Humans may not be as hardwired for violence as we thought

New research from the University of Lincoln, UK, is questioning a long standing idea about the evolutionary roots of human violence. The findings suggest that everyday aggression does not necessarily build toward deadly conflict.

Published in the international journal Evolution Letters , the study indicates that mild aggression and lethal violence may have developed through different evolutionary processes. That distinction adds a new layer to the long-running debate over whether violence is an inherent part of human nature.

The work was led by Professor Bonaventura Majolo of the University of Lincoln, alongside Dr. Samantha Wakes and Professor Marcello Ruta.

Many theories about the origins of violence treat aggression as one broad behavioral characteristic. Under that view, species that frequently engage in everyday fights or disputes might also be expected to show higher levels of lethal violence.

The new research suggests that this assumption may be too simple.