Dual-Hormone Changes Are Related to Bargaining Performance

Mehta, Pranjal H.; Mor, Shira; Yap, Andy J.; Prasad, Smrithi

doi:10.1177/0956797615572905

Cited by 47 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(52 reference statements)

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“…This finding is consistent with the dual-hormone hypothesis: Groups collectively high in testosterone may have a heightened status drive, but this status drive results in optimal decision-making only when coupled with low cortisol, a potential indicator of reduced stress and attenuated behavioral inhibition. Indeed, recent evidence suggests that increased testosterone combined with reduced cortisol may elevate an individual's status by promoting rational decision-making focused on maximizing financial profits (35). Our findings extend this research to the group level and suggest that groups with a propensity for status attainment, but without inhibition, engage in profit-maximizing decision-making strategies.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 72%

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Collective hormonal profiles predict group performance

Akinola

Page‐Gould

Mehta

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Prior research has shown that an individual's hormonal profile can influence the individual's social standing within a group. We introduce a different construct-a collective hormonal profilewhich describes a group's hormonal make-up. We test whether a group's collective hormonal profile is related to its performance. Analysis of 370 individuals randomly assigned to work in 74 groups of three to six individuals revealed that group-level concentrations of testosterone and cortisol interact to predict a group's standing across groups. Groups with a collective hormonal profile characterized by high testosterone and low cortisol exhibited the highest performance. These collective hormonal level results remained reliable when controlling for personality traits and group-level variability in hormones. These findings support the hypothesis that groups with a biological propensity toward status pursuit (high testosterone) coupled with reduced stress-axis activity (low cortisol) engage in profit-maximizing decision-making. The current work extends the dual-hormone hypothesis to the collective level and provides a neurobiological perspective on the factors that determine who rises to the top across, not just within, social hierarchies.umans have always worked collaboratively in small groups to accomplish goals. In modern organizations, group work is increasing because of the growing competitive and technological demands placed on organizations and the belief that a greater variety of perspectives and approaches will lead to more innovative solutions (1-3). As a result, decades of research have focused on understanding the factors that can enhance group performance and allow some groups to outperform others. Not surprisingly, groups with structures, processes, and norms that facilitate collaboration and coordination tend to perform well (4, 5). Additionally, group composition can influence performance; groups composed of members that vary in diversity, skills, and intelligence outperform others when the appropriate structures, processes, and norms are in place (3,(6)(7)(8)(9)(10).Past research on the effects of group composition on performance has focused primarily on the demographic and psychological characteristics of group members without taking into consideration the biological make-up of groups. This omission is particularly surprising because there is evidence that hormonal profiles can influence performance among individuals within a group. Indeed, past research has found that a hormonal profile characterized by high testosterone and low cortisol predicts an individual's performance and status attainment (11). Just as individuals have a hormonal profile that affects their individual performance and social status, we suggest that groups likewise can be characterized by a particular hormonal profile-their collective hormonal profile-which will influence group performance. We define a collective hormonal profile as the hormonal make-up of a group of individuals. Here, we test the hypothesis that groups with a collective...

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 72%

“…There is evidence that the combination of elevated testosterone and reduced cortisol produces greater social rapport in interdependent decisionmaking tasks (35). This past finding suggests that groups in the present study with a collective hormonal profile of high testosterone and low cortisol may have experienced greater intragroup cohesion.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 48%

Collective hormonal profiles predict group performance

Akinola

Page‐Gould

Mehta

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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show abstract

“…Testosterone was of particular interest for leadership as this hormone is linked to numerous social outcomes that are related to leadership, including dominance (e.g., Sellers, Mehl, & Josephs, 2007), entrepreneurship (White, Thornhill, & Hampson, 2006), risk-taking (Sapienza, Zingales, & Maestripieri, 2009), and negotiation performance (Mehta, Mor, & Yap, 2015). In terms of its direct effect on leadership, it was found that testosterone is associated with leaders' dominance when the leader also has a high level of cortisol (Mehta & Josephs, 2010), and that the relationship between power and corruption can be dependent on testosterone (especially when the leader has a great deal of power) .…”

Section: Endocrinology and Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual differences as antecedents of leader behavior: Towards an understanding of multi-level outcomes

Tunçdoğan

Acar

Stam

2017

The Leadership Quarterly

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“…Research to date has tested the dual-hormone hypothesis primarily with 'trait' hormone parameters (basal hormone profiles), but two recent studies show that 'state' testosterone and cortisol changes interactively track bargaining outcomes [27 ]. Additional studies should test the dual-hormone hypothesis with measures of dynamic hormone fluctuations.…”

Section: Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%