Anyone reading contemporary Seduction literature would undoubtedly come to the conclusion that there is only one way to find a lover; and that is to become the most dominant person on the planet.

This is clearly nonsense, but enough people seem to believe that because this is vaguely similar to how monkey mating systems operate, it must be completely true for human beings, and no correspondence will be entered into…

But, can one become more dominant? And is there any truth in the fake-it-till-you-make-it theories of modern self-styled Seductionists?

Interestingly, back in 1982, UCLA neuroscientist Michael McGuire and his colleagues carried out some research on relative position in local primate groups, and showed that status appears to affect, and be affected by, concentrations of the neurotransmitter Serotonin (a chemical which regulates moods and behaviour).¹ As an example, in one of their studies, involving nineteen groups of adult Vervet monkeys, McGuire and his team found that concentrations of Serotonin metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid samples taken from the dominant member in each group were approximately 50 percent higher than the corresponding concentrations in samples taken from subordinate animals.

Is this difference the effect or the cause of high status?

To investigate this question McGuire and his team removed the initially dominant animal from each group and placed him in an isolation cage. Shortly thereafter, a new individual established dominance within each group; and after roughly 72 hours had elapsed, Serotonin concentrations in the newly dominant animal were found to have risen to the levels seen in the formerly dominant animal. At the same time, the Serotonin concentrations in the formerly dominant animal fell to the level associated with subordinate status. Then, once the initially dominant animal was returned to the group, he reasserted dominance; and Serotonin concentrations in both the originally dominant animal and interim-dominant animals responded accordingly.¹ These patterns suggest that changes in rank cause changes in serotonin levels.

In a subsequent study, Michael Raleigh and his collaborators found that higher Serotonin concentrations also appear to facilitate the acquisition of higher status.² Their experiment involved administration of a drug that boosted available Serotonin concentrations in the brain. Animals treated with this drug were more likely to ascend in the social hierarchy than others treated with a placebo.

The Serotonin-status relationship is less clearly understood in humans than in non-human primates. But there are indications that the patterns found in the primate studies are apparently also present in at least some human groups. McGuire and his colleagues, for example, have found elevated Serotonin levels in the leaders of college fraternities and athletic teams. In another study, Douglas Madsen found that the status-Serotonin relationship is positive for some groups of male college students.³

Like Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and other neurotransmitters, Serotonin affects mood and behaviour in a variety of ways. It is especially important for transmitting impulses between nerve cells in the limbic (prefrontal) structures of the brain. Then (within limits), having elevated Serotonin concentrations is associated with enhanced feelings of wellbeing, while Serotonin deficiencies are associated with a variety of affective disorders, including irritability, sleep disorders, mania, and depression.⁴ More recent work suggests that Serotonin deficiencies are also strongly linked with impulsive aggression and suicide attempts.⁵ The drug Prozac, widely prescribed for depression and other mood disorders, is a Serotonin uptake inhibitor, which means that it increases the effective concentrations of Serotonin in the brain.

In males, concentrations of the sex hormone Testosterone appear to have a relationship with status similar to the one seen for Serotonin. Reductions in status thus tend to be followed by reductions in plasma testosterone levels, whereas these levels tend to raise following increases in status.⁶ A player who wins a tennis match decisively, for example, experiences a post-match elevation in plasma Testosterone, and his vanquished opponent experiences a post-match reduction.

References:

1. McGuire, M., M. Raleigh & G. Brammer, ‘Sociopharmacology‘, Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology (1982), 22: 643-61
2. Raleigh, M., G. Brammer, E. Ritvo & E. Geller, ‘Effects of Chronic Fenfluramine on Blood Serotonin, Cerebrospinal fluid Metabolites, and Behavior in Monkeys‘, Psychopharmacology (1986), 90: 503-508
3. Madsen, D., ‘Serotonin and Social Rank Among Human Males‘, The Neurotransmitter Revolution: Serotonin, Social Behavior, and the Law (Southern Illinois University Press: 1994)
4. Coppen, A., ‘Role of Serotonin in Affective Disorders‘, Serotonin and Behaviour (Academic Press: 1973)
5. Coccaro, E.F., ‘The Biology of Aggression‘, Scientific American, January-February (1995), 38-47
6. Elias, M., ‘Serum Cortisol, Testosterone, and Testosterone-Binding Globulin Responses to Competitive Fighting in Human Males‘, Aggressive Behavior 7 (1981) 3:215-224; Mazur, A., T. Lamb, ‘Testosterone, Status, and Mood in Human Males‘, Hormones and Behavior (1980), 14: 236-246; Mazur, A., ‘Physiology, Dominance, and Aggression in Humans‘, Prevention and Control of Aggression, (Pergamon General Psychology: 1983)

Posted by Jonathan in Biochemistry, Sociology