Hormonal: testosterone and aggression

• In which gender is aggression more evident according to observations?

  Males
• What hormone is primarily implicated in aggression?

  Testosterone
• What is the main hormone that determines the development of male or female embryos?

  Testosterone
• How do testosterone levels relate to aggressive behavior in men?

  Higher testosterone levels are linked to more aggression
• What evidence supports the testosterone explanation for aggression?

  • Dabbs et al's study measured salivary testosterone
  • Violent criminals had higher testosterone levels
  • Non-violent criminals had lower testosterone levels
• What is a limitation of generalizing Dabbs et al's findings on testosterone and aggression?

  Results may not apply to non-offenders
• What is a weakness of the testosterone explanation regarding cause and effect?

  Data is usually correlational, not causal
• What could be a method to establish cause and effect in testosterone research?

  Manipulate testosterone levels in a sample
• What correlation was found in Dabbs et al's study?

  Positive correlation between testosterone and violence
• Why can't we infer cause and effect from correlational data in aggression studies?

  Higher aggression may increase testosterone levels