Theories of Aggression

Ever felt you need to kick some people's butt, yet you couldn't and had to kick the wall instead? Ever wondered why a three year old yells and screams like an adult? Every wondered why a parent of any kind (human/animal) would possibly kill for any sign of a threat?

It's simple.

It's aggression in three of its kinds;

1) Frustration-Aggression theory

2) Social Learning theory

3) Aggression as an instinct

I personally am very interested in aggression as I could be quite aggressive myself. Aggression: Is any action that's intended to cause harm. Be it verbal or physical.

There are two types of aggression, and they are;

• Hostile/hot aggression: Is to do something aggressive and get some sort of satisfaction from it. Perhaps, planning someone's murder or robbing a bank. You get some sort of emotional reward from it.

• Instrumental/cold aggression: Is basically to do act in an aggressive way to preserve some kind of environmental reward out of it, such as; fighting for survival in a war.

Aggression Theories

Your boss have just mistreated you and told you that you're a no-good-doer in his/her company, and there was nothing you could do, after all, he/she is the boss, and you're the employee.

You meet your friend for dinner at night, and the two of you talk, and your friend talks about how good his/her day was, and you suddenly stand up off your chair, it falls back, and you start yelling at your friend about how selfish, and full of themselves and their so-called good life!

What happened in this scenario is that you have been frustrated from the situation you have been earlier today with your boss, so what you ended up doing is displace your anger toward a a safer target. This is called Displacement.

This is the Frustration-Aggression theory.

A (lets say 6 years old) kids lives in an environment where he hears adults screams all the time, and hit one another. The next day he goes to school, and yells at the kids in his classmates, and shove them up the wall.

Kids tend to learn and observe adults that they copy what they do inside and outside their homes.

This is the Social Learning theory.

Eventually, the last theory is known to be instinctive, and innate, and part of our genes. For example, you have two male mammals fighting for one female, and the best gets the female mammal. In terms of human beings, it's fighting for survival. You're being attacked by someone, or getting raped, it's only natural you'll fight back for your life and maintain your existence.

This is the Instinctive-Aggression Theory.

Some of the things that could cause aggression;

• Watching Violent movies
• Heat
• Alcohol
• Gender

In terms of gender, men are more likely to be aggressive physically as they would be fighting with their fists. But women are more likely to be aggressive verbally, in terms of gossiping, spreading rumors...etc.

Catharsis: It's said to be a filter that prevents aggression, or eases off the tension. It could usually means viewing watching violent movies, punching a bag or a doll -that looks like your boss, but it's quite the contrary. The more you act aggressive the more aggressive you are going to be.

Aggression leads to aggression.

I hope this hub was helpful and gave you an insight about aggression, and the theories that revolves around it.