Meloy’s Bimodal Theory of Affective (Reactive) and Predatory (Instrumental) Violence

Abstract

This section explains different types of violence and explains the affective and predatory violence. The affective violence is characterized by high levels of autonomic arousal and emotions due to a perceived imminent threat. Predatory violence is characterized as an absence of autonomic arousal, emotion, but with greater planning and a lack of perceived threat. In addition, the affective and predatory violence types are a continuum of “bimodal distribution.”