Introduction
The author fully utilizes the analysis of violence in relationships in the article, which is detailed and gripping, as it covers various factors such as evolutionary, biological, and environmental angles. Violence is using force or power to cause harm, injury, or damage to individuals or property (Rivara et al., 2019). I find the author’s multi-dimensional approach to delving into the root causes of violence captivating, as it steers away from a simplistic explanation. After reading the article, I came to find justifications that validate the claim that violence in relationships is not only determined by individuals’ choices but also by the complicated mix of genetics, biology, and environment, as discussed below.
The evolutionary viewpoint is an excellent place for a deep starting point. The article emphasizes the survival instincts of violence, connects the violence with the aggression in the animal kingdom, and builds a framework for human thinking. I realized the scope of territorial aggression observed in animals and how it resembles one’s typical behavior in taking up street gangs to protect their turf or nation-level conflicts. The article gave me a reason to think about how irrational and unlikely the positive outcomes of the aggression of one human against another are. Using this approach, I can evade stereotypes about the rationality of violence.
The article thoroughly discusses serotonin and neurotransmitters, adding depth to the exploration. The information regarding how serotonin deficiency affects impulse control, leading an individual to commit aggressive, impulsive crimes, is refreshing to me. The spotlight on the “warrior gene” and its linkage with delinquency and aggressive behavior, and the attention is drawn especially to those individuals who have suffered abuse, makes evident the complex relationship between genetics, biology, and environment. It mainly added a layer of complexity to my understanding of violent tendencies.
Additionally, this article goes beyond the exploration of the neurotransmitters to examine focal lesions, congenital disabilities, trauma, and also brain injuries as contributing factors for violent behavior. The case study of Charles J. Whitman and how a glioblastoma tumor relates to his abnormal brain functioning presents a powerful parallel between brain abnormalities and violent offending. An article by Costanza et al. (2020) says that Glioblastoma tumors can impact personality and behavior due to their location, potentially leading to emotional and behavioral changes, including violence. From the article, I understood that violence is now being considered from a holistic perspective, allowing the social, psychological, and environmental factors to complement the physiological ones.
The topic of violence provides a psychological perspective to me as to why different violent individuals behave the way they do. The article defies the inherent stereotypes as the author does not say that all people with this condition just commit thrill killing. I have also come to learn that the stressed function of the affected person, that is, the inability to empathize with others and the selfish nature of the disorder, is amongst the reasons for instrumental violence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this article has helped me understand why violence occurs in most settings. I learned about factors such as survival instincts, which bring about violence in both animals and humankind in protecting their turfs. Again, the article merges the evolutionary, biological, environmental, and psychological perspectives. It turns conventional thinking and makes me think about the multilayered nature of this complex topic and why these people behave the way they do.
References
Costanza, A., Zenga, F., Rudà, R., Amerio, A., Aguglia, A., Serafini, G., … & Nguyen, K. D. (2020). Suicidality in patients with brain tumors: a brief literature review with clinical exemplar. Medicina, 56(12), 725. https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/56/12/725
Rivara, F., Adhia, A., Lyons, V., Massey, A., Mills, B., Morgan, E. … & Rowhani-Rahbar, A. (2019). The effects of violence on health. Health Affairs, 38(10), 1622–1629. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00480
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