DOMINATIONto provocation, dopamine is suppressed by the H&N circuits, and peo-
ple who display this type of aggression usually degrade their future
well-being. They can end up injured, arrested, or simply embarrassed.
Think of a parent losing his temper at a child’s hockey game. Throwing
anything from a fit to a punch is not a calculated move but a thought-
less emotional reaction. From dopamine’s perspective there is nothing
to be gained, no resources to maximize, no advantage to be taken.
Emotion overwhelms control dopamine’s consideration, caution, and
calculation.
Anthony Trollope, an English novelist, contrasted the two
approaches to describe a political debate that took place between two
of his characters, Daubeny and Gresham, the leaders of opposing par-
liamentary parties:
Whereas Mr. Daubeny hit always as hard as he knew how to
hit, having premeditated each blow, and weighed its results
beforehand, having calculated his power even to the effect of a
blow repeated on a wound already given, Mr. Gresham struck
right and left and straightforward... , and in his fury might
have murdered his antagonist before he was aware that he had
drawn blood.Violence can give us domination, but to be successful, it must come
from the cold circuits of control dopamine.
WHAT IS A DOPAMINERGIC
PERSONALITY?Some people have more active dopaminergic circuits than
others. Researchers have identified a number of genes that
contribute to the development of this type of personal-
ity. It’s important to note that elevated dopamine activity
can express itself in different ways. Someone with a highly