DIFFERENCES IN CORTISOL FOLLOWING COOPERATIVE AND COMPETITIVE WORK-RELATED TASKS WITH SAME-SEX VERSUS OPPOSITE-SEX PARTNERS

Abstract Previous research indicates that circulating concentrations of cortisol increase during interactions with opposite-sex others in the presence of mating cues. However, it remains unknown whether this phenomenon extends to work-related tasks in which explicit mating cues are absent. In a series of two studies, we assessed women’s and men’s salivary cortisol concentrations before and after completing cooperative brainstorming (Study 1) and competitive negotiation (Study 2) tasks wherein they worked with same- or opposite-sex partners. Both studies revealed significant participant sex by partner sex interactions. Specifically, male participants demonstrated significantly larger increases in salivary cortisol concentrations when working alongside opposite-sex as opposed to same-sex partners on a cooperative task. In contrast, female participants demonstrated significantly larger increases in salivary cortisol concentrations when working with opposite-sex as opposed to same-sex partners on a competitive task. Opposite-sex teams also produced fewer novel ideas relative to same-sex teams on the cooperative brainstorming task; however, differences in cortisol did not account for this effect. Our research extends previous research demonstrating elevated cortisol during opposite-sex interactions in the presence of explicit mating cues to a work-related context that is divorced from mating cues.