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This can be explained by placebo. If you expect to feel more impressive and manly in a porche, then your body will react accordingly. It's not the car, it's the
by pmichaud 17y ago
This can be explained by placebo. If you expect to feel more impressive and manly in a porche, then your body will react accordingly. It's not the car, it's the idea of the car, which is mostly marketing.
- zck 17y agoExactly. >I always had a sneaking suspicion that the "manly" feeling that comes from driving a sports car was nonsense promoted by car companies. But I guess it may have some truth. Correlation != causation. If feeling manly makes testosterone go up, and you think a sports car should make you feel manly, then your testosterone will go up in a sports car. But that can only be from the ads, not from the car at all.
- Retric 17y agoWhile I agree Correlation != causation a better example might be, driving an expensive car was novel and novel experiences increase T levels. In other words you might have increased T levels when on the test drive, but little response if you actually owned the car.
- codexon 17y agoPerhaps someone can do a better study by having isolated tribes free of advertisement exposure to have a try.
- drinian 17y agoI wouldn't call it "placebo;" more like "social status." Which makes me wonder what studies on males of varying social status would indicate about long-term testosterone levels.
- adatta02 17y agowell a Porsche might be a poor example because its an easily recognized symbol. what about two men entering a trendy club and one is dressed in an off the shelf suit and a $20 watch while the other is wearing a suit that costs as much as some people's monthly paychecks and a watch to fit. Will the second man project more confidence and therefor be more successful?
- ryanwaggoner 17y agoYes.
- deleted 17y ago[deleted]
- ephermata 17y agoIn that case, a confounding factor is that the people in the club may be able to tell the difference between the outfits. So it isn't just the second man's confidence, it's that the people there know he's willing to blow a lot of money on looks. That may conceivably affect their reactions regardless of the man's confidence.
- WilliamLP 17y agoOf course it's placebo, that's the point. What else could it be, some substance in the car? The point is that self-perception can influence brain chemistry and hormone production.
- dejb 17y agoI could be the sound/vibration of the engine, the increased power/acceleration, the handling, the interior. I'm not sure all of these would classify as placebo in the traditional sense. But I'd agree it's mostly the pure placebo of knowing it's an expensive car.
- CamperBob 17y agoWhat else could it be, some substance in the car? Well, maybe, and that needs to be ruled out. Plasticizer vapors, such as those present in newer cars, have been said to mimic human hormones before.
- 10ren 17y agoMaybe responsiveness; quick acceleration; "Road feel"; admiring looks from nubile women; defeated looks from men; knowing that you have more power available than you need; etc.
- utku_karatas2 17y agoFWIW, weight lifting could provide all except road feel.
- 10ren 17y agoBe the porche. And it's free. I've noticed that porche drivers are mostly older people (presumably because, statistically, they can afford it). To be picky: it also doesn't provide responsiveness (i.e. agility), but in isolation tends to muscle boundness. Easy to address with other exercise of course.
- pbhjpbhj 17y agoSlam your foot down in the Camry, what happens? Slam your foot down in the Porsche and you're doing 150mph before you know it ... isn't the perceived danger also a large (non-placebo) factor?
- sp332 17y agoWhat's interesting is the discovery that the placebo effect can actually affect testosterone levels!
- waterlesscloud 17y agoI wonder if you'd get the same effect with powerful used cars that cost much less. I tend to think you would.