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Why Are Males Are More Aggressive Than Females

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Why Are Males Are More Aggressive Than Females
Why Are Males More Aggressive Than Females?
All societies behave in a different way towards two sexes and distinguish two genders. Through innumerable indications, we are taught that men and women are different. In everyday life, it is commonly assumed that men are more aggressive than women. Statistics indicate that males are more likely than females to commit such crimes as murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault which are the result of feeling aggressive. In addition men describe themselves as being aggressive to a greater extent than do women and show greater potential for acting aggressively. All of these assumptions lead us to a certain question: Why are human males more aggressive than females? Actually, there are two significant factors which determine this distinctiveness, these are, biological and environmental factors. Both of them are strong evidences. However, the question is which of them has more influence on aggression that the other one.
Research in the past on aggression was performed under the hypothesis was that women rarely display aggression; therefore, aggressive behavior was viewed as a male phenomenon. Recent research has challenged the gender bias in the existence of aggressive behaviors and has broadened the definition of aggression. According to this definition, aggression is any behavior that is intended to inflict harm (physical and /or psychological) on another human (Geen, 11). As we see, in this definition, aggression is applied to all humans without separating women from men.
There are several explanations for aggressive behaviors of males and females. Biologists argue that testosterone, the male androgen, is the key factor of aggression in males. Some psychologists blame the ways parents behave towards their children in a double standard about the acceptability of aggression. Other theorists identify male and female adult roles: the tendency for men's participation in competitive sports, the military, and the cut- throat



Cited: 1- Archer, J. (1994). Male Violence. Canada: London and New York. 2- Bartek, M. (1999). Neural Masculization and Feminization. Retrieved January 7, 2002, from Bryn Mawr College Library Online database. 3- Campbell, A. (1993). Men, Women, and Aggression. New York: HarperCollins. 4- Geen, G.R. (1990). Human Aggression. Great Britain: Milton Keynes. 5- Murphy, L. (2000). Gender Differencs in Aggression within Adolescent Peer Groups. Retrieved July, 29, 2002, from Expanded Academic ASAP database. 6- Perry, J. A. (2000). An Introduction to Social Science. The United States: Allyn & Bacon. 7 Turner, K.A. (1994). Genetic and Hormonal Influences on Male Violence. In J. Archer (Ed.), Male Violence. (pp.233-257). Canada: London and New York. 8 Weiler, J. (1996). An Overview of Research on Girls and Violence. Retrieved February 15, 2002.

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