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Hormonal, anthropometrical, and behavioral correlates of physical aggression in !Kung San men of Namibia
Author(s) -
Christiansen Kerrin,
Winkler EikeMeinrad
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
aggressive behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.223
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1098-2337
pISSN - 0096-140X
DOI - 10.1002/1098-2337(1992)18:4<271::aid-ab2480180403>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - aggression , poison control , psychology , injury prevention , suicide prevention , medicine , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , medical emergency
Differences in physical aggression among 114 male !Kung San (bushmen) from Namibia were investigated with regard to sex hormone levels, body dimensions, consumption of alcohol, and degree of acculturation. Subjects were classified from injuries resulting from prior conflicts with mutual physical aggression between the opponents as either violent or nonviolent. The comparison of mean sex hormone values (total serum testosterone, T ser ; serum 5α‐dihydrotestosterone, DHT; serum estradiol 17β, E 2 ; “free,” non‐SHBG‐bound salivary testosterone, T sal ) and hormone ratios (T sal /T ser ; DHT/T ser ) did not yield any significant differences between the violent and nonviolent group. However, correlation coefficients of sex hormone levels with the frequency of violent behavior within the group of physically aggressive San men were significantly positive for DHT, T sal , and T sal /T ser ( P < .05) while T ser , E 2 , and DHT/T ser showed only weak positive correlations. Moreover, the violent men exhibit higher mean values in certain measures of physical robustness which may point to a possible pathway of indirect androgen action on human aggression. When the probands were classified according to their drinking habits, usually abstinent men had shown significantly less violent behavior in the past than men who habitually consume alcohol.