Intra-Specific Aggression

Unlike any other animal, humans use their symbolic capacities and language to both inhibit and promote aggressive behavior within and between social groups. Aspects of human violence that are unique are some of those that are mediated through language – blackmail, verbal abuse – although it could be argued that these are similar to the gestural threats present in other animals. Language is a key tool to establish and maintain such social networks and is instrumental in preparing and organizing war. Our abilities and tendencies for (in-group) cooperation and (out-group) aggression seem to go hand in hand. Finally, language itself has become a tool for aggression as it allows to deliver stressful psychological blows by demeaning insult and shaming. In addition to language, the use of tools, especially projectile weapons and traps (both also very effectively used for hunting) add novel dimensions to human aggression.Human aggression differs in scale. Modern humans engage in world wars and genocides, resulting in the deaths of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of individuals. Human aggressive acts may be driven by perceived (though not necessarily real) threats to a group or status, desire to stop all future attacks, or even ritualistic behavior. It has been speculated that modern humans caused the downfall of Neanderthal through genocide. Humans often rely on cooperation that transcend the immediate social group and draw from potentially large social networks, especially male kin and affine alliances. Such behavior is more reminiscent of that seen in social insects, than in any non-human primates. Human groups can get involved in multi-generational feuding over past aggression, whereby each aggressive act fuels novel retaliation. Humans appear to be the only primates that retaliate as a group.Sedentarization and the accumulation of property, followed by social stratification, may have led to increased rates of violence and in particular of organized violence (i.e. war). Long-lived reputation (through language) is an important factor in mediating human inter-group aggression.Human aggression is also tied to cognitive abilities, linking aggressive acts with potential benefits dislocated in time or space. Acts of aggression can lead to resource gain in territories not present or in the future scenarios yet to happen. It can be related to remembered aggression, such as revenge, or to prevent unwanted future aggression.Only humans have made long-range weapons. These weapons possibly lower the cost benefit ratio of aggression, by reducing the risk of self-harm while inflicting more damage to the victim. Lastly, only humans attempt suicide, which could be viewed as aggression towards oneself.