RELATIONSHIP OF THE BRAIN TO VIOLENT BEHAVIOR
Relationship of the Brain to Aggression
The brain is responsible for all activities involving the human behavior. They may include aggression, control, violence, love, reasonability and all functions that emotional, or in any way related to the social functioning of an individual. The subject of the human brain affecting ones aggression and violent behavior has been a subject of investigation in the resent years. Psychoanalysts as well as biologists want to find the brain parts that are responsible for this behavior. They also want to seek the differences in the brain structure of a morally controlled human and an aggressive individual.
The brain conducts functions according to hierarchy. The simpler functions like blood circulation; digestion, sweating, and respiration are controlled by the lower simpler brainstem and midbrain. On the other hand, more complex functions like reasoning and language are controlled by the cortical structures. The reasoning capacity of a human being is related to the more simpler or primitive part of the brain and also the part of the brain controlling higher and more complex activities. Notably, issues that increase the action of the brain stem like stress, testosterone, and norepinephrine systems may increase the aggression, violence, and impulse action (Denson, DeWall, & Finkel, 2012). However, the decrease in the regulating ability of the cortical areas will display similar reactions as stated above. This further confirms that aggression, violence, and irrational behavior are cortical modulation rationalized.
Brain imaging was done and data collected from 47 brain imaging surveys conducted on people who had poor reasoning ability and the results were ground breaking. It indicated that functional and structural impairments were responsible for poor judgment and anger control. The overall results showed that people who had a history of violent behavior has smaller prefrontal cortex and it was also less active (Denson, DeWall, & Finkel, 2012).
Another research was was conducted this time with 792 antisocial individuals and 704 normal individuals. The research findings were much more similar to the previous indicated survey. After their brain images were compared, it was noted that the antisocial individual had overlapping impairment to structures in the brain involved in making moral decisions. The most dominant damaged structures were the ventral prefrontal cortex, the amygdala, and the angular gyrus (Denson, DeWall, & Finkel, 2012). When consulted, neurologist shared that those parts of the brain were responsible for hyperactive reaction. It is the response reflected after an individual is threatened of fearful. The activity of the frontal lobe was reduced. That part of the brain is also responsible for decision making and impulse control.
In Finland, another research was conducted regarding the violent behaviors depicted in men and mostly young boys. It is very every day that we hear crimes conducted by men. Notably, young boys also depict very violent behavior with the least threat presented. The results collected suggested that males have a neurotransmitter substance deficiency. The neurotransmitter is known as serotonin (Denson, DeWall, & Finkel, 2012). This neurotransmitter was linked to aggressive individuals and the reason proposed was that the individuals susceptible to this behavior did not break down the substance well enough thus resulting to poor control of their behavior. Numerous studies have shown that serotonin at normal levels gives an individual calm and ability to withstand threat. This research in Finland also showed that testosterone could also be linked to violent and thus the reason for women to withstand threat in a more subtle way. Biologist concluded that unimpeded aggressive behavior could aggravate the aggressive behavior due to the continued serotonin decreasing activity and therefore measures advice to be taken the soonest possible. Due to resent studies conducted, the term reactive affective defensive impulsive (RADI) has been used describe individuals depicting such abnormalities (Denson, DeWall, & Finkel, 2012).
More research was conducted on maternal aggression. This is the main reason why generations are able to survive. Previous research had only focused on oxytocin. However, for the first time a neurotransmitter known as arginine-vasopressin secreted from the amygdala a part of brain ensured regulation in maternal aggression (Denson, DeWall, & Finkel, 2012). This hormone reduced fear and nervousness enabling new mothers face individuals that might cause harm to their young. Despite the fact that the research was conducted on rats, all mammals depict maternal aggression and so it was relevant for humans.
With this extensive research, problems of what to do once an individual were diagnosed with such behavior. Some argued that such studies conducted would cause more harm than good because individuals would forever face stigmatization. Individuals indicated to have this condition could be condemned even before committing a crime. This would sure lead them to committing the crimes that they were foreseen committing. On one hand, the society would be able to identify the chances of crimes to be committed and by whom while on the other hand, the identified youths or individuals would forever lead a life controlled by their mental health that they had no control for. This would ultimately increase their chances for joining a life in crime.
This research would also impair the justice system. Once a test was done in court and a suspected committer identified with this condition, the court would make quick conclusions that they committed the crime leaving the true criminal out of the justice system just because of his mental structure. The ethical issue of this research has remained inconclusive. However, it is evident that a neurological, biological, and psychological breakthrough has taken place and the findings will lead to more advances in these fields.
Why People Commit Crimes
Over the past year, crime rates in the United States and all over the have increased at a very alarming level. With the changing times crime and horror have filled our television sets. Increased crime rates have made governments and security personnel form strict laws aimed to discourage criminals and other offenders. However, in my opinion the main solution lies in identifying causes of these hideous actions and getting a solution for them (Wikström, & Treaber, 2007).
The economy in most parts of the world has hit very alarming levels. This has led to decrease in employment opportunities. Other companies result to turnover in order to keep the company afloat. Due to the increased caused of living the jobless people are forced into crime to meet their basic needs. This is the reason behind higher crime rates in countries with a higher unemployed youth (Wikström, & Treaber, 2007).
Anger is another predisposing factor to crime. The irrational behavior depicted in a moment of anger may result to a very calm individual doing something that they would never do on a normal setting. Uncontrolled anger could be attributed to the factors noted above as low levels of serotonin or poorly developed amygdala which is a part of the brain responsible for controlling anger. In addition, the momentarily rush of adrenaline could make a person make a decision that they would later regret (Wikström, & Treaber, 2007).
Greed for material possession is also responsible for crimes committed by people of a higher intellectual ability. Greed may also drive relatives into causing harm to each other for the gain of material possession. Other may just want an easy and fast way to upgrade their lifestyles thus resulting to theft or other methods that will give them wealth. Greed brings out the worst in people since it completely clouds the committers judgment.
Finally is peer influence. This especially applies to the youth who have poor control over their actions. They may also engage in such activities I order to gain a social standing for their peers or simply stated, look cool. This kind of factor is most evident in poor societies where the youth do not have enough to meet their needs and those of their family members. This factor is aggravated by poverty in the society. If a parent is able to provide enough for their children, such activities would hardly be plausible (Wikström, & Treaber, 2007). Therefore, poverty aggravates crime committed due to peer pressure.
The discussion made earlier on parts of the brain involved in aggression is closely related to reasons why people commit crimes. Nevertheless, there is no justification to why an individual should commit crimes. The situation that anyone is going through should justify the act of making an innocent life miserable. The offenders think that the crimes committed would reduce their problems but it they only escalate. The most important tool to fight this urge is control and hope. A good support system would also influence individuals make better decision and moral choices. Governments should also implement policies that would increase employments and also aid programs to help the impoverish.
References
Denson, T. F., DeWall, C. N., & Finkel, E. J. (2012) Self Control And Aggression: Association For Psychological Science, 21 (1) 20-25.
, H., & Treaber, k. (2007) Role Of Self-Control And Crime Causation: European Journal Of Criminology, 4 (2) 237-264.
