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.

Paul R. Robbins is a psychologist who has held a number of positions as a researcher in the Department of Psychiatry of the George Washington University Medical School, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Public Health Service. He has served as a consultant to the Drug Addiction Ward of the Veterans’ Administration Hospital in Washington, DC, and had a private practice of psychotherapy for over twenty years. He has published numerous research papers in psychological and psychiatric journals, written many books on psychological topics for general readers and is the author of several novels. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Paul R. Robbins
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 215
Bibliographic Info: notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2000
pISBN: 978-0-7864-0903-7
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      v

Introduction      1

1. Anger      5

2. Aggression      19

3. Culture and Aggression      39

4. Learning to Be Aggressive      65

5. Anger, Aggression and the Individual      85

6. Violence and the Media      101

7. Alcohol and Aggression      117

8. When Communities Run Amok      127

9. Prevention and Treatment of Violent Behavior      145

10. Strategies for Anger Control: A View from the Therapist’s Office      161

Notes      171

Bibliography      183

Index      199

“offers a good overview of the literature…and reasonable discussion of complex topics”—Choice.