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Human violence: A biological perspective
Author(s) -
Gunn John
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
criminal behaviour and mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1471-2857
pISSN - 0957-9664
DOI - 10.1002/cbm.1991.1.1.34
Subject(s) - aggression , instinct , dominance (genetics) , social psychology , psychology , criminology , poison control , power (physics) , context (archaeology) , sanctions , perspective (graphical) , political science , ecology , medical emergency , medicine , law , paleontology , quantum mechanics , gene , biology , artificial intelligence , computer science , biochemistry , chemistry , physics
Violence is universal in the animal kingdom. Perhaps it has biological advantages. One important advantage may be to create the structures of social life. Hierarchies and sanctions ultimately depend upon violence. Excessive violence may be related to the unsuccessful use of lesser aggression that may occur in unsuitable social groupings, and in the context of individual dlsability. Theories of violence include an instinct theory, now largely abandoned, a frustration hypothesis and social learning theories. It is proposed that to these could be added a social dominance theory which postulates that violence in a social system or between individuals is related to an imbalance of power. This idea could be tested experimentally and gives rise to ideas for reducing levels of violence. It can be applied in sickness as well as in health, to warfare, and to the home. There is experimental evidence that the best means of reducing violence is power sharing by cooperation and the judicious use of retaliation to acts of aggression. If violent conflict is one of mankind’s greatest problems then this is not reflected in the level of academic investment in the topic.