KEY QUESTION - What are the implications for society if aggression is found to be caused by nature and not nurture?
Aggressive is influenced by a combination of genetics and environment
Environment - people can CHOOSE whether they behave aggressively, they can 'unlearn' aggressive behavior or avoid situations that cause it (by learning to react differently to certain cues)
Genetics - we cannot be blamed for our biology, there is no element of choice
Ethical concerns
If we cannot be blamed if aggression is natural, then is it morally right to imprison aggressive individuals?
Anxiety + depression gain sympathy from society, anger and aggression are punished - both are emotions, is the fact that one brings sympathy and another blame fair of society?
Evolution and natural selection
Aggressive behavioral traits have been passed down from our ancestors, who used aggression to survive - males use aggression to protect their offspring/mate and to attract mates
Buss and Shackleton (1997) - men use aggression in an attempt to intimidate other males if they felt their relationship was threatened
Raine et al (1997)
Study found brain differences (using PET scans) in those charged with murder pleading NGRI and non-murders - this is evidence for nature, biological factors are the cause of predetermined aggression
Free will v.s determinism
If we cannot control our aggression, this removes the element of free will (however it does not explain why not all people with biological features act aggressively/why people without these factors still behave aggressively)
Hormones
Dabbs et al (1991) - high testosterone and low cortisol link to aggression
High testosterone links to high activity in the aggression centre - evidence for nature, hormones are biology
Evidence for nurture - cortisol is a stress hormone, its release is triggered by stressors in the environment
Aggression around the world
Violence is not evenly spread around the world - evidence that environment (e.g culture) influences behaviour
25 times more likely to be murdered in Brazil than UK
You are much more likely to be murdered in a corrupt, poor part of the world, a solution would be to tackles poverty and corruption
Freud's theory on instincts
Freud theorised that aggression arises from our natural death instinct (Thanatos) - evidence for nature, as we have a natural instinct to direct aggression outwards towards others which cannot be helped