Aggression and Androgens in Women
Aggression leaves no species untouched, occurs across the sexes and has occurred throughout the ages. The word aggression is so widely used now that the real meaning has been lost somewhere over the years. So what is aggression? Aggression is, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, '(1) an unprovoked attack, the first attack in a quarrel; an assault, an inroad. (2) The practice of setting upon anyone; the making of an attack or assault.' Many studies have looked at aggression within males and the relationship between testosterone levels and male aggression, but until relatively recently, no studies has looked at female aggression and the relationship between androgens and females. Does this mean that women are less aggressive?
Women tend to direct their aggression in different ways than men. Unprovoked aggression is quite uncommon in females whereas provoked aggression is usually when someone retaliates to a previous attack, sometimes rape. Women's aggression is more likely to be relational aggression. This is where a female pretends not to know someone or they become friends with someone to gain revenge on someone else or they exclude someone from their group or they try to disrupt other people's friendships. This can be observed from pre-school right through to adulthood. Young girls are constantly changing their best friends or 'falling out' with one of their classmates. This aggression seems to be part of a female's behaviour as nearly every female can honestly say that they have taken part or been the victim of this kind of aggression. But, there are some women who take part in physical aggression. Could this be down to raised levels of androgens within their bodies?
Androgens are basically masculizing hormones. For example, testosterone, 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone and cortisol, to name but a few. Androgens occur within the female body naturally, but there are about a tenth less than in the male body. Testosterone is produced in the body through some bodily processes, both in men and in women. Women produce testosterone in the adrenal gland but should only produce about one tenth of what a male produces. Testosterone has an androgenic effect on the body. Testosterone increases during the menstrual cycle and it is at this point that the androgens are at the highest level within the female body. Around 70% of women claim to have committed their crimes while experiencing PMS. I, like others, feel that this may only be a claim as to give an excuse for what they have done. Most people know that PMS is related to irritability, but it is also linked with aggression and hostility. Is this because testosterone is at greater levels within the body during this time of the month? Or does this just free women up to become deviates? Some investigation into this area have shown that injections of testosterone into female animals, cause more masculine behaviour, which includes an increase in aggressive behaviour. Berenbam and Synder (1995) supported this further by showing that girls with adrenal gland tumours (these result in increased testosterone levels) show boyish behaviours. These behaviours include rough play and toy fighting.
Aggression leaves no species untouched, occurs across the sexes and has occurred throughout the ages. The word aggression is so widely used now that the real meaning has been lost somewhere over the years. So what is aggression? Aggression is, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, '(1) an unprovoked attack, the first attack in a quarrel; an assault, an inroad. (2) The practice of setting upon anyone; the making of an attack or assault.' Many studies have looked at aggression within males and the relationship between testosterone levels and male aggression, but until relatively recently, no studies has looked at female aggression and the relationship between androgens and females. Does this mean that women are less aggressive?
Women tend to direct their aggression in different ways than men. Unprovoked aggression is quite uncommon in females whereas provoked aggression is usually when someone retaliates to a previous attack, sometimes rape. Women's aggression is more likely to be relational aggression. This is where a female pretends not to know someone or they become friends with someone to gain revenge on someone else or they exclude someone from their group or they try to disrupt other people's friendships. This can be observed from pre-school right through to adulthood. Young girls are constantly changing their best friends or 'falling out' with one of their classmates. This aggression seems to be part of a female's behaviour as nearly every female can honestly say that they have taken part or been the victim of this kind of aggression. But, there are some women who take part in physical aggression. Could this be down to raised levels of androgens within their bodies?
Androgens are basically masculizing hormones. For example, testosterone, 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone and cortisol, to name but a few. Androgens occur within the female body naturally, but there are about a tenth less than in the male body. Testosterone is produced in the body through some bodily processes, both in men and in women. Women produce testosterone in the adrenal gland but should only produce about one tenth of what a male produces. Testosterone has an androgenic effect on the body. Testosterone increases during the menstrual cycle and it is at this point that the androgens are at the highest level within the female body. Around 70% of women claim to have committed their crimes while experiencing PMS. I, like others, feel that this may only be a claim as to give an excuse for what they have done. Most people know that PMS is related to irritability, but it is also linked with aggression and hostility. Is this because testosterone is at greater levels within the body during this time of the month? Or does this just free women up to become deviates? Some investigation into this area have shown that injections of testosterone into female animals, cause more masculine behaviour, which includes an increase in aggressive behaviour. Berenbam and Synder (1995) supported this further by showing that girls with adrenal gland tumours (these result in increased testosterone levels) show boyish behaviours. These behaviours include rough play and toy fighting.
