DEPRIVATION OF PHYSICAL AFFECTION AS A PRIMARY PROCESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE - A COMPARATIVE AND CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE (FROM CHILD ABUSE AND VIOLENCE, 1979, BY DAVID G GIL - SEE NCJ-56404)

• NCJ Number: 56407
• Author(s): J W PRESCOTT
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 72 pages
• Corporate Author: AMS Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Bibliography
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE THIRD ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR CROSS-CULTURAL RESEARCH, BOSTON (MA), FEBRUARY 1974

Annotation

THEORIES AND STATISTICS PERTAINING TO THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOMATOSENSORY (PHYSICAL AFFECTION, OR BODY TOUCH) DEPRIVATION DURING FORMATIVE YEARS AND EXPRESSION OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IN ADULTHOOD ARE EXAMINED.

Abstract

DATA DRAWN FROM A COMPILATION OF STATISTICS ON 400 PRIMITIVE CULTURES OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT THE THESIS THAT DEPRIVATION OF PHYSICAL AFFECTION AND BODY PLEASURE, THROUGHOUT LIFE BUT PARTICULARLY DURING THE FORMATIVE PERIODS (INFANCY, CHILDHOOD, AND ADOLESCENCE), IS STRONGLY RELATED TO THE PROMINENCE OF WARFARE AND INTERPERSONAL PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IN CULTURES. STATISTICS FROM THE UNITED STATES SHOW STRONG ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN INFANT MORTALITY AND HOMICIDE RATES AND BETWEEN DIVORCE AND SUICIDE RATES. APPARENTLY INFANT MORTALITY AND DIVORCE REFLECT DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT RELATE TO DIFFERENT FORMS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE. THE LINK BETWEEN INFANT MORTALITY AND HOMICIDE SUGGESTS THAT CHILDREN WHO SURVIVE DESPITE THEIR NEGATIVE SURROUNDINGS BECOME SOCIETY'S SOCIAL OFFENDERS. STATISTICAL STRATEGIES FOR PREDICTING THE EXTENT OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT FROM DATA ON UNWED MOTHERS AND ADOLESCENT MOTHERS (FROM WHICH ESTIMATES OF 'UNWANTEDNESS' ARE DERIVED), PREMATURITY, SEPARATION OF MOTHER AND CHILD, AND INFANT AND CHILD MORTALITY RATES ARE OUTLINED. WAYS IN WHICH THE PRACTICES OF MODERN MEDICINE HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE OF AFFECTIONAL BONDING BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND DYSFUNCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ARE DISCUSSED (E.G., USE OF ANESTHETICS AND SEDATIVES IN CHILDBIRTH, POSITION OF THE MOTHER DURING BIRTH, ROUTINE SEPARATION OF NEWBORNS FROM THEIR MOTHERS, DISCOURAGEMENT OF BREASTFEEDING). IT IS CONCLUDED THAT SOMATOSENSORY DEPRIVATION DURING THE FORMATIVE PERIODS ACTUALLY INFLUENCES THE DEVELOPMENT, ORGANIZATION, AND FUNCTION OF THE BRAIN IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE BRAIN'S VIOLENCE 'SYSTEMS' ARE PREDISPOSED TO DOMINATE PLEASURE 'SYSTEMS.' ENRICHED SOMATOSENSORY STIMULATION AND CONSEQUENT EXPERIENCING OF BODY PLEASURE HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. TO THE EXTENT THAT CULTURES AND VALUE SYSTEMS ENCOURAGE SOMATOSENSORY ENRICHMENT OR DEPRIVATION, THEY DETERMINE WHETHER PEACE OF VIOLENCE WILL PREVAIL. IF THE MORAL PROBLEM OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS IS TO BE RESOLVED, THE DUALISTIC VIEW OF THE BODY AS INFERIOR, EVIL, AND SUBSERVIENT TO THE MIND OR SOUL MUST BE REPLACED WITH AN AFFIRMATION OF THE MORALITY OF PHYSICAL PLEASURE AND THE IMMORALITY OF PAIN, TORTURE, SUFFERING, AND DEPRIVATION. EXTENSIVE TABLES, GRAPHS, AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)