Yesterday, in How Birds Are Like Humans, I wrote this about testosterone levels in males, both avian and human -
Too high means too much risky behavior, which leads to health-endangering fights and predation, etc. Too little means poorer territory (which includes poorer access to food and less desirable/safe nesting sites) as well as poorer reproductive success.
This morning I encountered this article: Research shows personality can predict fertility. And this finding -
In the study of men, individuals with above average levels of extraversion, prone to be sociable and outgoing, had 14% more children than men with below average extraversion.
I suspected that testosterone and extraversion may be associated. And so I entered the two terms into a Google Scholar search, just out of curiosity. And yes, as many studies suggest, there does seem to be a link. Makes sense. Males that more ease-ily venture into novel social situations will encounter more females and show greater confidence in talking to them. In making the sale to mate.
But just because something makes sense doesn’t mean it is fully true, of course. Until I see good evidence supporting the links I make, I tend to refrain from putting full confidence in an idea. At least I try to.
Leave a Reply