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MISS MANSERGH RIGHT

In light of recent high-spirited behaviour at Macquarie Fields, this piece by Vivienne Parry is sort of interesting:


There is no consistent relationship between normal circulating testosterone levels and violence in teenagers. In fact, there is a rather better correlation between high testosterone levels and levels of popularity and respect from peers. One hypothesis is that teenage boys pick up cues from the environment and use them to determine “normal” behaviour. This is illustrated by recent work from the MRC unit at the Institute of Psychiatry which shows that it is not testosterone levels that determine your waywardness as a teenager, but basically, the people you hang with. Keep the company of bad boys, and you will take your behaviour cue from them. Hang out with sober sorts and your behaviour will be like theirs. As we all remember, being split up from your best mate is a peril of adolescence. “They’re a bad influence on you” is the general gist of parental or teacher wisdom on this one. Oh dear. The ignominy of the Institute of Psychiatry proving Miss Mansergh, year nine form teacher, right.

Maybe the Macquarie Fields children need a horse whisperer.

Posted by Tim B. on 03/13/2005 at 08:49 AM

  1. Or a seal clubber.

    Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 03 13 at 11:07 AM • permalink

  2. It’s been my experience that crowds of unruly teens got their first clues from what went on in their own homes.  The “hanging together” part came later.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2005 03 13 at 11:43 AM • permalink

  3. Next thing you know, the libs will come up with another stunning discovery:  Problems with teenage males declines when “supervised” by adult males… perhaps with seal clubbing experience.

    Posted by Howard on 2005 03 13 at 01:05 PM • permalink

  4. It doesn’t answer the question of why people gravitate to the particular peer groups they do.

    For example, is bad parenting or shared intersts to blame for bloggers spending so much time together, albeit not necessarily in person. 

    On the plus side, it does have postive things to say about testosterone, which has been blamed for everything from heavy-metal music to footy violence (when society is not being blamed for it, of course).

    Posted by Major Anya on 2005 03 13 at 03:51 PM • permalink

  5. What about a good old fashioned horse-whipper?

    Posted by Habib on 2005 03 13 at 08:46 PM • permalink

  6. Where’s JACK “I crap bigger than you” PALANCE when you need him?

    Posted by Richard_of_Oz on 2005 03 13 at 09:04 PM • permalink

  7. As usual, people with an agenda grab from science when it might possibly support their pet cause and ignore it completely when it doesn’t.

    It’s been known for a fairly long time that testosterone doesn’t create aggressive impulses, it amplifies existing ones, and is pretty much similarly effective at a huge range of concentrations.  Take all of it away and the individual in question will be much less aggressive.  Pump in twenty times normal levels and they’ll be much more.  In between?  It’s all the same.

    Posted by LabRat on 2005 03 13 at 11:27 PM • permalink

  8. D’oh!

    Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 03 14 at 01:07 AM • permalink

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