AQA A Level Psychology
Gender - role of testosterone
Paper reference - 7182/3
Notes
● Testosterone is an androgen, mainly produced in the testes and ovaries.
● Men produce up to 8 times as much testosterone than women.
● It is linked to an increased sex drive, devlopment of gonads and secondary sexual
characteristics (e.g facial hair).
● Psychological characteristic include:
○ Increased aggression
○ Masculinisation of the brain e.g development of brain areas linked to spatial
skills and competitiveness.
● Key study - WAGNER (1980):
○ Castrated male rats
○ Found that aggressive behaviours in the rats decreased
○ When injected with testosterone to artificially increase levels, aggression
levels in the rats increased back to normal.
Gender - role of testosterone
Paper reference - 7182/3
Notes
● Testosterone is an androgen, mainly produced in the testes and ovaries.
● Men produce up to 8 times as much testosterone than women.
● It is linked to an increased sex drive, devlopment of gonads and secondary sexual
characteristics (e.g facial hair).
● Psychological characteristic include:
○ Increased aggression
○ Masculinisation of the brain e.g development of brain areas linked to spatial
skills and competitiveness.
● Key study - WAGNER (1980):
○ Castrated male rats
○ Found that aggressive behaviours in the rats decreased
○ When injected with testosterone to artificially increase levels, aggression
levels in the rats increased back to normal.
