Sweetened blood cools hot tempers: physiological self-control and aggression.
Author | |
---|---|
Abstract | :
Aggressive and violent behaviors are restrained by self-control. Self-control consumes a lot of glucose in the brain, suggesting that low glucose and poor glucose metabolism are linked to aggression and violence. Four studies tested this hypothesis. Study 1 found that participants who consumed a glucose beverage behaved less aggressively than did participants who consumed a placebo beverage. Study 2 found an indirect relationship between diabetes (a disorder marked by low glucose levels and poor glucose metabolism) and aggressiveness through low self-control. Study 3 found that states with high diabetes rates also had high violent crime rates. Study 4 found that countries with high rates of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (a metabolic disorder related to low glucose levels) also had higher killings rates, both war related and non-war related. All four studies suggest that a spoonful of sugar helps aggressive and violent behaviors go down. |
Year of Publication | :
1969
|
Journal | :
Aggressive behavior
|
Volume | :
37
|
Issue | :
1
|
Number of Pages | :
73-80
|
Date Published | :
1969
|
ISSN Number | :
0096-140X
|
URL | :
https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.20366
|
DOI | :
10.1002/ab.20366
|
Short Title | :
Aggress Behav
|
Download citation |