Crime and Violence: Forces for Good or Evil? Lecture Four Biological Influences

What do we know so far…? It is really hard to define violence Violence is difficult to quantify

Recap The act itself The relationship of the participants to each other The location of the act The outcome Social rules – because different rules apply in different situations Social roles – because who we are might determine how we act Social power

Causes of Violence Is it natural?

Brain dysfunction Link between serotonin and aggression In 1966, Charles Whitman killed his wife and mother and 14 people from a tower on the University of Texas campus. He had a large brain tumour in the part of the brain where aggression processing is believed to be located (Meyers, D. G. (1998). Psychology (5th ed.). New York: Worth). Link between serotonin and aggression

Bad, sad or mad? Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Psychopaths - glib and superficial; egocentric and grandiose; to lack remorse or guilt; to lack empathy; to be deceitful and manipulative; and to have shallow emotions.

Jack Abbott killed a waiter John Wayne Gacy murdered thirty-three young men and boys Kenneth Taylor battered his wife to death Aggression instinct - Konrad Lorenz

(See Demonic Males Apes and the Origins of Human Violence) Sociobiology (See Demonic Males Apes and the Origins of Human Violence) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/books/chap1/demonicmales.htm

Hormones – a gendered biology? Adrenaline testosterone Testosterone levels in women prisoners: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1997/09/970927110900.htm Dr Michel Odent– oxytocin http://www.birthpsychology.com/violence/odent1.html