Understanding violence
By: Elizabeth Kandel Englander.
Publisher: L. Erlbaum Associates
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Mahwah, N.J
Language: eng
Number of pages: 187
Subjects: Violent crimes -- United States.; Violent crimes -- United States -- Psychological aspects.; Criminal psychology -- United States.; Violence -- United States.
Description: Heightened public awareness of and concern about what is widely perceived as a recent explosion of violence, on a spectrum from domestic abuse to street crime, has motivated behavioral and social scientists to cast new light on old questions. Many hypotheses have been offered.

In this book, Elizabeth Kandel Englander sorts, structures, and evaluates them. She draws on contemporary research and theory in varied fields - sociology, clinical psychology, psychiatry, social work, neuropsychology, behavioral genetics, child development, and education - to present a uniquely balanced, integrated, and readable summary of what we currently know about the causes and effects of violence.

Throughout, she emphasizes the necessity of distinguishing among different types of violent behavior and of realizing that nature and nurture interact in human development. There are no simple answers, and many well-accepted "facts" must be challenged. Such controversial issues as physical punishment and violent television programming receive special attention.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 156-175) and indexes.