Aggression
People have many behavioral characteristics that combine to create unique individuals. A behavioral characteristic that exist in all people is aggression. In some aggression is a problem and is harder to control than in others. Aggression is classified as any action carried out with the intention of harming another person (Coon, and Millerer 579). There are several factors that can contribute to aggression in people such as the environment they are in and some physical factors.
Despite what many people believe aggression is not biological (Coon, and Millerer 580). It is a characteristic that people are able to portray, but it does not mean that a person must act aggressively. People may develop a higher aggressive tendency because of environmental factors, such as a hostel house hold, media, and influence from peers. When a person is confronted with more than one of these factors the potential for aggressive behavior is more likely to occur.
For instance, if a person has a hostel house hold while he or she is growing up that person will more likely be aggressive towards others since the act of aggression is portrayed at home as normal behavior. Thus, making aggression as an act that is tolerable. Media also greatly influences aggressiveness in people through music, movies, games, and television shows. These all send indirect and direct messages to people to act more aggressively. Media has a great amount of violence and crime that portray very aggressive behavior, when a person witnesses these acts the level of acceptance for aggressive behavior is broader. Peer influence is something that not only adolescents deal with adults deal with it as well. People want to fit in and many times peers are aggressive and wan...
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...e are obligated to act aggressively. Although factors contribute to aggressive behavior I think that it is up to the person to act on their thoughts of aggression. Healthy people have the ability to control their actions and should think about what is really acceptable.
Works Cited
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Coon, Dennis, and John O. Mitterer. Psychology: A Journey. 4th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2008. Print.
Ballington, Don A., and Mary M. Laughlin. Pharmacology for Technicians. 4th ed. St. Paul: Paradigm, 2010. Print.
Lim,Si Huan, and Rebecca P. Ang. Relationship Between Boys’ Normative Beliefs About Aggression and their Physical, Verbal, and Indirect Aggressive Behaviors. Adolescence 44.175 (2009): 635-650. Health Source- Consumer Edition. EBSCO.Web. 25 May 2010
Aggression may be associated with other symptoms that are determined by the underlying disorder or illness. Ailments that influence behavior often also have psychological, cognitive, and physical symptoms. Some additional signs and symptoms may include:
The World of Psychology. (2002). A Pearson Education Company. Boston, MA: Samuel Wood & Ellen Green Wood p. 593
Aggressive individuals often act in ways that will result in having personal gain, rather than focusing what impact they have on others. Aggression is pervasive. It affects the rich as well as the poor, the upper and lower classes, it defines us. This means that most sole individuals will behave in certain ways to promote their well being, instead of how they affect others. Michael Crichton uses characters in Jurassic Park to portray the negative physical, social and intellectual impact they can have on society. This is evident in everyday life because society has molded individuals into looking out for their well being with no considerations of the impact that it has on others.
Munsey, Christopher. “A long road back”. Monitor on Psychology. 38.6. June 2007. 34. PSYARTICLES. Web. 5 March 2014.
The Social Learning Theory explains that children and adults can learn aggression and violence from observing parents, siblings or friends. As well as being rewarded for aggressive and violent behavior. (Siegel, 2015) This is just one theory that
Davis, S. F., & Palladino, J. J. (2003). Psychology. (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Vaillancourt, T., & Hymel, S. (2006). Aggression and social status: The moderating roles of sex and peer-valued characteristics. Aggressive Behavior, 32, 396–408. doi:10.1002/ab.20138.
Stress-management. Humans usually react on impulse without giving a thought of what they are about to do or what they are about to say. If we give enough time to think if our actions or words would hurt others, then our violent behaviors will be reduced. One strategy that really works well is by keeping silent when you're at the peak of your emotion. When you are angry, frustrated, depressed, or hurt, it is much better to keep silent for a while. If you are already able to think clearly, that's the time that you ought to confront the person
It is my belief that aggressive behavior in children is linked to the media, but also to the behavior portrayed by the people around them. Many studies have been targeted toward the link between aggression and viewing violence in the media. One well-known study was conducted by Albert Bandura and is known as the Bobo doll experiment. Research has shown that a child will mimic the actions of others if the actions are reinforced. “Albert Bandura argued that aggression in children is influenced by the reinforcement of family members, the media, and the environment” (Bandura, 1976).
Behavior, Aggressive Cognition, Aggressive Affect, Physiological Arousal, and Prosocial Behavior: a Meta-Analytic Review of the Scientific Literature." Psychological Science (2001). EBSCO. DePaul Library. 7 Mar. 2008.
The Open University Press Davis, S.F. and Palladino, J.J. (1995) Psychology. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice Hall Website : http://www.webref.org
Many social psychologists agree that aggression can be defined as behaviour which intends to harm another person who does not want harm inflicted on them (Baron & Richardson, 1994; Bushman & Huesmann, 2010). This definition is all encompassing capturing the possible range of aggressive behaviours whilst excluding activities that can ‘hurt’ but to which the target of the hurt willingly consents and are therefore not considered aggressive due to this circumstance, for example, surgery. As aggression can be presented at differing levels and as result of this can range from the act of pushing someone over to domestic violence or even the extremities of terrorism. Therefore, as aggressive behaviour encompasses such a wide range of actions ranging
The aggressive personality is defined as an “individual’s whose overall style of interacting involves considerable, persistent, maladaptive aggression” (counselingresource.com). Evolutionary, biological and environmental factors are contributing components of the aggressive personality. Human beings ...
In all of these possibilities--instinct, heredity, hormones, or brain dysfunction--the aggression occurs without apparent provocation from the environment (although there is almost always a "target"). According to some of these theories, the need or urge to be aggressive is boiling within each of us and seeks opportunities to express itself. There is also clear evidence that alcohol consumption and hotter temperatures release aggression, but no one thinks there is something in alcohol or heat that generates meanness. The socialization process, i.e. becoming a mature person, involves taming these destructive, savage, self-serving urges that probably helped us humans survive one million years ago but threatens our survival today.
Coon, D., Mitterer, J. O., Talbot, S., & Vanchella, C. M. (2010). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.