Sex differences in aggression

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingChapterScientificpeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This chapter examines mainly same-sex aggression in adolescent peer groups and in sexual competition between adult women. Reviews from the 1980s were more cautious, and while they agreed that males were physically more aggressive than females, they saw sex differences in aggression to be a question of quality rather than quantity. The chapter suggests that research to date had an overemphasis on physical aggression, while other forms, most notably indirect aggression, which might be a more typical form of female aggression, had been overlooked. K. Bjorkqvist, K. Osterman, and A. Kaukiainen suggested that physical, verbal, and indirect aggression could be conceived of not only as three different strategies of aggression, but also as three different stages in human development, partly following, partly overlapping each other. The theory about the development of aggressive strategies suggests a correlation between indirect aggression and social intelligence. A link between testosterone and aggression is well established among subhuman species.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Routledge International Handbook of Human Aggression
Subtitle of host publicationCurrent Issues and Perspectives
EditorsJane L. Ireland, Philip Birch, Carol A. Ireland
Place of PublicationNew York
PublisherRoutledge
Pages19-30
Number of pages11
ISBN (Electronic)9781315618777
ISBN (Print)9781138668188
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018
MoE publication typeA3 Part of a book or another research book

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