Increasing evidence indicates that the interaction between testosterone and cortisol is associated with variation in aggressive behavior. However, results are mixed. The current study further explored the association between testosterone, cortisol, and both reactive and proactive aggression in a large sample of university students. Models considered direct and interactive effects between baseline measures of testosterone and cortisol as well as change in hormones in response to a social stressor. In women, baseline cortisol had a negative direct association with reactive aggression and was further associated with reactive aggression in interaction with baseline testosterone (positive interaction). Hormones were unrelated to reactive aggression in men. Baseline cortisol had a negative direct association with proactive aggression in women. In contrast, the association between change in cortisol and proactive aggression was positive. Cortisol was not associated with proactive aggression in men. In addition, testosterone was not related to proactive aggression either directly or in interaction with cortisol in either men or women. Collectively, these results show that the association between hormones and aggression varies across aggressive behavior type and across sex.

越来越多的证据表明，睾丸激素和皮质醇之间的相互作用与攻击行为的变化有关。但是，结果好坏参半。当前的研究进一步探讨了大学生样本中睾丸激素，皮质醇与反应性和主动性攻击之间的关系。模型考虑了睾丸激素和皮质醇的基线测量值之间的直接和交互作用，以及因应社会压力而产生的激素变化。在女性中，基线皮质醇与反应性攻击具有负的直接关联，并且与基线睾丸激素的相互作用（正性相互作用）还与反应性攻击相关。激素与男性的反应性攻击无关。基线皮质醇与女性的积极攻击有负的直接联系。相比之下，皮质醇的变化与积极的侵略之间的关联是积极的。皮质醇与男性的主动攻击无关。此外，无论是男性还是女性，睾丸激素都没有直接或与皮质醇相互作用的主动攻击。总的来说，这些结果表明，激素与攻击之间的联系在攻击行为类型和性别之间有所不同。