Cartoons as Predictors of Violence in Children

The human brain mediates all human behavior: aggression, violence, fear, ideology indeed, all human emotional, behavioral, cognitive and social functioning. This three pound mass of 100 billion neurons and 1000 billion cells is infinitely complex. Yet certain principles of brain organization and function can lead to insights regarding neurological factors involved in violence and aggression. Are violent children conceived or created? Is there a neurobiological reason that a child is violent? What makes a child violent? Genes that make testosterone? Maternal neglect? Physical abuse? Modeling from a father hitting a mother? Impaired problem solving skills? Peer/gang pressures? Violence on television? Violent lyrics in music? Access to guns? In attempting to understand what makes a child violent, it is important to remember three points, 1)Not all violence is the same, 2) The brain mediates all human behavior, 3) The biological properties of the brain are the result of genotype and developmental experiences.