Citation

Reidy DE, Dimmick K, MacDonald K, Zeichner A. Aggressive Behav. 2009; 35(5): 422-429.

Affiliation

University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36688-0002, USA. reidy@usouthal.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, International Society for Research on Aggression, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ab.20315

PMID

19606461

Abstract

The literature on pain and aggression has indicated that pain elicits aggression. However, research has generally examined pain as a situational variable and focused less on the dispositional ability of an individual to tolerate pain. The dearth of research on pain tolerance and aggression appears to contradict the existing theory on the aggression-eliciting effect of pain, in that studies have found a positive relationship between pain tolerance and aggression. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the relationship between pain tolerance and aggression is moderated by sex and whether the positive relationship could be explained by masculine gender role conformity. A sample of 195 collegiate men and women completed trait measures and a laboratory assessment of pain tolerance. Results indicated that correlations between pain tolerance and trait aggression were significant and positive for men but not women. However, when men's conformity to masculine gender role was controlled for, the relationship between pain tolerance and trait aggression was nil and nonsignificant. Results are discussed in reference to socialization and maintenance of masculine status.

Language: en