13.4
Aggression
Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or…
When people find themselves in an unpleasant situation, like arguing with a sibling, they are more likely to act out to get what they want.
This event represents aggression—any observable behavior that is intended to cause physical or emotional harm to someone who does not want to be harmed.
Depending on the motive, the behavioral expressions can look different. In one type, hostile aggression, the perpetrator is motivated by anger. The hot summer day has made her miserable, and she then takes out her frustration on her partner by shoving him. This behavior would also be considered violence, due to the physicality of the interaction.
In the other type, instrumental aggression, the offender is motivated to achieve a goal and hurts another person as the means to an end.
For example, when a thief wants to steal something, they break a car window and take the valuables they were seeking. Here, the thief succeeds in obtaining material goods, and as a byproduct, causes psychological harm to the owner’s safety and security.
While all aggression represents the dark side of humanity, thankfully, there are some manageable ways of reducing its appearance.
For instance, one strategy could be to engage in incompatible behaviors—ones that prevent an angered state from being sustained—such as taking a calm walk, playing with a pet, or watching a funny video.
Such tactics may help lower arousal and allow an individual to view the triggering situation from a more distant perspective. Ultimately, by reducing exposure to the inducing factors, individuals can leave their aggressive tendencies behind them.
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Q1: What is aggression in psychology?
Aggression is any observable behavior intended to cause physical or emotional harm to someone who does not want to be harmed. It occurs when people find themselves in unpleasant situations and act out to get what they want. The specific form depends on the perpetrator's motivation, which can be anger-driven or goal-oriented.
Q2: What is the difference between hostile and instrumental aggression?
Hostile aggression is motivated by anger with intent to cause pain, such as shoving someone out of frustration. Instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal, where harming another person is the means to an end, like a thief breaking a car window to steal valuables. Both represent aggression but differ fundamentally in their underlying motives.
Q3: How does frustration lead to aggressive behavior?
According to frustration aggression theory, when humans are prevented from achieving an important goal, they become frustrated and aggressive. This explains why people in unpleasant situations, like arguments with siblings, are more likely to act out aggressively to obtain what they want or regain control.
Q4: What are incompatible behaviors and how do they reduce aggression?
Incompatible behaviors are actions that prevent an angered state from being sustained, such as taking a calm walk, playing with a pet, or watching a funny video. These tactics help lower arousal and allow individuals to view triggering situations from a more distant perspective, making aggression less likely.
Q5: Why do men and women display different forms of aggression?
From an evolutionary perspective, male aggression likely serves to display dominance over other males, protect mates, and perpetuate genes. Women typically display instrumental forms of aggression, often expressing it covertly through communication that impairs another person's social standing, serving as a means to achieve specific goals. Understanding these differences helps contextualize aggression across social situations and analyzing situations in helping behavior.
Q6: How can exposure reduction help manage aggressive tendencies?
By reducing exposure to factors that induce aggression, individuals can leave their aggressive tendencies behind them. This strategy complements incompatible behaviors by limiting situations that trigger anger or frustration, allowing people to maintain lower arousal levels and avoid aggressive responses.
Q7: What psychological harm can result from instrumental aggression?
Instrumental aggression causes psychological harm to victims even when physical harm is not the primary goal. For example, when a thief steals from a car, the owner experiences psychological harm to their sense of safety and security, demonstrating that aggression's impact extends beyond physical injury.