Stuck in the heat or stuck in the hierarchy? Power relations explain regional variations in violence

Abstract

We contend that an ecological account of violence and aggression requires consideration of societal and cultural settings. Focusing on hierarchical relations, we argue countries with higher (vs. lower) power distance are, on average, located closer to the equator, have more challenging climates (e.g., higher temperature; lower temperature variation), and have a greater prevalence of violence and aggression (e.g., higher homicide rates).