Hormonal Mechanism in Aggression
Hormonal Mechanism in Aggression
Testosterone: Castration Animal Study: Animal research: Biologically Reductionist:
• male sex hormone – androgen : linked to Glammanco et al • Review of studies confirms the • The idea that aggressive
aggression Removing tested reduced role of T. behaviour is entirely due to
• When women were injected with T their aggression in male • In male rhesus macaque biological makeup is BR.
heart rate increased when they looked at species. Giving injections monkeys there's an increase in • While this focus may lead to
pictures of angry men – Honk et al of T to those same animals T+ aggressive beh during effective biological
• At 20 T levels are higher – Daly + Wilson restores aggressive mating season. interventions to reduce
behaviour • In rats castration of males aggression (e.g. T reduction
reduces testosterone and S increase).
Human Prison Studies: mouse killing beh. • Its unlikely to be the full
Positive correlation between T levels and aggressive behaviours in a sample • Injecting female rats with T explanation for aggressive
of 60 male offenders . But these men mostly had personality disorders and increases mouse killing. This behaviour .
violent past shows the role of T across a • Biology may be the emotion
range of species trigger, but if the person act
Progesterone: Dual hormone hypothesis: those emotions or not depe
• Vary during ovulation – Mixed evidence of link between T and on other social psychologica
lowest during/after aggression. Researchers claim that high factor such as SLT
menstruation levels of testosterone only lead to
• Ziomkiewicz et al: negative aggressive behaviour when the levels
correlation between of cortisol are low . When cortisol level
progesterone levels and self is high the Testosterones influence on
reported aggression aggression is blocked. Therefore it’s
• Suggests: low levels of p = the combined effect of cortisol and
Increased aggression testosterone that causes aggression
rather than just the hormone T alone.
Hormonal Mechanism in Aggression
Testosterone: Castration Animal Study: Animal research: Biologically Reductionist:
• male sex hormone – androgen : linked to Glammanco et al • Review of studies confirms the • The idea that aggressive
aggression Removing tested reduced role of T. behaviour is entirely due to
• When women were injected with T their aggression in male • In male rhesus macaque biological makeup is BR.
heart rate increased when they looked at species. Giving injections monkeys there's an increase in • While this focus may lead to
pictures of angry men – Honk et al of T to those same animals T+ aggressive beh during effective biological
• At 20 T levels are higher – Daly + Wilson restores aggressive mating season. interventions to reduce
behaviour • In rats castration of males aggression (e.g. T reduction
reduces testosterone and S increase).
Human Prison Studies: mouse killing beh. • Its unlikely to be the full
Positive correlation between T levels and aggressive behaviours in a sample • Injecting female rats with T explanation for aggressive
of 60 male offenders . But these men mostly had personality disorders and increases mouse killing. This behaviour .
violent past shows the role of T across a • Biology may be the emotion
range of species trigger, but if the person act
Progesterone: Dual hormone hypothesis: those emotions or not depe
• Vary during ovulation – Mixed evidence of link between T and on other social psychologica
lowest during/after aggression. Researchers claim that high factor such as SLT
menstruation levels of testosterone only lead to
• Ziomkiewicz et al: negative aggressive behaviour when the levels
correlation between of cortisol are low . When cortisol level
progesterone levels and self is high the Testosterones influence on
reported aggression aggression is blocked. Therefore it’s
• Suggests: low levels of p = the combined effect of cortisol and
Increased aggression testosterone that causes aggression
rather than just the hormone T alone.
