In the 1980s the relationship between alcohol and aggression and violence was a controversial one. Much of previous thinking had been based on anecdotal evidence. In contrast this book, originally published in 1986, is based upon recent scientific evidence from a broad range of studies from animal experimentation to clinical and social research. The initial chapters describe what aggression is, in terms of theories of animal behaviour, how alcohol influences neural and endocrine functions and behaviour and how problematic it often is to extrapolate from animal research to humans. Later chapters give critical reviews of attempts to relate alcohol intake to violence and crime.

The book represents a major synthesis of work from many disciplines and will interest workers in animal behaviour, alcohol studies, psychopharmacology and social psychology.