Aggression: Biological Theories

Behavior is the result of the complex interactions of many variables—psychological attributes such as one's temperament or tolerance to frustration; social forces including racism, poverty, and the economy more broadly; and situational factors such as loss of a job or the death of a child—but it is ultimately how these factors act on and with various aspects of the biological substrate of the individual that determines how they will or will not manifest as specific behaviors. To a large extent, the biological makeup of the individual determines behavioral probabilities and thus behavioral patterns. Aggression is generally understood as any form of behavior intended to gain power or dominance over and/or to cause harm to another. In this regard, specific instances of aggression are generally viewed ...