The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Newsletter

The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Newsletter

Share this post

The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Newsletter
The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Newsletter
12 Things Everyone Should Know About Violence
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

12 Things Everyone Should Know About Violence

What the science really says about aggression, crime, and human nature

Steve Stewart-Williams's avatar
Steve Stewart-Williams
May 03, 2025
∙ Paid
47

Share this post

The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Newsletter
The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Newsletter
12 Things Everyone Should Know About Violence
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
22
14
Share
black semi automatic pistol with white smoke
Photo by Paul Einerhand on Unsplash

Share

Give a gift subscription


Violence is one of those topics where almost everyone has an opinion, but few have looked at the data. We debate it, fear it, and condemn it - yet much of what we believe about violence is based on hearsay, headlines, and Hollywood rather than solid evidence.

In this installment of the “12 Things Everyone Should Know” series, we’ll cut through the myths and take a tour of the science of human aggression. We’ll learn, among other things, that women are sometimes more violent than men in relationships, that humans are both unusually peaceful and unusually violent compared to other animals, and that life before civilization was often far more brutal than today. We’ll also explore the nature and nurture of human violence, the relationship of IQ to violence, and myths about violent video games.

Some of the findings we’ll cover square with commonsense; others turn popular opinion on its head. But all are grounded in peer-reviewed research - and all shed light on one of the darkest, most fascinating aspects of human nature.

You can access the full collection of “12 Things Everyone Should Know” posts here.


1. The Most Violent Humans on Earth

Which age group is the most violent? Here’s a hint: If you’re hitting someone to steal their car, it’s most likely a plastic one…

That’s right: Toddlers are the most violent group of people on the planet. As adorable as they are, they lash out with shocking frequency. As we see in the graph below, physical aggression peaks at around age two, then falls steadily as kids make their way through childhood.

We’re often told that aggression is something we learn. But the evidence suggests the opposite: that kids have to learn not to be aggressive.

Changes in physical aggression of boys and girls with age (mothers’ reports). Source: Tremblay et al. (1999), cited in Archer (2009).

2. Men Are More Aggressive - Usually

You might have noticed another trend in the above graph: At every age, boys are more aggressive than girls. Needless to say, this difference isn’t limited to childhood; it persists throughout the lifespan. Moreover, it’s particularly large in late adolescence and early adulthood, when male aggression spikes.

There’s an interesting nuance here, however: While boys and men corner the market on direct, face-to-face aggression, girls and women engage in as much or even more indirect aggression - that is, gossiping, social exclusion, and the like.

Source: Archer (2006).
The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Newsletter
12 Things Everyone Should Know About Evolutionary Psychology
This is the latest post in my “12 Things Everyone Should Know” series. You can access the full collection here…
Read more
a year ago · 57 likes · 10 comments · Steve Stewart-Williams

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Steve Stewart-Williams
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More