“Behavior originates in the brain, and violence is no
exception.” So begins an article by Dr. Debra Niehoff, adjunct
professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Science at
Bucks County Community College, which reviews the current
literature and then explains both the biologic and environmental
factors that may lead to aggressive behavior on the part of both
men and women. Niehoff ultimately suggests that violence is not
“hardwired” into men — or certain individuals for that matter —
but due to differences in brain structure and function, stress
response, and genetics, they may be more vulnerable than women
to factors that increase aggressive behavior. Her work appears
in Violence and Gender.  Brain Structure, Stress, Genes  Noting
that rates of violence are disproportionately higher in men,
Niehoff begins her discussion of the neuroscience of violent
behavior by describing how the interaction between genes and
environmental factors shape brain structure and function. In
fact, familial, social, cultur