Aggression in Humans
In contrast, aggressive behavior of humans may be more closely aligned to “defensive aggression” observed in rats (Table 3).
- Violent human behavior frequently is accompanied by a reactive or defensive attitude.
- Ex. Descriptions of the origins of homicide in the United States consistently emphasize that a great many are the result of a seemingly trivial argument, verbal insult, or jealousy...
In some studies, a significant relationship between aggressive responses and testosterone have been reported. What does this mean?
- It may be that human aggression does occur in multiple forms not yet realized--some types of aggressive responsees may be dependent on hormones while others are not.
- It is also possible that elevations in testosterone actually reflect the outcome of a given situation rather than cause the situation (positive outlook-->higher testosterone levels).
- It is also possible that elevations in testosterone stimulate “competitiveness” that secondarily is used for good (sports) versus bad (criminal behavior).