Psychoanalytic Theories
The psychoanalytic theories of violence have been advanced by such theorists as Freud, Storr, Kaplan, and Fromme, and for the most part they explain aggression as an instinctive drive in humans. Siann (1985) and Storr (1968) expanded on Freud's theory of aggression as instinctive by theorizing that aggression exists on a continuum of behavior from a normal to a pathological response. Siann hypothesized that the aggressive response is determined by each individual's early development. Kaplan (1975) and Fromme (1977) shared the theory that aggression results from thwarting a basic human need rather than from an instinctive drive. These theories examined mothering styles and placed less emphasis on the parenting style of fathers or the effect of an absent father. Also these theories failed to explain the prevalence of violence perpetrated by men as compared with women.