What Drives Women to Kill? Emotion & Threat, Not Psychopathy

Summary: Women who commit lethal violence rarely display psychopathy, instead acting out of provocation and perceived threats. A 15-year Swedish study of 175 cases found that about half of the…

Toxoplasma Parasite Influences Personality and Aggression

Summary: New research highlights how parasitic infections can alter brain chemistry and behavior in humans. Toxoplasma gondii, among others, appears to manipulate dopamine and immune responses, increasing risk-taking, impulsivity, and…

Familiar Faces and Fights: What Monkeys Like to Watch Most

Summary: A new study reveals that long-tailed macaques, like humans, are most captivated by videos featuring social conflict and familiar group members. Researchers showed the macaques videos of monkeys engaged…

Choose Your Battles: Identity Shapes Displaced Aggression

Summary: Displaced aggression—redirecting frustration onto an uninvolved target—has now been studied in mice, revealing that identity and social history play key roles in shaping aggressive behavior. Male mice primed by…

How Oxytocin Tames “Mean Girl” Behavior

Summary: A new study finds that in some lemur species, evolving gender equality is linked to changes in the brain’s oxytocin system. Researchers compared seven closely related species, finding that…

How Alcohol Increases Pain Tolerance, and Aggression

Summary: Alcohol not only raises pain tolerance but also amplifies aggression, according to a new study. Researchers found that participants who drank alcohol had higher pain thresholds and were more…

Family History of Mental Illness Increases Aggression Risk in CTE

Summary: A new study reveals that individuals with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and a family history of mental illness have a heightened risk of aggression during adulthood, particularly between ages…

Prenatal Cannabis Use Linked to Child Aggression and Cognitive Deficits

Summary: New research shows that prenatal exposure to cannabis can negatively impact children’s thinking and behavioral skills, including impulse control, attention, and aggression, which are key for academic and social…

Adolescent Boys Show Aggression When Masculinity is Threatened

Summary: A new study reveals that adolescent boys respond aggressively to perceived threats to their masculinity, particularly in environments with rigid gender norms. Researchers found that boys whose motivation to…

Sexual Rejection Increases Aggression and Stress in Male Fruit Flies

Summary: A new study reveals how fruit flies respond to the stress of repeated mating failures. Researchers observed that male fruit flies facing repeated sexual rejection showed increased activity, aggression,…