Individual differences affect hormonal responses to a team-based violent videogame competition, but not in solitary play

Abstract

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on March 7, 2011).The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file.Dissertation advisor: David C. GearyVita.Ph. D. University of Missouri--Columbia 2010.[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Testosterone and cortisol were assessed along with various personality measures in response to a violent videogame competition in three different conditions. Hormonal responses varied with individual differences in social phobia, extroversion/introversion, and in-group orientation. Moreover, the stimuli to which cortisol responded differed between social and nonsocial contexts. Otherwise, testosterone responses appeared to require an audience, without which status appears to be irrelevant.Includes bibliographical references