Are men naturally more aggressive/angry than women?

[juanita88]

Domestic violence seems to be predominantly carried out by men. Forums are filled with women unhappy with their partner who has a temper yet I rarely see the same said about women. I often hear people say it is the way men have been raised and whilst I'm sure there are elements of that, I do wonder if actually it is mainly down to the way they are wired?

I am in no way condoning this kind of behaviour at all, just interested in others views on this

Define ' naturally'. Society and culture has a huge role to play in feeding male entitlement, which is at least as big a factor as 'aggression'

Coercive control and emotional abuse are more common than physical abuse but may involve little overt aggression, after all.

Definitely, due to more testosterone I guess (although maybe not quite that simple).

Testosterone.

Socialisation and testosterone

Most violent crime is statistically committed by men. Not just domestic violence.

I don't think it's naturally... I think they're egotistical maniacs who think they're needs are more important than women and can't stand be less 'powerful'

Testosterone stimulates aggression, socialisation makes it ok to express.

A lot of men are too embarrassed to admit that their wives hit them

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/4276191-i-slapped-my-dp

I also see a number of posts here about abusive mothers who hit posters as children

@Twickytwo

A lot of men are too embarrassed to admit that their wives hit them

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/4276191-i-slapped-my-dp

I also see a number of posts here about abusive mothers who hit posters as children

The question is not whether men are more aggressive than women - the fact they commit more violent acts shows that. The question is whether or not they are NATURALLY like that. I can't answer that question any better than @chickenyhead has.

Men evolved as hunters and protectors. Women evolved to raise and take care of the young. So it's natural that men are prone to be more aggressive (on average) than women. That's how humans came to thrive - the man killing animals to get food and fighting off rivals to prevent their wife and children being killed or becoming slaves.

Women can be wonderful abusers too. It's just that, on average, men are stronger than women (the argument used to perpetuate the gender divisions in sport) and therefore most men would be able to defend themselves against most women, whilst most men are also able to overpower most women if they are so inclined.

In my experience women are more prone to become angry and aggressive, but less prone than men for the argument to spill over into violence.

Things are certainly evening up though. Men are become less aggressive and women becoming more so (the increasing problem of girl gangs for example). This, in my view, is because of a combination of the fact we are no longer split into hunters/child-raisers and because of the concerted effort to raise the power of women and decrease the power of men that has impregnated all areas of society over the past few decades.

@Twickytwo

You just had to get the old 'but, but women do it too' in there, didn't ya? When DV perps are, overwhelmingly, men. Deal with it.

Testosterone does play a role, but socialisation and societies expectations play a big part too.

I also think female on male violence is something that's rarely talked about as many men are embarrassed to say they're being hit or abused by their wives and partners.

There was a BBC3 programme about a man who was abused by his partner and she nearly killed him.

Someone once wrote here on MN that if you squeeze any emption enough, it becomes anger. And that explains a lot

No. They're more entitled due to our culture and societal expectations (or lack thereof) and their aggression is the manifestation of that entitlement to the ownership of women, and their attempt to retain women under their control.

And the evopsych bs about cave men also predictably rears its ugly and evidentially unsupported head too. SIGH.

Cross culturally men are more violent - that is pretty much fact

Aggression comes in many different guises though - and women can be equally aggressive - you'll know that from the aggressive bitching that women often partake in. Passive aggressive often, but with the same intentions.

Men are socialised to think that they shouldnt show/have emotions and that women are week and overly emotional, but that anger isnt an emotion, if you only have one outlet for your emotions then its too easy to slip into it without realising

Also testosterone, generations of behavioural patterns, evolution etc, but I do think quite a lot is to do with socialisation and not being given enough room to safely have other emotions

I'm simplifying here but it's generally
Basal testosterone-natural test levels, and
Reactive Testosterone- natural test response

It's possible to have high T basal levels but not high T reactive levels, or both, or neither. Guys have more T than women and when you then couple that with a high reactive T level you can get real anger issues in some men at a far higher level of likelihood than you would with females.

When you add in environmental stressors, etc, drugs, alcohol, and so on it can have a further amplifying effect.