Interesting Article: "The "Bitch" Evolved: Why Girls Are So Cruel to Each Other"...

[BlooInBloo]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=bitch-evolved-girls-cruel&page=2

"Findings from this study indicated a clear difference in aggressive responses between the genders, with women overwhelmingly compelled to retaliate by attacking the offender’s reputation, mostly through gossip. This gender effect panned out even after controlling for participants’ evaluation of the social appropriateness of such acts. In other words, in spite of the fact that the women realized malicious gossip wasn’t socially appropriate, this was nevertheless their preferred first point of attack. Men, on the other hand, were more evenly divided in their response, but failed to show the same preferential bias for acts of “informational warfare” against the unlikable classmate.

Although most researchers acknowledge the somewhat speculative nature of evolutionary arguments in this area, female social aggression among reproductively viable females is usually interpreted as a form of mate competition. Hess and Hagen, for example, suggest that the sex differences uncovered in their study would likely have been even more pronounced in a younger group of participants. Evolutionarily, historically and cross-culturally, they point out, girls in the fifteen- to nineteen-year-old range would be most actively competing for mates. Thus, anything that would sabotage another females’ image as a desirable reproductive partner, such as commenting on her promiscuity, physical appearance or some other aberrant or quirky traits, tends to be the stuff of virile gossip. Also, the degree of bitchiness should then demonstrate a sort of bell-shaped curve over the female life course. On the surface this seems mostly true. Anecdotally, I can’t think of a single postmenopausal woman who seems hell-bent on undermining another woman’s dating life—unless, perhaps, that involves spreading rumors about the sexual rival of her fertile daughter, in whom she has a vested adaptive interest. Then I can actually give you a name. As with most overarching research questions, though, there are many empirical studies yet to be run on the peculiar nature of female social aggression."


Dunno if the explanation is correct or not, but I certainly have witnessed girls being incredibly mean to each other.

[omega minimo]

1. what are you doing?

:wtf:

Do you just have shitty timing or are you intentionally messing with the board with pukeworthy assholery?

[BlooInBloo]

2. What's wrong?

[anigbrowl]

29. One might ask you the same question

Explain your point, if you have one.

[Mari333]

3. some dopey adolescent guy wrote this , not surprising!

his ego must be HUGE!!!! and small in all other areas.

http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/authors/jesse-bering-phd


yeah thats him.wishing women would fight over his manliness.

[BlooInBloo]

8. Heh. The SciAm article is just a delivery device for the psychological study...

found here:

http://anthro.vancouver.wsu.edu/media/PDF/Hess_and_Hagen_2006_Sex_differences_in_indirect_aggression.pdf

[Mari333]

10. its funny, but between 15-19 yrs of age

I was better friends with girls and we thought guys were idiots. we made more fun of them then of each other. whomever did this study never went to a pajama party or was ever in a girls locker room.
girls are pals, and get along really well. they dont spend their days pining for men unless they have the self esteem of a gnat.
this study reminds me of my mother's generation's meme, where they told us women were never good friends and were always fighting over men. thats so 1940's.
my god, the hubris and faux egos of these guys! women are wonderful friends, and the best company other women can keep, even as a teenager I knew that.

[BlooInBloo]

11. (shrug) Every girl I know acknowledges the existence of the phenomenon...

studied by the psychologists. I've heard plenty of disagreement about the reason for the phenomenon.

You're largely right on the "guys were idiots" part, of course. :P



EDIT: By "the phenomenon", I mean "girls ripping on each other in a way that boy don't".

[Mari333]

16. Ive seen boys attack other boys and girls attack girls equally

in my experience. never attributed it to either gender as more frequent or intense.

[BlooInBloo]

21. What's at issue with the study is the qualitative *way* in which boy and girl agress...

Not quantitative issues like frequency or intensity.

But it is perfectly possible that your experience simply differs from every girl I know. Nothing wrong with that.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

17. I agree with you

I never could trust the other girls--- and as far a gym class goes, they hated me and were horrible to me--- I heard all the flat chested jokes and the skinny jokes and the ugly jokes... They were horrible to me.

The only real friends I had were guys - I was smart and got along fine with them but not the girls --- The shit they said about me was horrible.

When my mother died - I was 14. They made it their business to say "If I were your mother I would have died to get away from you too."

Yep, they were wonderful to me :eyes:

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. My my, what are they feeding children these days???

http://www.hriptc.org/content/aggressive.php


Werbach, Melvyn: Nutritional influences on aggressive behavior. J Ortho Med 1995; v.7, no. 1. Evidence is emerging that iron deficiency among adolescent males has been shown to be directly associated with aggressive behavior.

Schoenthaler, SJ, Bier ID: The effect of vitamin-mineral supplementation on juvenile delinquency among American schoolchildren:a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med 2000; 6(1):7-17. Numerous studies conducted in juvenile correctional institutions have reported that violence and serious antisocial behavior have been dramatically reduced after implementing nutrient dense diets.

Walsh,W: Zinc deficiency, metal metabolism, and behavioral disorders. Report of the Health Research Institute 1995. This study focuses on persons born with a metal-metabolism disorder often resulting in episodic violence, hyperactivity and conduct disorder.

Sever Y, Ashkenazi A, Tyano S, Weizman, A: Iron treatment in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A preliminary report. Neuropsych 1997; 35(4):178-80.A study of 14 boys aged 7-11 years using iron for therapeutic treatment of hyperactivity. The report recommends further study based on the finding that increased blood iron resulted in the reduction of aggressive behaviors.

Department of Family Medicine, Pomeranian Medical Academy, Poland: The effects of magnesium physiological supplementation on hyperactivity in children with ADHD. Mag Res 1997; 10(2):149-56. The report from this institute states that dietetic factors can play a significant role in the origin of ADHD and that magnesium deficiency can result in disruptive behaviors.

Schoenthaler S: Vitamins Against Crime: Supplementation and antisocial behavior in institutions. Medical Nutrition 1990; 34-37. Brain function requires adequate nutrition, and correction of chronic undernutrition can improve antisocial behavior. Researchers have found that vitamin and mineral tests can be a good indicator of violent behavior.

Sanstead H: A brief history of the influence of trace elements on brain function. J Clin Nutrit 1986; 43:293-98. Historically iron, copper, manganese and zinc deficiency have been associated with mental impairment. Manifestations of such deficiencies include confusion, violence, dullness and death.

Schoenthaler S: Applied nutrition and behavior. J Applied Nutr 1991;43(1):31-39. This research showed that nutrient dense diets in 813 state facilities resulted in significantly improved conduct. The distribution of vitamin and mineral supplements was a significant factor in promoting less violent behavior.

Schrauzer G, Vroey E: Effects of nutritional lithium supplementation on mood. Biological Trace Element Res 1994; 40:89-101. The results of an intensive study of former drug users, violent offenders or those with a history of domestic violence assert that lithium supplementation has a mood improving and stabilizing effect. Authors suggest that a nutritional lithium supplement may be a valuable drug in violence and suicide prevention programs.

Lonsdale D, et al.: J of Advancement of Medicine 1994; 7(3):171-180. A review of the potential for high calorie malnutrition as a link for senseless violence and crime. The author asserts that if it is true that body chemistry plays a role in abnormal behavior, that it is largely a waste of time to treat violent criminals by incarcerating them and ignoring the critical factor of their diet.

Walsh W, et al.: Elevated blood copper/zinc ratios in assaultive young males. Physiology and Behavior 1997; 62(2)327-329. Stresses the importance of the study of different metal ratios and their association with behavior in an effort to identify those with increased risk. Improvement in biochemistry in these individuals is seen as very beneficial.

Carney MWP: Vitamin deficiency and mental symptoms. British Journal of Psychiatry 1990;156:878-882. Study reveals that 53% of unselected patients admitted to psychiatric hospital unit were vitamin deficient. Vitamin B deficiency has been associated with neuropsychiatric disorders and depression. Additionally, folic acid deficiency has been linked to affective illnesses.

Gottschalk L, et al.: Abnormalities in hair trace elements as indicators of aberrant behavior. Comprehensive psychiatry 1991; 32(3):229-237. The authors suggest that abnormal trace mineral metabolism may be involved in aggressive behavior and that careful mineral analysis could be effective in identifying those who are predisposed to such behavior.

Rosen GM, et al.: Iron deficiency among incarcerated juvenile delinquents. J Adolesc Health Care 1985;6:419-423. This study from 1985 can be viewed as one of the early looks at the effects of iron deficiency and abnormal behavior. Through research performed in juvenile detention facilities, a high prevalence of iron deficiency was found among both male and female inmates. The study suggests further research into the problem of behavior issues and iron deficiency.

Lead Exposure and Child Behavior: American Journal of Public Health 1992; 82(10):1356-1359. This study evaluated blood lead levels of young children. The group with the highest levels of lead present in blood samples was found to score the highest in Total Problem Behavior Score checklists.

Stevens L., et al.: Phospholipids influence behavior. The Nutrition Report 1996;38:(May-June). A study performed on equal number of young boys, half with low fatty acid measures, showed that behavior problems were significantly higher in the study group with the lower acid levels. Greater number of health and learning problems occurred in the lower level group as well.

Magnesium reduces hyperactivity. Autism Research Review 1998;12(2):4. Children in this study were ages 7 to 12. After a 6-month period, the control group, which received no magnesium supplementation, was found to have behavior that worsened, whereas the other children receiving magnesium supplementation therapy had statistically improved results in behavioral assessment scales.

Walsh W, et al.: Elevated blood copper/zinc ratios in assaultive young males. Physiol Behavior 1997;49(1):327-329. Research spanning a period of 20 years has revealed abnormal trace metal concentrations in violence prone young males 3-20 years of age. This study tested the validity of the observation that young assaultive males have elevated blood copper/zinc levels when compared to those with no history of assaultive behavior.

Schmidt K, et al.: Clinical ecology treatment approach for juvenile offenders. J Behav Ecology:Biosocial 1981:2(1). It was found through this study that hair copper levels of young males classified as delinquent, was found to be at a higher level than lab norms.

Lonsdale D, Schamberger R: Red cell transketolase as an indicator of nutritional deficiency. Am J Clin Nutr 1980;33(2):205-211. In a study of patients with biochemical evidence of thiamine deficiency related to junk food diets, the adolescents especially were found to be impulsive, irritable, aggressive and angered easily.

Schrauzer GN, Shrestha KP: Lithium in drinking water and the incidences of crimes, suicides and arrests related to drug addictions. Biol Trace E.em Res 1990;25(2):105-113. Data collected from 27 counties in Texas, when adjusted for population density, show that the incidence of homicide, suicide and rape were significantly high in areas where the drinking water contained little or no lithium. Results of this study suggest that low level doses of lithium have a beneficial effect on human behavior.

[BeFree]

5. Attacking women again?

When will it ever stop?

Women deserve to be treated like delicate flowers... that don't stink.

If they want to tear each other a new a--hole, it's none of our business.

[Peregrine Took]

6. Like Elaine said "Girls don't get into fights - they just give each other

eating disorders."

[Brooklyns_Finest]

13. Never heard that quote before

but it has a lot of merit to it.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Not very informative. His article on penises is three times, uh, longer. nt

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. I don't know if this has anything to do with this, but...

I have been noticing something recently:

I answer phones for a living now. I work for a major telecom provider taking calls from those having problems with their DSL. I get calls from a lot of folks every day and I unflinchingly do my best to help them all. I get to talk to a wide selection of people and most are, as a group, pretty darned nice. At least when I am done helping them. I am mannerly, positive, friendly and go out of my way for them. It generally gets a positive reaction, both on the phone and the QA followup calls.

Except with one group: young white women below the age of 30.

I have no idea what is going on out there, as I don't associate with young women of that age group. Quite frankly, it is pretty dangerous for someone my age to do so. But I can tell you this: women of that age group have some of the most abysmal social skills I have yet seen and I have seen a few. It seems that they have an attitude of entitlement, superiority, a complete paucity of good manners and a good number of them are downright mean and nasty. Then their is their choice of verbiage. I thought Steve Marriott could swear. Some of them would give Poor Dead Stevie a run for his money.

I don't know what is going on and I don't think I want to know. That said, something is and it is not good. Note: I do not experience the same thing with young men on anywhere near the same scale.

Oh, I don't see the same thing with young African-Americans of either sex. They are unfailingly polite and mannerly, as I am with them. Same with other ethnic groups.

Oh, and don't even think of brandishing the "sexist" word at me because of this post. I see this every day. You don't. Something very troubling is going on out there.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

12. Oh, this will be epic!

:popcorn:

[Captain Hilts]

14. I believe it. Young women get dissed on technical issues all the time. They're defensive about it.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

15. Perhaps they are.

But I don't roll that way. I CAN'T roll that way. My calls get recorded and if I get caught in the recordings "talking down" to anyone, my ass gets in a sling. I am still in probationary status and besides, I have teaching experience in both martial arts and websites. When I was teaching martial arts, I was they guy who told women, till I was blue in the face, that they COULD do it. And educating the customer and demystifying things is specifically part of the job.

I have been talked down to, in my life. I despised it. I certainly am not going to do it to anyone else.

[Captain Hilts]

19. No, it's not you. But they expect it and come out of the box aggressively. nt

[noamnety]

18. I like how you can tell their race over the phone. (nt)

[Captain Hilts]

20. Often times, you can. That's not a racist statement. nt

[noamnety]

22. Sometimes, yes.

But I think this is a bit much: "They are unfailingly polite and mannerly, as I am with them. Same with other ethnic groups."

It presumes that anyone who "sounds white" must be white.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

24. Pick nits much?

Get a few thousand customer service phone calls under your belt.

Then come back and we will discuss this further.

[BlooInBloo]

25. I've got 1000s. And I know black folks who "talk white" and white folks who "talk black"...

I know not to come to any such conclusion from only a phone convo.

[BlooInBloo]

23. BWAHAHAAA!!!

[Karenina]

26. Speech patterns, timbre, syntax...

[noamnety]

28. Sometimes, yes.

And sometimes no.

"Oh, I thought you were white." <-- classic comment after talking to a person on the phone, then meeting them in person.

[Karenina]

30. Gimme a break!

Such a verbal admission is a rarity. Most often it's the deer-in-the-headlights look! :rofl:

[proteus_lives]

27. I wouldn't call your post sexist, a little racist though.

Have you had a conversation with every white woman under 30 on the planet Earth?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

31. No.

And if you call me a racist again, I will alert on you. I was specifically speaking of those people who are clearly African-American because of their use of the patois.

God, I am really learning to despise this place. The reading comprehension and projection around here has grown pathetic.

[proteus_lives]

33. "Shrugs"

I didn't call you racist, I said your post was a little racist. As this was the first time we replied to each other, I don't know if you're racist. (Even if we traded thousands of posts, I probably wouldn't know. We're just two people on the net.)

I was commenting on the tone of your post from my POV. If disagree, cool.

As I'm still a little new here, why did you threatened to "alert" me?

[seabeyond]

32. bullshit. girls gossip (for all reason to get "enemy") and boys fight. hopefully

and generally.... both genders mature out of this behavior. what a bunch of friggin bullshit in regardls to the rest of the assumption.