Psychological Theories of Violence

Paper Summary:

The paper examines J. Gilligan's research, "Shame, Guilt, and Violence", about the underlying motivations to violent crimes. The paper explains Gilligan's findings that children whose experiences are especially traumatic create complex coping mechanisms, or dissociate, and later may create pathways to violent expression. The paper then discusses how shame and violence have an intense reciprocal relationship, where violence invokes shame, which invokes more violence. The paper concludes that healthy development of personal pride, dignity and self-esteem in a child's early years are critical in fostering discernment and tolerance, values required to cope in an otherwise challenging world.

From the Paper:

"Gilligan (2003) provides a very thorough exploration of the underlying motivations to violent crimes, and skillfully explains social and global violent conditions as systemic of key underlying psychological conditions. He interviewed imprisoned male offenders across the nation who committed violent, repeated, murders. His astounding research exposes two significant commonalities in how serious violent offenders ultimately justify and engage in heinous crimes. Those interviewed identified humiliation and personal insult as stimuli for violence. Inmates stated that both interactions with others and early, prolonged conditions that negatively impacted their personal pride, dignity, and self-esteem, induced immorality and criminal behavior (Gilligan, 2003)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bennett-Johnson, E. (2004). The root of school violence: Causes and recommendations for aplan of action. College Student Journal, 38(2), p199.
• Gilligan, J. (2003). Shame, guilt and violence. Social Research, 70(4), 1149-1181.
• Girardi, P., Monaco, E., Prestigiacomo, C., & Talamo, A. (2007). Personality and psychopathological profiles in individuals exposed to mobbing. Violence and Victims.22(2), 172-189.
• Turkel, A. R. (2007). Sugar and spice and puppy dogs' tails: The psychodynamics of bullying.Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry, 35(2),243-259.
• Wright, J. P., & Beaver, K. M. (2005). Do parents matter in creating self-control in their children?. A genetically informed test of Gottfredson and Hirschi's theory of low self- control. Criminology, 43(4), 1169-1203.

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