The primary concern of such studies has been identifying markers of aggression, whether they be neurological, familial, or social in nature. This concern reflects a methodological and policy bias toward medicalization and individual intervention that glosses over the difficult issues of identifying and assigning causation and of having to work directly with the social forces producing the pathology to be eliminated. Differences between the traditional medical model and a more inclusive biopsychosocial model embody differences in regard to social theory and social values, as well as differing opinions about styles of research and treatment. Medicalization and professionalization of the problem tends to promote reductionist biological models of behavior and a focus on funding basic biological research rather than socially based preventive programs. A focus on individual occurrence and markers of aggression is insufficient if it detracts from efforts to expand social understanding of the problem. 14 references.