aggression

14 Stories

Louisiana, You're No. 1 (But You May Not Like Why)

State earns the dubious honor of having the most aggressive drivers, per ConsumerAffairs

(Newser) - "What the heck is making Montana drivers so unnecessarily angry?" That's the question posed by Jalopnik after viewing ConsumerAffairs' latest ranking of states where drivers are, shall we say, a little hot behind the wheel. Montana comes in third on that list, which ConsumerAffairs culled by looking at...

Study Upends Our Thinking on Bonobos


Study Upends
Our Thinking
on Bonobos
new study
Apr 15, 2024 11:20 AM CDT

Study Upends Our Thinking on Bonobos

They're not as peaceful as we thought, say researchers

(Newser) - Bonobos have long been thought of as "hippie chimps" in conservation circles because of their supposedly peaceful nature, notes the New York Times . A comprehensive new study, however, appears to have ended that.
  • The stats: Researchers found that male bonobos were nearly three times as likely as chimpanzees to
...

Scent of Tears May Make Men Less Aggressive
Scent of Tears
May Make Men
Less Aggressive
NEW STUDY
Dec 31, 2023 9:01 AM CST

Scent of Tears May Make Men Less Aggressive

Study suggests this 'chemosignaling' may be a tool that developed in babies

(Newser) - We all know tears have a tendency to produce empathy, but scientists now believe an evolutionary element is at play: their scent calms us down. Smithsonian Magazine writes that a study in Plos Biology specifically observing male aggression found that an odorless scent in teardrops collected from women prompted the...

Study: Kids Copy Superheroes' Aggression, Not Altruism

They may find it tricky to disentangle aggressive vs. helpful behaviors

(Newser) - A new study finds that children who are "highly engaged" with superheroes were more likely to be aggressive a year later. Researchers twice evaluated 240 preschoolers and kindergartners at four sites across the western US, analyzing their levels of three types of aggression at both points: physical (hitting, kicking),...

Aggressive? Your Walk Gives It Away
Aggressive? Your
Walk Gives It Away
study says
Sep 18, 2016 7:04 AM CDT

Aggressive? Your Walk Gives It Away

'Personality is indeed manifest in the way we walk'

(Newser) - The word swagger doesn't just describe the biomechanics of a person's gait. Its very definition is often linked to confidence and aggression, suggesting that one's mood or even personality can be revealed in how they walk. Now, research in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior suggests that certain...

Kids With Step-Siblings More Apt to Be Aggressive
Kids With Step-Siblings
More Apt to Be Aggressive
NEW STUDY
Feb 10, 2016 8:01 AM CST

Kids With Step-Siblings More Apt to Be Aggressive

New research establishes a link, but questions remain over why

(Newser) - Kids with step- or half-siblings are more likely to behave aggressively than those who don't have this added complexity in their family structure, researchers at the University of Michigan report in the journal Demography . They studied about 6,500 children and their families from across the country in the...

Dreams of Murder Reveal Your True Nature
 Dreams of 
 Murder Reveal 
 Your True Nature 
STUDY SAYS
Nov 30, 2014 6:07 AM CST

Dreams of Murder Reveal Your True Nature

People who kill in dreams are more hostile, introverted: contested study

(Newser) - If you dream of wringing someone's neck to the point of murder, researchers say you're more likely to be aggressive, hostile, and introverted while awake. Experts at Germany's Central Institute of Mental Health studied 443 university students' character traits as well as their dreams based on questionnaires....

Scientists to Study Adam Lanza's DNA

Investigation prompts controversy among experts

(Newser) - Following a request by a Connecticut medical examiner, geneticists appear poised to investigate Adam Lanza's DNA. Outside experts say the University of Connecticut scientists—who have agreed to "give any assistance they can"—will probably search for genetic mutations or abnormalities that might prompt mental illness or...

Spanking Makes Kids Aggressive

Docs recommend time-outs rather than corporal punishment

(Newser) - Spanking an unruly child may make a parent feel better in the moment, but the effects on the spank-ee are negative and long-lasting, new research shows. Tulane University scientists looked at 2,500 3-year-olds, waited 2 years, and controlled for other factors that might have influenced their behavior. "The...

Gas Fumes May Pump Up Road Rage

Study finds link to increased aggression in rats

(Newser) - If filling the gas tank fills you with rage, it might be the fumes you're breathing, not the prices you're paying. A new study shows rats exposed to gasoline fumes became more aggressive, with repeated exposure altering their brain structures—a finding that could also apply to humans and road...

Swearing Cuts Pain, Dammit
 Swearing Cuts Pain, Dammit 
Jul 12, 2009 12:05 PM CDT

Swearing Cuts Pain, Dammit

Scientists suggest link to fight-or-flight response

(Newser) - Stubbed your toe? Let loose a torrent of profanity and you may actually feel better, a study suggests. Scientists had subjects stick their hands in ice water for as long as they could, once while cursing and again using only G-rated language. The researchers discovered that cursing subjects could keep...

Castration Drug Claims Rile Autism Community

Experts blast flimsy science, lack of testing

(Newser) - A drug used to chemically castrate sex offenders is being touted as a "miracle" autism treatment, but many leading doctors say the use of the chemical is medically indefensible, the Chicago Tribune reports. Lupron blocks testosterone, and users embrace the unsupported theory that autism emerges from a link between...

Mean Trainers Make Mean Dogs

(Newser) - Dog owners who try to tame their pets by acting aggressive themselves will only make matters worse, LiveScience reports. A new study in Applied Animal Behavior Science presents sobering news for advocates of tough love. Those who hit, kick, growl at, or confront their dogs in similar ways are more...

Bullies May Enjoy Inflicting Pain

Brain scans show agressors feel reward watching others suffer

(Newser) - Bullies appear to enjoy seeing other people in pain, Reuters reports. Researchers in Chicago took brain scans of two sample groups of teens while showing them videos of one person hurting another. When showed violence, one group of teens, who were diagnosed with aggressive-conduct disorder and had recently attacked schoolmates,...

14 Stories