PHYSIOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN AGGRESSION (FROM COLLOQUIUM ON THE CORRELATES OF CRIME AND THE DETERMINANTS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, 1978, BY LAURA OTTEN SEE NCJ-53455)

• NCJ Number: 53462
• Author(s): K E MOYER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 24 pages
• Corporate Author: Mitre Corporation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BASIC MECHANISMS INVOLVED IN BEHAVIOR CONTROL IS PRESENTED TO DELINEATE A MODEL OF HUMAN AGGRESSION. EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL EVIDENCE FROM HUMAN AND ANIMAL STUDIES IS CITED.

Abstract

THE PREMISE OF THIS MODEL IS THAT THERE ARE IN THE BRAINS OF ANIMALS AND HUMANS NEURAL SYSTEMS THAT, WHEN FIRED IN THE PRESENCE OF A RELEVANT TARGET, RESULT IN AGGRESSIVE OR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARDS THAT TARGET. IN HUMANS, ALTHOUGH THE ACTUAL AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR OF A PERSON MAY BE CONTROLLED, HE STILL EXPERIENCES APPROPRIATELY HOSTILE FEELINGS. EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THIS PREMISE IS REVIEWED WITH RESPECT TO AGGRESSION SYSTEM THRESHOLDS AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE FOLLOWING PATHOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS TO AGGRESSION: BRAIN STIMULATION, BRAIN PATHOLOGY, BRAIN LESIONS, NEURAL INHIBITION, HEREDITY, AND BLOOD CHEMISTRY. CHRONIC BEHAVIOR TENDENCIES (I.E., LONG-RUN PROBABILITIES OF A PARTICULAR KIND OF BEHAVIOR) AND THE ROLE OF NEUROLOGICAL SET (I.E., PROCLIVITIES TOWARD A GIVEN KIND OF BEHAVIOR AT A GIVEN MOMENT) ARE ALSO DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH A NONPHYSIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATION--THE INFLUENCE OF LEARNING ON BEHAVIOR WHICH SOCIETY LABELS AGGRESSIVE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)