AN INVESTIGATION OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ALCOHOL-RELATED AGGRESSION

Objective: The majority of the research on alcohol-related aggression has been conducted on men. This bias has persisted despite mounting ev idence indicating gender differences in aggression. As such, the purpo se of this study was to investigate gender differences in alcohol-rela ted aggression. Method: Subjects were 64 men and 64 women who competed against either male or female fictitious opponents on a modified vers ion of the Taylor aggression paradigm in which electric shocks were re ceived from and administered to a fictitious opponent during a competi tive task. Aggression was operationalized as the intensity and duratio n of the shocks selected by the subjects. Subjects were assigned to ei ther an alcohol, a placebo or a sober group. Results: Alcohol increase d both shock intensity and duration in men; however, it only increased shock duration in women. Men behaved more aggressively toward men, wh ereas women displayed equal levels of aggression toward both genders. Alcohol expectancies did not appear to have an effect on aggressive be havior for either gender. Conclusions: The findings of this investigat ion indicate that alcohol differentially affects aggressive responding in men and women. It is suggested that men are likely to express alco hol-related aggression in direct (shock intensity) and indirect (shock duration) forms, whereas women are most likely to use indirect forms (shock duration).