<p>This may be difficult (close to impossible) in the social sciences to create an experiment that isolates one group so that that they are not exposed to violence for a long period of time (more than a few days). But, an important question. For example, its common for research in this area to examine <a href="https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/spatio-temporal-assessment-exposure-neighborhood-violence" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the influence of community violence on externalizing behavior</a> (aggression, etc.), as a result, participants report on exposure to violence in a natural setting. Moreover, there are no experimental manipulations that control the amount of violence participants are exposed to.</p>
<p>However, there is research on exposure to violent media, such as on television and video games, that applies an experimental design to compare a no/low violence exposure group to a violence exposure group. In this way, its common for this research to use an <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/190228" rel="nofollow noreferrer">intervention</a> to decrease the amount of media use (for a given period of time), and common to measure <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1972-26968-001" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the immediate impact</a> of violent media across experiment conditions, (rather than eliminate violence over a long period of time). Again, lower externalizing problems (i.e. aggression) are commonly reported as a result of reducing exposure to violent stimuli (the media).</p>
<p>Furthermore, <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0018251" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Anderson's et al. (2010)</a> meta-analysis on the effects of violent video games on aggression, prosocial behavior, and empathy provides strong evidence</p>
<blockquote>
<p>that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for
increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and aggressive
affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behavior</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Moreover, no significant differences by culture or sex we're shown.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-25T17:32:31.550Z
Come to think of it now, people stranded on desolate islands or living in isolation under any other circumstance are not exposed to violence, because they are simply not exposed to other people. Another suggestion, is the community of scientists in the South pole - they are hardly exposed to violence other than micro-violence in the daily relations between them.
drabsv
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-25T17:57:08.697Z
similar to what you are saying, there may be research comparing those living detached from society (such as monks, ascetics, or simply living off the land away from others) to those that are not, focusing on the relationship between no exposure to violence and outcomes like aggression. But, unlike your initial question, these aren't "un-natural" circumstances (experimental design), rather data is collected from a natural setting
stephan_phd
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-06T10:21:40.207Z
@studentstephan *these aren't "un-natural" circumstances (experimental design)* - was the OP looking for experiment studies? The question seemed open to studies on people you mentioned in your comment and with those at polar research facilities. Do you know of such research which you could add to your answer?
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-06T21:33:18.177Z
@ChrisRogers I'll be back on tonight, and will attend to this then. Thank you
stephan_phd
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-25T16:33:33.100Z
2021-11-25T16:38:38.633Z
2021-11-25T16:38:38.633Z
stephan_phd
<p><strong>Introduction:</strong></p>
<p>Survival on this planet, inherently involves violence and so do human instincts for establishing social hierarchies (reference: Social dominance theory). Virtually any human being faces violence (at least) at some stage of their life.</p>
<p>Therefore we can state that aggression always finds its place in human psyche. While all of us possess some aggression we do express it in different manners. Some of us repress it, others let it explode uncontrollably, still others try to direct it at the source of violence against them, etc.</p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong></p>
<p>Are you acquainted with any research or scientific speculations what happens when a person is put in (the unnatural) circumstances of so low levels of violence in their life, that we could assume that violence stimuli are actually absent?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-28T05:27:52.083Z
I'm afraid that asking for the opinion of professionals is still asking for opinion - see for example these meta posts [1](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/228683/875262) [2](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/297498/875262) [3](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/190690/875262).  Also, just asking if *anything* happens in a hypothetical scenario is *way* too broad.  There is for example, a large [Jain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism) community and some Budhhist monks who live in strict non-violence, and ... nothing happens to them; they are normal people.
Arnon Weinberg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-29T15:10:49.167Z
I think Arnon is right here; the question needs much more focus; the lead on the Buddhist Monks is a good way to start your research. Then the question could evolve into something like '*Buddhist monks live in the absence of violence, this and that paper says they respond differently to aggression, how does this translate into brain activity?*' or something along those lines. Then the question has focus and based on evidence. As of now it is too broad and opinion based.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-06T08:24:45.307Z
@Arnon perhaps that constitutes an answer? Questions with limited research can just link to resources to get the OP started imho.
Steven Jeuris
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-06T10:28:17.637Z
@ArnonWeinberg with ref. to your comment about Buddhist monks not suffering from violence, there have been cases in history where Buddhist monks have suffered some of the most horrific violence. Look at the history of Tibet for example. I grant you that they shun violence but they are not immune.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-06T18:59:09.923Z
@ChrisRogers There are many different sects, I just mentioned that some of them live in strict non-violence, so that's the subset the OP might want to look at.
Arnon Weinberg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-07T07:56:04.233Z
When it comes to secluded communities such as the Buddhist monks, it's a little bit tricky to explore if subtle forms of violence exist such as repressed feelings, verbal violence, etc.
drabsv
<aggression><stimulation>
How would human consciousness react to absence of violence stimuli?
drabsv
# How would human consciousness react to absence of violence stimuli?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-11-25)

**Introduction:**

Survival on this planet, inherently involves violence and so do human instincts for establishing social hierarchies (reference: Social dominance theory). Virtually any human being faces violence (at least) at some stage of their life.

Therefore we can state that aggression always finds its place in human psyche. While all of us possess some aggression we do express it in different manners. Some of us repress it, others let it explode uncontrollably, still others try to direct it at the source of violence against them, etc.

**Question:**

Are you acquainted with any research or scientific speculations what happens when a person is put in (the unnatural) circumstances of so low levels of violence in their life, that we could assume that violence stimuli are actually absent?

**Tags:** aggression, stimulation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm afraid that asking for the opinion of professionals is still asking for opinion - see for example these meta posts [1](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/228683/875262) [2](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/297498/875262) [3](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/190690/875262).  Also, just asking if *anything* happens in a hypothetical scenario is *way* too broad.  There is for example, a large [Jain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism) community and some Budhhist monks who live in strict non-violence, and ... nothing happens to them; they are normal people.  
> **username_2**: I think Arnon is right here; the question needs much more focus; the lead on the Buddhist Monks is a good way to start your research. Then the question could evolve into something like '*Buddhist monks live in the absence of violence, this and that paper says they respond differently to aggression, how does this translate into brain activity?*' or something along those lines. Then the question has focus and based on evidence. As of now it is too broad and opinion based.  
> **username_3**: @Arnon perhaps that constitutes an answer? Questions with limited research can just link to resources to get the OP started imho.  
> **username_4**: @ArnonWeinberg with ref. to your comment about Buddhist monks not suffering from violence, there have been cases in history where Buddhist monks have suffered some of the most horrific violence. Look at the history of Tibet for example. I grant you that they shun violence but they are not immune.  
> **username_1**: @ChrisRogers There are many different sects, I just mentioned that some of them live in strict non-violence, so that's the subset the OP might want to look at.  
> **username_0**: When it comes to secluded communities such as the Buddhist monks, it's a little bit tricky to explore if subtle forms of violence exist such as repressed feelings, verbal violence, etc.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-11-25. Score: 2

This may be difficult (close to impossible) in the social sciences to create an experiment that isolates one group so that that they are not exposed to violence for a long period of time (more than a few days). But, an important question. For example, its common for research in this area to examine [the influence of community violence on externalizing behavior](https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/spatio-temporal-assessment-exposure-neighborhood-violence) (aggression, etc.), as a result, participants report on exposure to violence in a natural setting. Moreover, there are no experimental manipulations that control the amount of violence participants are exposed to.

However, there is research on exposure to violent media, such as on television and video games, that applies an experimental design to compare a no/low violence exposure group to a violence exposure group. In this way, its common for this research to use an [intervention](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/190228) to decrease the amount of media use (for a given period of time), and common to measure [the immediate impact](https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1972-26968-001) of violent media across experiment conditions, (rather than eliminate violence over a long period of time). Again, lower externalizing problems (i.e. aggression) are commonly reported as a result of reducing exposure to violent stimuli (the media).

Furthermore, [Anderson's et al. (2010)](https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0018251) meta-analysis on the effects of violent video games on aggression, prosocial behavior, and empathy provides strong evidence

> that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for
> increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and aggressive
> affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behavior

Moreover, no significant differences by culture or sex we're shown.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Come to think of it now, people stranded on desolate islands or living in isolation under any other circumstance are not exposed to violence, because they are simply not exposed to other people. Another suggestion, is the community of scientists in the South pole - they are hardly exposed to violence other than micro-violence in the daily relations between them.  
> **username_5**: similar to what you are saying, there may be research comparing those living detached from society (such as monks, ascetics, or simply living off the land away from others) to those that are not, focusing on the relationship between no exposure to violence and outcomes like aggression. But, unlike your initial question, these aren't "un-natural" circumstances (experimental design), rather data is collected from a natural setting  
> **username_4**: @studentstephan *these aren't "un-natural" circumstances (experimental design)* - was the OP looking for experiment studies? The question seemed open to studies on people you mentioned in your comment and with those at polar research facilities. Do you know of such research which you could add to your answer?  
> **username_5**: @ChrisRogers I'll be back on tonight, and will attend to this then. Thank you  

---

