This volume investigates the mechanisms underlying human aggression and the potential for behavioral control through the application of basic psychological research. Edited by John F. Knutson, the text compiles findings from the 1971 Conference on Current Concerns in Clinical Psychology held at the University of Iowa. It presents a framework that bridges laboratory-based experimental findings with clinical interventions, arguing that understanding the biological and environmental triggers of aggression is necessary for developing effective therapeutic strategies.

Experts recognize this volume as a foundational academic record of early 1970s behavioral research into aggression. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which reflects the formal presentation style of the original conference proceedings.