Is testosterone the cause of violence? If so, how?

Question

I'm curious about this, because feminists claim that men are 'inherently more violent' due to testosterone. But what is the science behind it?

And I've read just one article claiming that testosterone, when injected in women with low self-esteem or violent women, actually helped them get better.

Please verify which claim is true. Oh, and evidence counts. And please cite neutral studies and sources, not NOW or ifeminists. No blogs either, as blogs are viewpoints, not proof.

Answer 1

It's got nothing to do with feminists.  Look at what happened to Chris Benoit.  He was on a testosterone overload and he killed his wife, kids and himself in cold blood.  The high testosterone levels he put into his body were later discovered.

All men and women have both testosterone and estrogen.  Males typically have more testosterone in them than estrogen, where it is the opposite with women.  If certain women have testosterone put into them, it may alter her moods.  It may explain why more males are less likely to feel like crying than women over things when they get upset.  It's not a big deal in this aspect of it.  High levels of estrogen can also be dangerous in some people.

You asked how testosterone has caused violence in some people and I have given you an example.  It isn't my fault if you disagree or if you think there's more to it than what you saw.  I never said that ALL men are inherently more violent due to testosterone.  These things are always on an individual basis, regardless of the s*x.

Answer 2

I believe that arrogance is the cause of violence. I am muscular and I have a lot more testosterone than most woman-beaters, yet I don't beat women or pick fights with people in general. Violent people tend to have a sense of entitlement and they feel that it is acceptable to lash out destructively when they don't get their way. Someone with higher testosterone levels is just stronger and more fierce when they become violent or when they are defending themselves from a physical threat.

Answer 3

"feminists" don't claim this. SOME outdated radical and cultural feminists make this claim, with no science behind it. thats why they have fallen out of favour with virtually everyone in the academic community. check out any research from judith butler, cornel west, bell hooks, or any other academic feminist. they make no claims that violence is caused by testosterone.

Answer 4

i'd say its more in the environment- the upbringing with little regard to empathy of the female viewpoint

Answer 5

Actually no, cortisol is.

Answer 6

Testosterone has been characteristed as poison (literally) by some feminists, and the root of male agression by others. This is nothing more than pseudo science and sexist propaganda.

People who are citing evidence re animal studies are making the common error that animal research doesn't always translate to humans. This is certainly the case with testotosterone; according to a review by Archer (1991) in humans there is no consistent relationship between testosterone and aggression. This is supported by most other research.

Researchers like Dabbs have found that the main effect of T is a restless but positive energy for both men and women. However some research shows that if a woman has even a little bit over the normal level for women she will feel bad and perhaps aggressive, mainly because she will experience the physical effects of testosterone e.g. facial and body hair, and weight gain around the stomach.

Re hormones as propaganda: note that feminists don't have any problem when woman cites hormonal problems due to PMS (estrogen and progesterone) as mitigating circumstances for murder. In fact some are even saying that PMS is men's fault!!  This is crazy nonsense, and just shows you can't have a rational discussion with this type of feminists.

Sources:

Archer, J., 1991. The influence of testosterone on human aggression. British Journal of Psychology 82, pp. 1–28.

Dabbs: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob...

Men cause PMS (don't laugh!) http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/st...

Answer 7

neuter a violent dog and you have the proof

Answer 8

I've read a study that said black men were more violent than white men due to higher testosterone levels.  It's written somewhere, I may have read it on CNN.com

I don't know if they took into account most black men live in inner cities which are always high crime also.

Answer 9

Too much of any hormone can cause bad side effects, so it's not entirely out of the question.  Having said that, I see what you're saying.  Many feminists-and some others- seem to think that testosterone is the biggest cause of violence, and that is c**p.  They seized a fact about hormones and ran with it to make it seem like all men are inherently dangerous.

Answer 10

Wouldn't that be more of a traditional view?  To believe that men are ONE way and women are the other way?  That nature made the genders this way...and this is the only way it is.

Hormones are all about balance to much or ANY one with cause problems.  Men and women both naturally have testosterone.  Which is the hormone that controls s*x drive and aggression.  This doesnt mean that all men are violent.  

Feminism is against gender roles.

Answer 11

There IS science behind it testosterone from the testicles increases the size of the amygdala (the neural structure that generates fear and aggression), explaining why castrated male pets become less aggressive, after castration, since their amygdala decreases drastically in size.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1...

Answer 12

Well i just read a few different research writings on the subject of testosterone and fact it is found to be the opposite of what that claim you speak of say. I have heard this being said before by angry fems looking to point blame and what better to do so then to attack the male hormone. fact is it is not true and actually is in reverse to what they claim. the best site that had over all info that was all supported by other medical sites i look at is this here ......... read it all and you will see. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosteron...

also the reason why the testosterone helped those women get better is because it in-fact is part of what the hormone does. just read the link through and you will understand why.

here is one of those site as well just to support the first. http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detai...

if some folks cant seem to grasp this it is because they do not wish to educate them selves on the subject.

about steroids, the abuse of any synthetic compound can and most likely will have adverse effects for it is not natral and thus tips the scale of what natrul levels should be of a hormone in the body. you must also consider the compounds used and the fact that what you are doing is putting a synthetic drug into your system. if some one does this out of the care of a doctor they are crazzy.