July 31, 2025PNAS NexusOpen Access

Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts

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Analysis reveals sex differences in aggression are reversed in sibling relationships, suggesting context impacts behavior.

Sibling relationships show no sex differences in aggression, with females often being as aggressive or more than males.
Data from 24 societies and 4,013 individuals highlight these dynamics, differing markedly from nonkin aggression patterns.
Self-reports from individuals indicate that both direct and indirect aggression levels are comparable across genders within families.
These findings suggest that the understanding of aggression must consider family context rather than just general societal trends.

Varnum et al. (2025) studied this question.

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