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Human aggressive behaviour: the period of perpetration in relation to month of birth of male offenders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Paul P. A. M. Kop
Paul P. A. M. Kop
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychometeorology, Langswater 158, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Summary

A sample of 442 males living in Amsterdam and convicted for ill-treatment without malice prepense in 1970 and 1971, was drawn from the files of the Central Bureau of Statistics in The Netherlands to study a possible relationship between the birth month of male offenders, the annual period of perpetration and the age at which the offence is committed. The results suggest that in Amsterdam the perpetration of aggressive delinquencies during the annual period is to some degree correlated with the (calendar) month of birth. It seems that particular seasonal conditions only have an effect if these occur within a limited period before or after the birth month. Additionally, a long-term effect has been found, showing that the age at which the offence is committed is to some degree correlated with the month of birth. So far, causal factors are not known. However, other studies suggest the influence of seasonal meteorological conditions, although periodical social factors should not be excluded.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , July 1977 , pp. 309 - 316
Copyright
Copyright © 1977, Cambridge University Press

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