Social context of human aggression: Are we paying too much attention to gender?

A considerable research literature has examined gender differences in aggressive behavior. This paper argues that such emphasis on gender effects in human aggression is misplaced, and it presents a focused review of research on (a) gender roles versus gender as predictors of aggression, (b) gender differences in direct and indirect aggression, (c) aggression in the context of interpersonal relationships, and (d) gender effects in psychological aggression. The authors conclude with the suggestion that gender has relatively weak effects on aggressive behavior and propose that the role of gender in aggression can be better understood by examining the context in which aggressive action takes place. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.