She spoke with Rena Large of the NEA Health Information Network on male aggression. Males in our country are about nine times as homicidal as females. Male aggression cannot be entirely explained sociologically. In most animal species, males are more aggressive.
Androgens affect brain structure and function.
Female mice placed in utero between two males are more aggressive than other females, ostensibly because of greater exposure in utero to male hormones. But most boys and most men are not violent. Unfortunately, mental illness and neurological impairment in boys and men are more likely to be manifested in aggressive behaviors. So many boys who are aggressive but have potentially treatable disorders are dismissed as simply conduct disordered or incarcerated rather than diagnosed and treated properly. Conduct disorder is often a lazy diagnosis.