Sorry Liam Neeson, murderous racism is not a natural or 'primal' response – here's the science

Referring to something as “primal” makes is sound inevitable, as if the reaction can’t be helped because we are programmed to behave in a certain way when we are angry enough. But is it actually the case that evolution is to blame for how we behave when we get angry? Or do biases that we may not even be aware of actually shape our aggression? Dr Ching-Yu Huang takes a look at the evidence.

By Dr Ching-Yu Huang, Bournemouth University

The actor Liam Neeson has revealed that he once walked the streets with a weapon, seeking to kill a black man as revenge after someone close to him was raped. Facing a barrage of criticism for his remarks, he contended there was something “primal” about his reaction to the incident, said to have taken place 40 years ago. Responding to the backlash, Neeson has said: “I’m not a racist.”