Anger, Aggression and Violence

Violence has been a part of the human condition for a long time. Evidence from the distant past of hominids shows traces of violence inflicted by other hominids. The history of our own species has more than its share of violent encounters--sometimes rising to the level of sheer brutality. Indeed, the examples of human inhumanity are so numerous and so diverse, one might entertain the thesis that violence is hardwired, as it were, into the genetic makeup of our species. The thesis underlying this book is that in order to better understand violence, it is important to examine anger and aggression and the interrelationship among the three concepts. Feelings of anger often precede aggressive and violent acts. If we learn how to control anger better, we can expect a reduction in violent acts. And aggression itself may be channeled into behaviors which can be useful rather than destructive. This book addresses the problem of anger by using an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on research from psychology, anthropology, sociology and history as well as statistical data provided by criminologists.