High Testosterone Men Wear Red

What is it about the color red that appeals to men with high testosterone counts? Or, what is it about the color blue that doesn’t? A news release from the Association for Psychological Science reports that researchers at the University of Sunderland recruited 73 men, who were told only that they would be competing against each other and that their performances would be placed on a leaderboard. The men, whose testosterone levels were checked with saliva tests, were given the option of wearing either a red or blue symbol to represent them in the table and completed the competitive tasks. They also answered questionnaires about personal reasons may have affected their color choice. The researchers found that men who chose red had higher baseline testosterone levels, and they rated their color as having higher levels of characteristics such as dominance and aggression, than men who chose blue. And no, as is routinely demonstrated by the Red Sox, color choice does not influence performance.