| Abstract: | The effects of barbiturates on aggressive behavior were investigated in two studies. In both studies, subjects were given the opportunity to administer electric shocks to an opponent within the context of a competitive reaction time task. In Study 1, 30 subjects received increasing provocation from an opponent following their ingestion of one of three doses of secobarbital. Aggressive behavior was not found to increase as a function of drug dosage. In Study 2, 30 subjects ingested a placebo or one of two doses of pentobarbital. Once again, the barbiturate did not influence aggressive responding. The findings suggest that barbiturates, in moderate, clinically appropriate doses do not facilitate aggressive responding. |
