Van Vugt, M., Johnson, D. D. P., McDermott, R., O'Gorman, R., Spisak, B, & G. Tendayi Viki. The Male warrior hypothesis: Sex differences in intergroup aggression. (Manuscript under review)

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Abstract:

A number of studies tested various predictions emanating from the Male Warrior Hypothesis (MWH) in the domains of inter-group and intra-group behaviour, tribal political attitudes, and inter-group cognition and affect. Consistent with predictions, experimental evidence revealed that men, relative to women, are more aggressive in inter-group games, infra-humanize out-group members more, and display stronger ingroup loyalty in the presence of an inter-group threat. Survey data revealed that men report having more competitive inter-group interactions in their own lives, evaluate intergroup conflict more positively, and score higher on social dominance. The MWH has the ability to explain and integrate a diverse set of previously unconnected findings from across the behavioural science literature.