#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
Modern Wisdom
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Understanding the Dual Nature of Aggression: From Predation to Reaction
Aggression manifests in two forms: proactive and reactive. Proactive aggression is premeditated, predatory, and unemotional, often directed towards achieving a specific goal, such as hunting. In contrast, reactive aggression is impulsive, defensive, and arises from an immediate emotional response to perceived threats, such as being betrayed. These two types of aggression are governed by distinct brain mechanisms and have evolved differently. Over the past 300,000 years, humans have increasingly favored proactive aggression, improving hunting skills while experiencing a decline in reactive aggression, signifying a shift towards less impulsive and more controlled aggressive behavior.
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