Citation

Dewall CN, Deckman T, Gailliot MT, Bushman BJ. Aggressive Behav. 2011; 37(1): 73-80.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Kastle Hall, Lexington, Kentucky.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, International Society for Research on Aggression, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ab.20366

PMID

21064166

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. Aggr. Behav. 35:1-8, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Language: en