Testosterone and the work of firefighters: Fighting fires and delivering medical care

The present study related personality and testosterone to the work of fighting fires and providing emergency medical service (EMS). One hundred ninety-five urban male firefighters completed questionnaires and provided saliva samples for testosterone assay and experts rated their firefighting and EMS performance. Preference for firefighting over EMS work was predicted by the characteristics of fearlessness, low communion, low openness, and low agreeableness. Firefighting performance was predicted by agency, fearlessness, extraversion, and low openness, and EMS performance was predicted by extraversion. Firefighting was also related to interactions of testosterone with extraversion and agency, and EMS performance was related to an interaction of testosterone with conscientiousness. Testosterone appears to facilitate the behavior of individuals along directions they are already inclined to take.