The increasing frequency of aggression between nations and religious or ethnic groups, as well as the spiraling of interpersonal violence in public life (particularly in schools), is of great current concern. Most violent behavior is, at least in part, determined by emotions or lack of appropriate emotion regulation. The following issues, a sampling of those to be studied in the NCCR, illustrate the relevance of this research to modern society and the social problems it needs to solve:
- early detection of genetic and prenatal determinants of behavior and personality, especially impulsiveness, that constitute risk factors for antisocial behavior (drug abuse, violent behavior, vandalism);
- the role of family dynamics in identity formation (including self-esteem) and the development of emotional regulation and coping, which inhibits or controls tendencies toward violence and other forms of antisocial behavior;
- the weakening of self-reflexive emotions like shame, guilt, and pride, which are important factors in socialization and internalization of sociocultural values, limiting antisocial or violent tendencies and fostering prosocial behavior tendencies;
- individual (neuropsychological biases and psychopathology) and social factors (socialization and interpersonal associations) underlying refusal to comply with norms, and criminal behavior; (e) the sense of injustice as an emotional incentive to deviant or violent behavior;
- negative affect toward ethnically or religiously different individuals as a basis for group violence; and
- emotional aspects of international relations and inter-ethnic aggressions.
