Again, I don't know if this has already been discussed but I thought
I'd share with you what wikipedia has to say about XYY syndrome (as
mentioned in the final episode of CSI:Miami Season 5).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XYY_syndrome
"47,XYY boys have an increased risk of learning difficulties (in up to
50%) and delayed speech and language skills.[1][6][7][8][9][10][11]
[12] In contrast, a national survey of US children conducted in 2004
for the CDC found that 10% of 46,XY boys had a learning disability.
[13]
"As with 47,XXY boys and 47,XXX girls, IQ scores of 47,XYY boys
average 10-15 points below their siblings.[6][8][9][11] It is
important to realize that this amount of variation -- an average
difference of 12 IQ points -- occurs naturally between children in the
same family.[6] In 14 prenatally diagnosed 47,XYY boys from high
socioeconomic status families, IQ scores available for 6 boys ranged
from 100-147 with a mean of 120. For 11 boys with siblings, in 9
instances their siblings were stronger academically, but in one case
they were performing equal to and in another case superior to their
brothers and sisters.[14]
"Developmental delays and behavioral problems are also possible, but
these characteristics vary widely among affected boys and men, are not
unique to 47,XYY and are managed no differently than in 46,XY males.[8]
[12] Aggression is not seen more frequently in 47,XYY males.[1][6][8]
[9][10]"
That being said, http://www.pathguy.com/xyy.htm
(who is XYY himself)
admits that XYY males do have higher testosterone levels than XY males
and that this causes them to "average substantially taller, tend to be
wiry-built, and tend to have severe acne". XYY males are presumably
more common in prison than XY males and this is fully accounted for by
the higher testosterone levels (in so far as men in prsion have higher
testosterone levels whether XY or XYY.) Another site,
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Genetics-1795/Genetics-Super-Male-Syndrome.htm
,
denies there is any difference at all between the extent of XYY in
prisons and in the general population. In any case, a google search
for "testosterone aggression" comes up with the first hit telling me
"it is a common myth that testosterone causes aggression" so it
_seems_ as though CSI: Miami and wikipedia are right that XYY does not
cause aggression even though there has been good reasons to think it
would.
One question I would then ask though: why are men more agressive than
women if not for our testosterone levels? Is it _just_ a result of
how we were raised? I have serious doubts.
Martin
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