The Cambridge Handbook of Violent Behavior and Aggression

The Cambridge Handbook of Violent Behavior and Aggression presents the current state of knowledge related to the study of violent behaviors and aggression. An important extension of the first Handbook published ten years ago, the second edition maintains a distinctly cross-disciplinary focus by representing the newest scholarship and insights from behavior genetics, cross-cultural comparative psychology/criminology, evolutionary psychology, criminal justice, criminology, human development, molecular genetics, neurosciences, psychology, prevention and intervention sciences, psychiatry, psychopharmacology, public health, and sociology. The Handbook is divided into introductory and overview chapters on the study of violent behavior and aggression, followed by chapters on biosocial bases, individual and interpersonal factors, contextual factors, and prevention and intervention work and policy implications. It is an essential resource for researchers, scholars, and graduate students across social and behavioral science disciplines interested in the etiology, intervention, and prevention of violent behavior and aggression.

Violence is a complex behavior that manifests itself every day in acts of terrorism, through exposure in the media, and in our families and neighborhoods. Understanding the origins of violent behavior and aggression, its developmental course, and its impact on individuals and societies will allow us to develop appropriate preventative interventions and policies that will affect us in our everyday lives. This handbook is unique in its depth of coverage of violence and aggressive behavior, its multidisciplinary focus, and its presentation of cutting-edge research by the leading authors in the field.