Aggression

What is aggression?

In social psychology, aggression refers to the physical or verbal behaviour that is intended to cause harm, this definition excludes unintentional harm. Some examples of aggressive behaviour would be kicks, slaps, threats, insults, gossip, snide remarks, and trolling behaviour such as online name calling and harassment. This can also include destroying property, lying, and other behaviour which aims to hurt.

Physical aggression vs social aggression

Physical aggression: Hurting someone else’s body

Social aggression: Hurting someone else’s feelings or threatening their relationships. This could be bullying, cyberbullying, insults, harmful gossip, or social exclusion that hurts feelings. 

• Both physical and social aggression can be either hostile or instrumental.

Hostile aggression vs Instrumental aggression

Hostile aggression: aggression that springs from anger, and its goal is to injure another. Ex: bullying can be hostile (one girl is angry at another for stealing her boyfriend)

Instrumental aggression: also aims to injure others, but is committed in the pursuit of another goal. Ex: bullying can be instrumental (a high school student believed she can become popular by rejecting an unpopular girl)

Factors that influence aggression 

• Genetics 

• Alcohol consumption 

• Testosterone 

• Poor diet 

Frustration-aggression-theory

The theory that frustration triggers a readiness to aggress. Frustration produces aggression only when other’s actions seem unjustified like when someone who frustrated them could have chosen to act otherwise, leading to feelings of anger.

Displacement theory 

The redirection of aggression to a target other than the source of the frustration. Generally, the new target is a safer or more socially acceptable target 

Relative deprivation

The perception that one is less well off than others with whom one compares oneself.

What theory supports that aggression can be learned?

Albert Bandura (1997) proposed a social learning theory of aggression. He believes that we learn aggression not only by experiencing its payoffs but also by observing others. As with most social behaviours, we acquire aggression by watching others act and noting the consequences.

How can aggression be reduced?

• by reducing aversive stimulation

• by rewarding and modelling nonaggression

• by eliciting reactions incompatible with aggression

Catharsis

Emotional release. The catharsis view of aggression is that the aggressive drive is reduced when one “releases” aggressive energy, either by acting aggressively or by fantasising aggression, this however does not work and promotes further aggression.