Monday, October 26, 2009
Election night 2008: testosterone level of male McCain voters dropped
Stanton et al. collected saliva samples from 183 study participants before and after the results of the 2008 presidential election were announced. The results show that male Barack Obama voters (winners) had stable post-outcome testosterone levels, whereas testosterone levels dropped in male John McCain and Robert Barr (Libertarian candidate) voters (losers). There were no significant effects in female voters. These results were consistent with earlier studies showing testosterone decreases in male supporters of an athletic team after it loses a game.
I've actually noticed this happen to myself myself on an election night - or at least noticed a drop in some kind of internal sensation of something that I now expect was testosterone level. It leaves you feeling mildly "castrated."
ReplyDeleteNo wonder some can't forgive Obama, with some people who aren't given to reality checking even wanting to invalidate the experience by denying his Americanness. Anything to get the mojo back!
Quite interesting. Reposted in my blog, with a backlink.
ReplyDeletehttp://copperkettle78.livejournal.com/83308.html