanted to “win” by telling the truth.
Moral of the story?
Testosterone might do more than help muscles and libido! It may even make men (and women too, I bet) straighter shooters.
References:
P.S. Please share my email. Hit forward and maybe the person you share it with will click HERE and join the email list too!
