Scientists have questioned the myth that testosterone pushes people to take risks

Researchers believe that risk-taking behaviour cannot be explained by a single hormone. It is influenced by the situation, personal experience, social environment, emotions, upbringing and the specific type of risk.

Details

Testosterone is often referred to as the "risk hormone" and is associated with aggression, courage, impulsiveness and willingness to take dangerous decisions. It's especially often attributed to differences between men and women: men have higher levels of testosterone on average and are actually more likely to choose risk in some situations.

But a new study questions the simple "more testosterone, more risk" pattern.

The authors conducted a meta-analysis of 52 studies involving a total of 17,340 men. In these studies, testosterone was measured in a variety of ways: through blood, saliva, administration of the hormone, as well as indirect measures such as finger length ratio, which is sometimes used as a marker of prenatal hormone exposure.

Risk-taking propensity was also assessed using different methods: through gambling tasks, lottery games, behavioural tests and personality questionnaires.

In the end, the researchers found no consistent link between testosterone and risk-taking behaviour. A small effect only appeared in certain types of tasks, such as lottery games, but the overall picture did not support the idea that the hormone directly determines a person's willingness to take risks.

Why it matters

The work shows that popular explanations of human behaviour through a single biological factor are often too simple.

Taking risks is not the same in all situations. Taking a risk with money, going too fast, starting a new business, entering a conflict or making a dangerous political decision are different types of behaviour. They may depend on different motivations and contexts.

The research is also important for talking about gender stereotypes. If men are more likely to take risks in certain situations, this cannot automatically be explained by testosterone alone. Behaviour can be influenced by societal expectations, upbringing, norms of masculinity, experience, social pressure and specific environments.

That said, the conclusion does not mean that testosterone does not influence behaviour at all. It is precisely about the fact that a major analysis has not confirmed its role as a reliable and universal explanation for risk-taking propensity.

Background

Testosterone is the main male sex hormone, but women have it too. It is involved in the development of the sexual system, maintenance of muscle mass, bone density, energy levels and other physiological processes.

Interest in the relationship between testosterone and risk has arisen because the hormone is indeed linked to a number of biological and behavioural processes. However, the evidence from different studies has long been contradictory, with some papers finding a link to risk-taking, others not, and some giving opposite results.

A new meta-analysis has tried to piece this picture together. Its main conclusion: risky behaviour is better viewed through a biopsychosocial model, where biology is only one part of a more complex system.

Source

The study by Irene Sánchez Rodríguez et al No relationship between testosterone and risk aversion: A meta-analytic review published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews in 2026. The authors analysed 52 studies involving 17,340 participants and found no reliable association between testosterone levels and risk aversion.