Abstract
We used a new interdisciplinary paradigm of social network analysis (SNA) to investigate associations between hormones and social network structures. We examine these biobehavioral processes and test hypotheses about how hormones are associated with social network structures using exponential random graph modeling (ERGM) in a cohort of first-year students (n= 74; 93% fema≤ M age. = 27. years) from a highly competitive, accelerated nursing program. Participants completed friendship nominations and as a group simultaneously donated saliva (later assayed for cortisol and testosterone). ERGM analyses revealed that salivary cortisol levels were inversely associated with the number of outgoing ties (i.e., network activity). By contrast, testosterone was not related to friendship network structure. Integration of SNA and salivary bioscience creates a novel approach to understanding hormone-behavior relationships within the context of human social ecologies.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 534-544 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Hormones and Behavior |
Volume | 66 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2014 |
Keywords
- Exponential random graph modeling
- Salivary cortisol
- Salivary testosterone
- Social network analysis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology
- Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
- Behavioral Neuroscience