Sweetened blood cools hot tempers: physiological self-control and aggression.
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.
Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Kastle Hall, Lexington, USA. nathan.dewall@uky.edu
C Nathan
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Timothy
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Deckman
Matthew T
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Gailliot
Brad J
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Bushman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000786:Anger; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D012927:Social Control, Informal
D005947:Glucose