How Does Testosterone Equal Aggression

Many studies have shown that there is a positive correlation between high level of testosterone and being more aggressive. It’s generally accepted that higher level of testosterone causes aggression. However, in the article “Testosterone Rules” by Robert Sapolsky , the author argues that testosterone does not equal aggression. Genetics cannot determine when who will do what. There have been many studies in animals, when testosterone is removed from an animal’s body, and loses its aggressive behavior. When the animal is injected with testosterone the aggressive behavior returns. This shows that testosterone is directly related to aggression. The aggression can be controlled despite the high levels of testosterone, this point is supported by the following to studies explained by Sapolsky.
According to Sapolsky, testosterone does directly cause aggressive behavior because not all men with high testosterone levels show
aggressive behavior. Sapolsky describes an experiment conducted by using monkeys as subjects. Monkeys have social structures that they all have to follow. Rank 1 monkeys are considered alpha monkeys, and the rank 5 is lowest rank in social structure. Each individual monkey is aware of its hierarcha/social status. Whenever a new community is formed, they adjust their behavior according to their new status. Higher rank monkeys are aggressive toward lower rank monkey. According to the experiment, when the number 3 monkeys are injected with testosterone, they show an increased aggression toward the 4th and 5th rank monkeys, because they are lower than them in rank. However, the injected rank 3 monkeys still respect rank 2 and 1 monkeys. This shows behavior is partly learned and, it can be controlled to some degree.
Another experiment show also that aggressive behavior is controlled by the environmental changes.
Hyenas female show aggression and domination than male hyenas. Female hyenas have higher level of testosterone than male hyenas. It was previously assumed that high level of testosterone causes female hyenas’ aggressive behavior. Laurence Frank, a zoologist changed Hyenas natural habitat. He brought hyenas from Kenya to University of California at Berkeley. After this change in habitat, hyenas adjusted their aggression and dominance. There was significant delay in the exhibition of their aggressively dominant behavior because the environment was new. It took more time than normal to stablish their aggressive behavior. So overall, this experiment shows that aggressive is not only dependent on testosterone level, it can be adjusted due to the environmental changes. Testosterone has important part in determining social behavior; however, testosterone is not everything. Social behaviors such as aggression have many variables to take into
consideration.
I totally agree with the findings and the interpretation of the experiments by Sapolsky. I believe that testosterone is an important hormone in forming aggressive behavior; however, there are many other factors that can determine the levels and expression of the aggressive behavior. One of such factors can be accepting the authority to survive in a community. In case of monkey’s experiment, they monkeys knew and had learned that they have to respect the rank 1 and 2 monkeys in any case, because their survival and safety probably is dependent to the higher rank monkeys. This shows that we can adjust our behavior even though the levels of hormones predict something else.