Sex Differences in Aggression: Nature vs. Nurture

Flashcards based on key concepts from the lecture on sex differences in aggression, focusing on the roles of biological and cultural factors.

Cross-cultural consistency

The pattern where men commit the vast majority of homicides in virtually every country, suggesting it is not solely due to local cultural norms.

Limitations of social role theories

Theories suggesting men's higher aggression is due to evolved physical differences, which may not fully account for varying aggression gaps across different cultures.

Early onset of sex differences

The phenomenon where sex differences in physical aggression appear early in life, even before children internalize gender expectations.

Young male syndrome

The idea that male aggression increases markedly at puberty and then declines over the lifespan, paralleling testosterone levels.

Cross-species parallels

The observation that many nonhuman animal species exhibit similar sex differences in lethal aggression, suggesting an evolutionary explanation.

Role of culture is nonzero but not sufficient

The acknowledgment that while social forces influence aggression, attributing all sex differences to culture can lead to inappropriate solutions.

Implications for violence reduction

Understanding the mix of biological and cultural causes is essential for designing effective interventions for violence.

Balance view (nature + nurture)

An orientation that suggests both biological and social influences are important in understanding aggression, but may underemphasize the power of social forces.

Biological explanations

These explanations do not imply determinism, but rather suggest probabilities and predispositions regarding behavior.

Complexity of social influences

The challenges in disentangling the effects of social and cultural factors, which can amplify or suppress baseline aggressive tendencies.