Human Aggression
Andrew Weaver
Communication Science
Our ultimate goal in this course will be to design successful interventions to reduce harmful aggressive behavior in our society. To accomplish this end goal, we will need to develop a thorough understanding of how violence works. Are humans, by nature, a violent species? What causes people to go on violent crime sprees, or abuse their spouse or children, or bully classmates, or fight with strangers at a bar? What kinds of contextual factors (e.g., media exposure, personality type, environment) predict aggressive behavior and why? What do we currently do about violent behavior (e.g., in the criminal justice system) and does it work? A great deal of research has been done in an attempt to understand the nature of human aggression, although this research tends to be siloed and not applied. In this course we will use a multidisciplinary approach to examine the topic of human aggression. This journey will take us through biological, psychological, and sociological explanations for the root of aggressive behavior. Through our discussions and assignments, we will attempt to bring a holistic approach to bear on practical solutions.
Catalog Information: HON-H 237 LAW AND SOCIETY