Dominance and Aggression in Humans and Other Animals: The Great Game of Life

Dominance and Aggression in Humans and Other Animals: The Great Game of Life examines human nature and the influence of evolution, genetics, chemistry, nurture, and the sociopolitical environment as a way of understanding how and why humans behave in aggressive and dominant ways.  The book walks us through aggression in other social species, compares and contrasts human behavior to other animals, and then explores specific human behaviors like bullying, abuse, territoriality murder, and war.  The book examines both individual and group aggression in different environments including work, school, and the home.  It explores common stressors triggering aggressive behaviors, and how individual personalities can be vulnerable to, or resistant to, these stressors.  The book closes with an exploration of the cumulative impact of human aggression and dominance on the natural world.

Reviews the influence of evolution, genetics, biochemistry, and nurture on aggressionExplores aggression in multiple species, including insects, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammalsCompares human and animal aggressive and dominant behaviorExamines bullying, abuse, territoriality, murder, and warIncludes nonaggressive behavior in displays of respect and toleranceHighlights aggression triggers from drugs to stressDiscusses individual and group behavior, including organizations and nationsProbes dominance and aggression in religion and politicsTranslates the impact of human behavior over time on the natural world

Chapter 1. Defining Dominance and Aggression

Chapter 2. Traits of Dominant Animals

Chapter 3. The Significance of Comparative Studies

Chapter 4. Social Nonprimate Animals

Chapter 5. From Whence We Came: Primates

Chapter 6. The Human Animal

Chapter 7. Similarities Between Humans and Other Living Organisms

Chapter 8. Human Nature

Chapter 9. Alternate Human Behavior

Chapter 10. The Chemical, Physical, and Genetic Nature of Dominance

Chapter 11. Dominance and Aggression in the Workplace

Chapter 12. Dominance in Religion

Chapter 13. Dominance in Politics

Chapter 14. Human Aggression: Killing and Abuse

Chapter 15. Killing Humans

Chapter 16. Are We Our Own Worst Enemy?

Chapter 17. Attempts to Save the Natural World

Chapter 18. The Nature of Things