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