Stress, aggression, and social information processing

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Aggression is a prevalent social behavior that incurs significant social and economic costs globally. Despite its long-standing status as a key research topic in psychology, the (psycho)biological foundations of aggression and violence remain poorly understood. Contemporary models, such as the General Aggression Model, suggest that aggression results from multiple person and situational factors, mediated by affect, cognition, and arousal. This dissertation focuses on stress as a critical factor influencing aggression and violence. It compiles and discusses current scientific findings from psychology, neuroscience, and animal research regarding the neural basis of aggression and the interplay between stress and aggression. Three experimental studies are presented, examining how stress and aggression affect social information processing, specifically the interpretation of emotional facial expressions, in healthy participants. These studies utilize psychophysiological (EEG), endocrine (cortisol), and behavioral data. The unique approach combines the experimental induction and measurement of aggression with pharmacological manipulation of cortisol and the induction of social exclusion feelings. The findings lead to the formulation of new research questions, expanding the understanding of aggression's complexities.