Multinational Research Society Publisher

Innovative Findings and Proposals on the Evolutionary and Psychobiological Foundations of the Motivation to Bully


Sr No:
Page No: 1-7
Language: English
Authors: Gulay Gumus*
Received: 2025-09-12
Accepted: 2025-10-26
Published Date: 2025-10-01
GoogleScholar: Click here
Abstract:
Bullying is not merely a product of social and cultural factors but also a complex phenomenon shaped by evolutionary and psychobiological processes. This study examines the motivation to bully by exploring its evolutionary roots and psychobiological foundations, aiming to reveal the multilayered dynamics underlying this behavior. From an evolutionary perspective, bullying may have served functions such as gaining status, controlling resources, and regulating social hierarchies. From a psychobiological perspective, neural structures such as the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and reward circuits, along with neurohormonal interactions involving testosterone, dopamine, and cortisol, appear to sustain bullying behavior. Additionally, the role of the mirror neuron system in empathy deficits is emphasized. The study further discusses how modern contexts, such as cyberbullying, reshape evolutionarybiological tendencies and proposes an integrative model of bullying motivation. This approach highlights bullying as not only an individual issue but also an interactive process across biological, psychological, and social domains.
Keywords: Bullying; Evolutionary Psychology; Psychobiological Mechanisms; Motivation; Amygdala; Dopamine.

Journal: MRS Journal of Arts, Humanities and Literature
ISSN(Online): 3049-1444
Publisher: MRS Publisher
Frequency: Monthly
Language: English

Innovative Findings and Proposals on the Evolutionary and Psychobiological Foundations of the Motivation to Bully