Running head: SOCIETAL OVER BIOLOGICAL Humans Are Not Predisposed To Be Violent: Societal Over Biological Raymond C. Williams Grand Canyon University: PSY-510 January 8, 2012 1 SOCIETAL OVER BIOLOGICAL 2 Humans Are Not Predisposed To Be Violent: Societal Over Biological Aggression resulting in violence among humans has been a significant subject of research among scientists and psychologist for many years. Some researchers conclude that aggression can be attributed through genetics or other biological causes but others determine that the evidence is inconclusive but instead societal influences are the main contributor. The purpose of this paper is to refute the theory that some humans are biologically prone to be violent by introducing the strengths and limitations of societal over biological conclusions as well as present the validity and consequences of using psychological principles to predict dangerousness. Biological Strengths and Limitations Although much of the research regarding aggression and violence has concentrated primarily with social, family and, cultural influences, there has been more focus on the genetic and biologically- related influences in more recent years (Christopher & Kevin, n.d.). Separating the nature and nurture influences on behavior in order to measure the effectiveness of each is an important focus of science (Levitt & Pieri, 2009). One of the most common and most effective methods used to study the theory of genetic influence on aggressive behavior and violence is by using monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal) where the twins from each group are separated at birth in which one is raised with an adopted family and the other with the biological parents of equal environments (Levitt & Pieri, 2009). “Results of these studies, which have been based on thousands of sibling pairs, have pointed to the inescapable conclusion that genetic factors are implicated-at least to some degree-in the etiology of violence” (Christopher & Kevin, n.d.). The samples analyzed, however, are limited because the exact genetic SOCIETAL OVER BIOLOGICAL 3 polymorphisms associated with the development of aggression and violence cannot be conclusively identified (Christopher & Kevin, n.d., para.5). Additional research to determine biological evidence for aggression can be found in an experiment using a trial of human subjects free from medication or currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders (Meyer, Wilson, Rusjan, Clark, Houle, Woodside, Arrowood, Martin, and Colleton, 2008). People with aggressive and/or violent behavior are characterized by containing extracellular serotonin levels in their brain which is relevant in the prefrontal cortex contributing to abnormal aggression and violence (Meyer, Wilson, Rusjan, Clark, Houle, Woodside, Arrowood, Markin, and Colleton, 2008) The purpose of this study was to analyze the prefrontal cortex binding potential of brain serotonin density found in the study sample (Meyer et al., 2008). Meyer et al., explain that the metabolite of serotonin known as 5-hydroxindolactic acid (5-HIAA) appears deficient in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in those subjects that displayed the aggressive behavior (p.500, para.1). However, since (CSF)(5-HIAA) is indirectly related to brain serotonin, low levels of serotonin in the brain could also be the result of low serotonin metabolism which also shares a common characteristic of aggressive behavior (Meyer et al., 2008). This is another example of the inconclusive nature of biological and genetic theory of aggression and violence, hence validating the societal theory of influence. The Strengths of Societal Influence The validity of societal influence on aggression and violent behavior can best be revealed by observing the research on how media can and has had on humans. “Research on violent television and films, video games, and music reveals unequivocal evidence that media violence increases the likelihood of aggressive and violent behavior in both immediate and long-term SOCIETAL OVER BIOLOGICAL 4 contexts” (Anderson, Johnson, Linz, Malamuth, & Wartella, 2003). This concern for the past fifty years has prompted several major United States Government investigations and reports including the 1954 Kefauver hearings, the 1969 National Commission Causes and Prevention of Violence, the 1972 Surgeon General’s report, and the 1982 National Institute of Mental Health to contribute to this research (Anderson et al., 2003). The effects media has on aggressive behavior and violence becomes a significant topic of discussion usually after a serious even such as the occurrence of a school shooting (Gentile & Bushman, 2012). This leads to a culprit mentality meaning an immediate need to identify a specific reason, or cause for the tragedy (Gentile & Bushman, 2012). The complexity of violent behavior prohibits the identification of a specific cause so Gentile & Bushman (2012) introduce a study that considers several risk factors-a risk and resilience approach (p.139). They examined six risk factors for aggressive behavior that included: hostile attribution bias, participant’s sex, media violence exposure, and parental involvement in media (p.141). The objective of this research was to validate how these risk factors independently and cooperatively were associated with aggression (Gentile & Bushman, 2012, p.143). The conclusion of this research found that although exposure to violent media contributes to aggressive and violent behavior, also introduced in past research, but that there are other related factors such as parental involvement with media that lends a contribution (Gentile & Bushman, 2012). The use of psychological principles to predict dangerousness in patients and convicted criminals by using risk cues such as history of assaults, hostility, medication non-compliance, paranoid delusions, presence of psychosis, and family problems has proven in research to be a valid predictor of future violence in offenders and psychiatric patients (Odeh, Zeiss & Huss, 2006). One of the contributors to the lack of validity with the use of risk cues in predicting SOCIETAL OVER BIOLOGICAL dangerousness is the failure to conduct more recent research (Odeh, Zeiss & Huss, 2006). The reasoning for this is the cost and time involved to conduct such research, hence causing validity consequences for future researchers (Odeh, Zeiss & Huss, 2006). In conclusion, there are limitations and inconclusive evidence regarding the validity of genetic and biological influence on aggressive and violent behavior. The validation for societal influence has been introduced in the form of mass media mediums such as television, movies, and video games. The use of risk cues in predictions of dangerousness can be an important indicator but only if the research is kept current. 5 SOCIETAL OVER BIOLOGICAL 6 References Anderson, C. A., Berkowitz, L., Donnerstein, E., Huesmann, L., Johnson, J. D., Linz, D., Malamuth, N. M., & Wartella, E. (2003). The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Wiley-Blackwell), 4 (3), 81-110. doi: 10.1111/j.1529-1006.2003.pspi_1433.x Christopher J., F., & Kevin M., B. (n.d.) Natural born killers: The genetic origins of extreme violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior,14,286-294. doi:10.1080/14636770902901629 Levitt, M, & Pieri, E. (2009). “It could just be an additional test couldn’t it?” Genetic testing for susceptibility to aggression and violence. New Genetics & Society, 28(2), 189-200. doi: 10.1080/14636770902902901629 Meyer, J. H., Wilson, A. A., Rusjan, P., Clark, M., Houle, S., Woodside, S., Arrowhead, J., Martin, K., & Colleton, M. (2008). Serotonin2A receptor binding potential in people with aggressive and violent behavior. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, 33 (6), 499508 Odeh, M. S., Zeiss, R. A., & Huss, M. T. (2006). Cues They Use: Clinicians’ Endorsement of Risk Cues in Predictions of Dangerousness. Behavioral Sciences & The Law, 24 (2), 147156. doi: 10.1002/bsl. 672