There's an additional depressing reason why stress fosters aggression-because it...

There's an additional depressing reason why stress fosters aggression-because it reduces stress. Shock a rat and its glucocorticoid levels and blood pressure rise; with enough shocks, it's at risk for a "stress" ulcer. Various things can buffer the rat during shocks-running on a running wheel, eating, gnawing on wood in frustration. But a particularly effective buffer is for the rat to bite another rat. Stress-induced {aka frustration-induced} displacement aggression is ubiquitous in various species. Among baboons, for example, nearly half of aggression is this type-a high-ranking male loses a fight and chases a subadult male, who promptly bites a female, who then lunges at an infant. My research shows that within the same dominance rank, the more a baboon tends to displace aggression after losing a fight, the lower his glucocorticoid levels.78 Humans excel at stress-induced displacement aggression-consider how economic downturns increase rates of spousal and child abuse. Or consider a study of family violence and pro football. If the local team unexpectedly loses, spousal/partner violence by men increases 10 percent soon afterward {with no increase when the team won or was expected to lose}. And as the stakes get higher, the pattern is exacerbated: a 13 percent increase after upsets when the team was in playoff contention, a 20 percent increase when the upset is by a rival.79

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