1. //
  2. Start
  3. //
  4. Publications
  5. Commonly observed sex differences in dir...
  6. Output formats
  7. //

Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Standard

Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts. / Varnum, Michael E.W.; Kirsch, Amanda P.; Beal, Daniel J. et al.
In: PNAS Nexus, Vol. 4, No. 8, pgaf239, 01.08.2025.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Varnum, MEW, Kirsch, AP, Beal, DJ, Pick, CM, Al-Shawaf, L, Ambrosio, C, Barbato, MT, Barry, O, Boonyasiriwat, W, Brandstätter, E, Ceylan-Batur, S, Correa Varella, MA, Cruz, JE, David, O, Ngom Dieng, L, Dubois, D, Fernandez, AM, Galdi, S, Galindo Caballero, OJ, Graf, S, Grossmann, I, Guzman, D, Halama, P, Hamamura, T, Hřebíčková, M, Iuga, I, Javela, L, Jung, J, Karl, JA, Kim, JP, Kohút, M, Mafra, AL, Ndiaye, DG, Jiaqing, O, Perez Sánchez, B, Unzueta, ER, Rizwan, M, Sevincer, AT, Skoog, E, Suh, EM, Sznycer, D, Thunell, E, Tognetti, A, Uskul, AK, Valentova, JV, Wee, YN, Lundkvist Winter, A, Young, TP, Zambrano, D, Ziska, A & Kenrick, DT 2025, 'Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts', PNAS Nexus, vol. 4, no. 8, pgaf239. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf239

APA

Varnum, M. E. W., Kirsch, A. P., Beal, D. J., Pick, C. M., Al-Shawaf, L., Ambrosio, C., Barbato, M. T., Barry, O., Boonyasiriwat, W., Brandstätter, E., Ceylan-Batur, S., Correa Varella, M. A., Cruz, J. E., David, O., Ngom Dieng, L., Dubois, D., Fernandez, A. M., Galdi, S., Galindo Caballero, O. J., ... Kenrick, D. T. (2025). Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts. PNAS Nexus, 4(8), Article pgaf239. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf239

Vancouver

Varnum MEW, Kirsch AP, Beal DJ, Pick CM, Al-Shawaf L, Ambrosio C et al. Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts. PNAS Nexus. 2025 Aug 1;4(8):pgaf239. doi: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf239

Bibtex

@article{ea3c0d137dd342df8d2e76ea2e8161d6,
title = "Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts",
abstract = "Decades of research support the generalization that human males tend to be more aggressive than females. However, most of that research has examined aggression between unrelated individuals. Data drawn from 24 societies around the globe (n = 4,013) indicate that this generalization does not hold in the context of sibling relationships. In retrospective self-reports, females report being at least as aggressive as males toward their siblings, often more so. This holds for direct as well as indirect aggression, and for aggression between adult siblings as well as aggression that occurred during childhood. Consistent with prior research on sex differences, males reported engaging in more direct aggression toward nonkin than did females in the majority of societies. The results suggest that the dynamics of aggression within the family are different from those outside of it, and ultimately that understanding the role of sex in aggressive tendencies depends on context and target.",
keywords = "aggression, sex differences, siblings, universal, Psychology",
author = "Varnum, {Michael E.W.} and Kirsch, {Amanda P.} and Beal, {Daniel J.} and Pick, {Cari M.} and Laith Al-Shawaf and Chiara Ambrosio and Barbato, {Maria Teresa} and Oumar Barry and Watcharaporn Boonyasiriwat and Eduard Brandst{\"a}tter and Suzan Ceylan-Batur and {Correa Varella}, {Marco Antonio} and Cruz, {Julio Eduardo} and Oana David and {Ngom Dieng}, Laina and Dimitri Dubois and Fernandez, {Ana Mar{\'i}a} and Silvia Galdi and {Galindo Caballero}, {Oscar Javier} and Sylvie Graf and Igor Grossmann and David Guzman and Peter Halama and Takeshi Hamamura and Martina H{\v r}eb{\'i}{\v c}kov{\'a} and Ioana Iuga and Lady Javela and Jaewuk Jung and Karl, {Johannes A.} and Kim, {Jinseok P.} and Michal Koh{\'u}t and Mafra, {Anthonieta Looman} and Ndiaye, {Dieynaba Gabrielle} and O. Jiaqing and {Perez S{\'a}nchez}, Beatriz and Unzueta, {Eric Roth} and Muhammad Rizwan and Sevincer, {A. Timur} and Eric Skoog and Suh, {Eunkook M.} and Daniel Sznycer and Evelina Thunell and Arnaud Tognetti and Uskul, {Ayse K.} and Valentova, {Jaroslava Varella} and Wee, {Yunsuh Nike} and {Lundkvist Winter}, Anja and Young, {Torin Peter} and Danilo Zambrano and Anna Ziska and Kenrick, {Douglas T.}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s).",
year = "2025",
month = aug,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf239",
language = "English",
volume = "4",
journal = "PNAS Nexus",
issn = "2752-6542",
publisher = "National Academy of Sciences",
number = "8",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts

AU - Varnum, Michael E.W.

AU - Kirsch, Amanda P.

AU - Beal, Daniel J.

AU - Pick, Cari M.

AU - Al-Shawaf, Laith

AU - Ambrosio, Chiara

AU - Barbato, Maria Teresa

AU - Barry, Oumar

AU - Boonyasiriwat, Watcharaporn

AU - Brandstätter, Eduard

AU - Ceylan-Batur, Suzan

AU - Correa Varella, Marco Antonio

AU - Cruz, Julio Eduardo

AU - David, Oana

AU - Ngom Dieng, Laina

AU - Dubois, Dimitri

AU - Fernandez, Ana María

AU - Galdi, Silvia

AU - Galindo Caballero, Oscar Javier

AU - Graf, Sylvie

AU - Grossmann, Igor

AU - Guzman, David

AU - Halama, Peter

AU - Hamamura, Takeshi

AU - Hřebíčková, Martina

AU - Iuga, Ioana

AU - Javela, Lady

AU - Jung, Jaewuk

AU - Karl, Johannes A.

AU - Kim, Jinseok P.

AU - Kohút, Michal

AU - Mafra, Anthonieta Looman

AU - Ndiaye, Dieynaba Gabrielle

AU - Jiaqing, O.

AU - Perez Sánchez, Beatriz

AU - Unzueta, Eric Roth

AU - Rizwan, Muhammad

AU - Sevincer, A. Timur

AU - Skoog, Eric

AU - Suh, Eunkook M.

AU - Sznycer, Daniel

AU - Thunell, Evelina

AU - Tognetti, Arnaud

AU - Uskul, Ayse K.

AU - Valentova, Jaroslava Varella

AU - Wee, Yunsuh Nike

AU - Lundkvist Winter, Anja

AU - Young, Torin Peter

AU - Zambrano, Danilo

AU - Ziska, Anna

AU - Kenrick, Douglas T.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s).

PY - 2025/8/1

Y1 - 2025/8/1

N2 - Decades of research support the generalization that human males tend to be more aggressive than females. However, most of that research has examined aggression between unrelated individuals. Data drawn from 24 societies around the globe (n = 4,013) indicate that this generalization does not hold in the context of sibling relationships. In retrospective self-reports, females report being at least as aggressive as males toward their siblings, often more so. This holds for direct as well as indirect aggression, and for aggression between adult siblings as well as aggression that occurred during childhood. Consistent with prior research on sex differences, males reported engaging in more direct aggression toward nonkin than did females in the majority of societies. The results suggest that the dynamics of aggression within the family are different from those outside of it, and ultimately that understanding the role of sex in aggressive tendencies depends on context and target.

AB - Decades of research support the generalization that human males tend to be more aggressive than females. However, most of that research has examined aggression between unrelated individuals. Data drawn from 24 societies around the globe (n = 4,013) indicate that this generalization does not hold in the context of sibling relationships. In retrospective self-reports, females report being at least as aggressive as males toward their siblings, often more so. This holds for direct as well as indirect aggression, and for aggression between adult siblings as well as aggression that occurred during childhood. Consistent with prior research on sex differences, males reported engaging in more direct aggression toward nonkin than did females in the majority of societies. The results suggest that the dynamics of aggression within the family are different from those outside of it, and ultimately that understanding the role of sex in aggressive tendencies depends on context and target.

KW - aggression

KW - sex differences

KW - siblings

KW - universal

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105014184586&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf239

DO - 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf239

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:105014184586

VL - 4

JO - PNAS Nexus

JF - PNAS Nexus

SN - 2752-6542

IS - 8

M1 - pgaf239

ER -

Other publications by the same author(s)

Alcohol use and drinking motives across five countries: a post-COVID-19 pandemic update

Rupprecht, J., Spitzweck, B., Oettingen, G. & Sevincer, A. T., 03.2025, In: American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 51, 1, p. 85-95 11 p.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Does the relationship between sustainable human resource management and organizational identification vary by culture? Evidence from 35 countries based on GLOBE framework

Author Collaboration of "Does the relationship between sustainable human resource management and organizational identification vary by culture? Evidence from 35 countries based on GLOBE framework", 29.05.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Central European Management Journal.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Measuring the semantic priming effect across many languages

Author Collaboration of "Measuring the semantic priming effect across many languages", Buchanan, E. M., Heyman, T., van Berkel, N., Coles, N. A., Sevincer, A. T., Tschense, M. & Wallot, S., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Nature Human Behaviour. 25 p.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Negotiating With Yourself and Winning: The Dual Commitment Model for Intrapersonal Sustainability Goal Conflicts

Sevincer, A. T., Majer, J. M. & Trötschel, R., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Motivation Science.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Revisiting Ego Depletion: Evidence from Multi-Lab Collaborations

Dang, J., Xiao, S., Mao, L., Liu, X., Baumert, A., Bonneterre, S., Cai, S., Chen, X., de Chanaleilles, M., Ding, N., Fan, W., Feng, Y., Gao, D., He, X., Huang, W., Ismail, I., Jia, L., Li, H., Li, R., Li, Z., Lim, C., Linke, L., Nie, Y., Qiao, Z., Ren, M., Sevincer, A. T., Tan, J., Wang, Z., Wu, S., Zerhouni, O., Zhong, Y., Zhu, Y., Zinkernagel, A. & Schiöth, H. B., 16.10.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology. 19, 10 p., 18344909251386084.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

DOI