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New research indicates that bullies don't exactly use aggressive behavior as a bulwark for their own insecurities. Researchers at the University of Chicago have conclusively demonstrated that bullies often derive pleasure from watching others in pain.
The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging scans, also known as fMRIs, that allow scientists to view the specific parts of an individual's brain experiencing increased blood flow and neural activity. From this, they determine which parts of the brain are stimulated when an aggressive youth watched videos of others in pain.
The study was led by Jean Decety, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Chicago.
The fMRIs taken at the University of Chicago indicated that the reward centers of the brain consistently received more blood flow when a youth diagnosed with an aggressive conduct disorder was shown a clip depicting a person subjected to pain.
The experiment was also conducted with children who showed no signs of aggressive behavior. When these children were shown the same clips, three sets of neural patterns activated in their brains.
The first set demonstrated empathy for the suffering individuals. The second set was in the areas of the brain responsible for understanding social interactions and moral reasoning. The third set showed activity in the same set of neural patterns triggered in the minds of the filmed individuals.
The amygdala and the ventral striatum received increased blood flow in aggressive adolescents when they watched the test images. The amygdala is an almond shaped group of neurons charged with processing emotional reactions. The ventral striatum plays an important role in reward-related behavior.
The theory that certain aggressive behavior can be hard-wired raises a number of questions. Some behaviors and instincts are undoubtedly innate but neurological proof of joy rooted in others' pain is different.
The research conducted at the University of Chicago proved that some children respond to aggression differently. The findings don't fully answer the question of whether bullies are born or made. Either way, a child can come to enjoy the sight of someone writhing in pain.
As neuroscience advances, it is likely cognitive psychology and neurophysiology will benefit as a result. Full results of the scientific study, "Atypical Empathetic Responses in Adolescents with Aggressive Conduct Disorder: A functional MRI Investigation" is in the November issue of Biological Psychology.
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