Psychobiology of human aggression and violence

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Thomas Elbert
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
• Term: from 2010 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 175998462

Savagery and violence is omnipresent among young men of all cultures. Conflict regions and failed states are characterized by reoccurring cycles of violence. Instrumental aggression aiming for personal and social power, for dominance, and for acquisition of material resources, has been frequently cited as cause. We suggest that a biological preparedness for hunting behaviour is another essential driving force. Hunting is fascinating and attractive, a desire that makes temporary deprivation from physical needs, pain, sweat, blood, and, ultimately, the willingness to kill tolerable and even appetitive. We postulate that higher regulatory systems, such as frontal lobe based executive functions, prevent the involuntary derailment of hunting behaviour. If this control – such as in child soldiers for example – is not learned, then brutality towards humans remains fascinating and appealing. Blood must flow in order to kill. It is hence an appetitive cue as is the struggling of the victim. Hunting for men, more rarely for women, is fascinating and emotionally arousing with the parallel release of testosterone, serotonin, and endorphins, which can produce feelings of euphoria and alleviate pain. Children learn which conditions legitimate aggressive behaviour and which not. This may explain the fascination with gladiatorial combat, violent computer games but as well ritualized forms like football.

• DFG Programme: Reinhart Koselleck Projects