The present study assessed the response of both male and female subjects to punitive, passive, and matching patterns of attack in a Taylor (1967) reaction time task. White noise rather than electric shock served as the instigator, and standar dized noise levels were used. A punitive approach led to strong retaliation by subjects of both sexes, with males administering higher overall levels of punishment than females. These results call into question the prevalent stereotype of female passivity and suggest that previous findings are not limited to a single aggressive modality.
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