Brain Mechanisms Behind Emotions Turning to Violence: UGM Psychologists Explain
Case of physical violence that has been spreading recently, including stabbing incidents in several areas, has sparked public concern. The phenomenon raises deep questions about what happens in a person’s mind when they lose control and commit brutal acts.
Theresia Novi Poespita Candra, a lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), explains that biologically humans have two main brain regions that play a role in responding to emotions.
“The amygdala is the centre of basic emotions such as fear and anger. When someone feels threatened or stressed, this part can dominate and trigger instinctive responses such as attacking, fleeing, freezing, or complying,” Novi said when contacted on Thursday (5 March 2026).
On the other hand, humans have the prefrontal cortex which functions as a regulator. This part is responsible for rational thinking, making logical decisions, and managing emotions and behaviour.
“If the prefrontal cortex is not trained or not optimal, a person tends to respond impulsively. In such cases violence can occur because emotions are more dominant than reason,” she added.
According to Novi, who earned a PhD from The University of Melbourne, a person’s weak ability to regulate emotions does not happen spontaneously. It is influenced by several structural and environmental factors:
The same view was echoed by renowned clinical psychologist Ratih Ibrahim, M.M., Psychologist. A graduate of the University of Indonesia, she notes that violent behaviour often emerges when emotions become highly intense to the point of exceeding an individual’s capacity to regulate them.
“In such conditions, emotional responses such as anger or feeling threatened become very dominant compared to the ability to think rationally. As a result, individuals may act impulsively as a way to vent emotional tension,” Ratih explained.
She also identifies several risk factors that can reduce tolerance for frustration, including:
The ability to recognise, accept, and manage emotions from an early age is the key to preventing aggressive acts. Training a ‘pause’ between the emotions felt and the actions taken can spare a person from legal and social consequences of violence.
The government and educational institutions are expected to continue promoting mental health campaigns to equip the public with better emotion-regulation skills in the face of increasingly complex life pressures.
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