A further examination of gender differences in alcohol-related aggression

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to replicate and extend findings from a previous study on the acute effects of alcohol on aggressive behavior in men and women in a laboratory setting. Method: Subjects were 234 (111 men and 123 women) healthy social drinkers between 21 and 35 years-of age. They were randomly assigned to either an alcohol or a placebo group. Aggression was measured using a modified version of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm, in which electric shocks are received from and administered to a fictitious opponent during a supposed competitive interpersonal task. Aggression was operationalized as the intensity and duration of shocks that subjects administered to their "opponent." Results: Provocation was a stronger elicitor of aggression than either gender or alcohol. Overall, alcohol increased aggression for men but not for women. Conclusions: In conjunction with other laboratory investigations on alcohol-related aggression, this study suggests that alcohol increases aggression for men but not for women. This finding may be due to gender-related differences in liability thresholds for aggression as well as discrepancies in how men and women respond to different forms of provocation.