Sexual Arousal and Behavioral Aggression
Abstract
Investigated the effects of sexual arousal on behavioral aggression in 44 male and 47 female undergraduates. Half the Ss read erotic passages, whereas the other half read neutral passages. All Ss were then given the opportunity, as part of a bogus ESP task, to deliver electric shocks to an experimental confederate as punishment for incorrect responses. The gender of the aggressor (S), of the recipient of aggression (confederate), and of the E were also varied to yield a 2 * 2 * 2 * 2 design. Sexually aroused males and females delivered more intense shocks than nonaroused Ss regardless of the gender of the confederate or E. Results strongly suggest a link between sex and aggression, but the relative contribution of sexual arousal vs more general arousal mechanisms remains a question for future research. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)