Inhibition threshold
Inhibition threshold is a psychological observation that a person is only prepared to carry out a certain action after particularly intensive motivation , if it violates learned or inherited behavior .
An example of this is the regular refusal of humans to physically injure or kill another human. This inhibition threshold, built up by instinctive inhibitions ( human ethology ), upbringing , morality and law , is usually only exceeded in special situations, for example after heavy alcohol consumption, as a result of mental disorders or through targeted indoctrination . However, the inhibition threshold can also be overcome in the event of danger to one's own body , life and property or to a person close to them in the event of emergency or self-defense actions in order to avert a danger of legal interests worthy of protection . In the case of homicides, according to the criminal law inhibition threshold theory, the existence of an intent to kill can only be affirmed after an overall view of all objective circumstances.
Animals are also occasionally assigned an “inhibition threshold” for certain forms of aggressive behavior. The best-known example from behavioral biology is anti-bite as an example of anti-aggression . In humans, apart from behavior-related inhibitions, there can also be acquired inhibitions that prevent them from performing desired actions ( shyness ).
literature
- Erdmuthe Meyer zu Bexten: The way over the inhibition threshold: Communication with disabled people in everyday life . Verl. Für Polizeiwissenschaft, Frankfurt 2007. 116 pp. ISBN 978-3-86676-016-5
- Markus Müller: Emotional deficits as an inhibition threshold in the development of ICH stability: a contribution to the theory of education and the design of schools . Pedagogue. University of Heidelberg, diploma thesis 1995
- Kerstin Hagen: Aggression and violence in school: the consequence of a loss of values or a lowering of the moral inhibition threshold . Freiburg, Pedag. College, Educational Psychology, 1994
- HW Bierhoff; Renate Klein; P. Kramp: Inhibition thresholds for providing help : Investigation of the causes and recommendation of measures for dismantling (report on research project 8528/3 of the Federal Highway Research Institute Bergisch Gladbach) Department of Psychology at the Philipps University of Marburg . Ed .: Federal Highway Research Institute, Aachen, Mainz 1990. 68 pp.
