Psychobiology of human aggression and violence

野蛮和暴力在各种文化的年轻人中无处不在。冲突地区和失败国家的特点是暴力循环反复发生。以个人和社会权力、统治地位和获取物质资源为目标的工具性侵略经常被认为是原因。我们认为，对狩猎行为的生理准备是另一个重要的驱动力。狩猎是令人着迷和吸引人的，它是一种欲望，可以暂时剥夺身体上的需要、痛苦、汗水、鲜血，最终，杀戮的意愿是可以忍受的，甚至是诱人的。我们假设更高的管理系统，如基于额叶的执行功能，可以防止狩猎行为的非自愿脱轨。如果这种控制——比如对儿童兵的控制——不是后天习得的，那么对人类的残暴行为仍然是令人着迷和吸引人的。为了杀人，必须血流。因此，这是一种诱人的暗示，就像受害者的挣扎一样。对男性来说，狩猎是一件令人着迷的事，而且会同时释放出睾丸激素、血清素和内啡肽，这能产生欣快感，减轻痛苦。孩子们学会了哪些条件是合法的，哪些是不合法的。这也许可以解释人们对角斗、暴力电脑游戏的迷恋，以及对足球等仪式化形式的迷恋。

Savagery and violence is omnipresent among young men of all cultures. Conflict regions and failed states are characterized by reoccurring cycles of violence. Instrumental aggression aiming for personal and social power, for dominance, and for acquisition of material resources, has been frequently cited as cause. We suggest that a biological preparedness for hunting behaviour is another essential driving force. Hunting is fascinating and attractive, a desire that makes temporary deprivation from physical needs, pain, sweat, blood, and, ultimately, the willingness to kill tolerable and even appetitive. We postulate that higher regulatory systems, such as frontal lobe based executive functions, prevent the involuntary derailment of hunting behaviour. If this control – such as in child soldiers for example – is not learned, then brutality towards humans remains fascinating and appealing. Blood must flow in order to kill. It is hence an appetitive cue as is the struggling of the victim. Hunting for men, more rarely for women, is fascinating and emotionally arousing with the parallel release of testosterone, serotonin, and endorphins, which can produce feelings of euphoria and alleviate pain. Children learn which conditions legitimate aggressive behaviour and which not. This may explain the fascination with gladiatorial combat, violent computer games but as well ritualized forms like football.