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Developmental stability and human violence
B Furlow1, S W Gangestad, T Armijo-Prewitt
1Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131, USA.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|February 21, 1998
Summary
Developmental stability, measured by fluctuating asymmetry, relates to aggression in males. Higher asymmetry correlated with fewer fights and less escalation to violence in men, suggesting a link between developmental precision and aggressive behavior.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Behavioral Genetics
Background:
- Developmental stability, the precise translation of genotypes into phenotypes under stress, influences phenotypic variation.
- Its role in human aggression and violence ontogeny remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between developmental stability (fluctuating asymmetry) and aggression in college students.
- To explore the psychometric factors underlying aggressive tendencies and their correlation with developmental stability and intelligence.
Main Methods:
- Measured body fluctuating asymmetry in 229 college students (139 female, 90 male).
- Administered questionnaires on aggression and fighting history.
- Utilized principal components analysis for psychometric factors and correlated with asymmetry, fighting history, and IQ.
Main Results:
- Among males, fluctuating asymmetry negatively correlated with fight history and propensity for physical violence.
- Two factors emerged: 'aggressive negative affect' (verbal aggression) and 'self-assessed fighting ability' (physical violence).
- Self-assessed fighting ability correlated with fight history in both sexes; aggressive negative affect did not. IQ positively correlated with aggressive negative affect in both sexes.
Conclusions:
- Developmental stability may influence male-specific aggressive behavior and violence propensity.
- Aggressive tendencies are multifaceted, with distinct factors relating differently to behavioral outcomes and intelligence.