ABSTRACT
In marked contrast to biological accounts of aggression are those based on an anthropological or socio-cultural framework. Where the former have tended to see aggression as, to a large extent, an inevitable part of the human condition, the latter have considered the extent to which violence is a function not of being human, but of living in human society. Moreover it is also important to remember that much anthropological discussion concerns forms of violence ranging from warfare to individual fighting. The anthropological evidence provides some support for the notion that action should be taken to avoid the formation of such subcultures, in particular by eliminating factors associated with such cultures. In terms of a more general understanding of violence, the sociological and anthropological work provides strong evidence that a purely biological explanation is inadequate and emphasizes the need for careful study of cultural and sub cultural factors in violence.
