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The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
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Testosterone and Aggression in a Simulated Crisis Game

Rose McDermott

University of California, Santa Barbara

Dominic Johnson

University of Edinburgh, UK

Jonathan Cowden

University of California, Santa Barbara

Stephen Rosen

Olin Institute for Strategic Studies at Harvard University

This study investigated the impact of testosterone on aggression in a crisis simulation game. We found a significant positive relationship between levels of testosterone and aggression. Men were much more likely to engage in aggressive action than women. They were more likely to lose their fights as well. Since testosterone was around five times higher among men, and men engage in such fights more than women, there is an automatic statistical link between testosterone and aggression that is hard to separate from other possible gender-based causes.

Key Words: testosterone • experiment • aggression • crisis • gender differences

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The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 614, No. 1, 15-33 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0002716207305268
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