The underpinnings of aggression

To unearth the root causes of aggression, Kevin Nunes ventures into prisons and forensic psychiatric hospitals. A forensic psychologist, Nunes examines the attitudes, stereotypes, beliefs and expectations that can lead to violent behavior. 

The data he gathers from inmates, patients and even students is then analyzed in his Aggressive Cognitions and Behaviour Research Lab in the Department of Psychology.

His SSHRC funded research takes him to the underbelly of the basest of human desire – sexual assaults and child molestation.

Three recent studies have focused on the correlation between attitudes about child molestation and sexual offences victimizing children, measurements of sexual attraction to children in sex offenders and nonsex offenders. 

Among the many questions one of his projects attempts to answer is whether or not child molesters view themselves as immature or childlike, versus men who haven’t molested children.

However, the main goal of Nunes’ research is “to contribute to scientific knowledge about the causes of aggression. A better understanding of the causes of aggression will ultimately reduce violence by providing a stronger foundation for effective assessment, treatment and management.” 

“Some of our research also addresses more applied areas, such as predictors of reoffending, risk assessment and correctional treatment,” he explained.

Nunes’ team is currently analyzing the results of the studies with research collaborators from the Alberta Hospital Edmonton, the Universite de Montreal, Millhaven Institution, Grant MacEwan University, the Regional Treatment Centre and Warkworth Institution.