The article "Insult, Aggression, and the Southern Culture of Honor: An 'Experimental Ethnography'" by Dov Cohen examines the manifestations of a "culture of honor" in the cognitions, emotions, behaviors, and physiological reactions of southern White males. Through three experiments, the study compares the reactions of participants from the North and South to an insult, specifically being bumped and called an "asshole" by a confederate. The results show that southerners are more likely to view the insult as a threat to their masculine reputation, experience greater emotional upset (as indicated by increased cortisol levels), be more cognitively primed for aggression (as indicated by increased testosterone levels), and engage in more aggressive and dominant behavior compared to northerners. The findings highlight the cycle of insult and aggression in cultures of honor, where insults diminish a man's reputation, leading to violent retribution to restore status. The study also explores the physiological changes, such as cortisol and testosterone levels, and the desire to demonstrate toughness among participants. Overall, the research underscores the persistence of culture-of-honor norms in the South and their impact on southern males' responses to insults.The article "Insult, Aggression, and the Southern Culture of Honor: An 'Experimental Ethnography'" by Dov Cohen examines the manifestations of a "culture of honor" in the cognitions, emotions, behaviors, and physiological reactions of southern White males. Through three experiments, the study compares the reactions of participants from the North and South to an insult, specifically being bumped and called an "asshole" by a confederate. The results show that southerners are more likely to view the insult as a threat to their masculine reputation, experience greater emotional upset (as indicated by increased cortisol levels), be more cognitively primed for aggression (as indicated by increased testosterone levels), and engage in more aggressive and dominant behavior compared to northerners. The findings highlight the cycle of insult and aggression in cultures of honor, where insults diminish a man's reputation, leading to violent retribution to restore status. The study also explores the physiological changes, such as cortisol and testosterone levels, and the desire to demonstrate toughness among participants. Overall, the research underscores the persistence of culture-of-honor norms in the South and their impact on southern males' responses to insults.