Citation

Johnsen TS, Zuk M. Horm. Behav. 1995; 29(4): 593-598.

Affiliation

Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside 92521, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1006/hbeh.1995.1288

PMID

8748516

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between aggression, plasma testosterone level (T), and change in T in captive male red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus). T measured on day 1 of our experiment was positively correlated with T on day 8, suggesting that T remains constant in males when the social environment is stable. During aggressive encounters that escalated to include physical combat, males that attacked first (won) had increased T relative to their opponent. Males did not differ in T measured 1 week before the aggressive encounter. Our data suggest that an increase in T during aggression is associated with winning in escalated fights.

Language: en