Verified Document

Theories Of Aggressive Behavior Research Paper

¶ … Aggression There are a number of theories of aggression, which is a serious issue for a significant percentage of the population. While some people are much more aggressive than others, the reasons why they have become this way and what can be done to help them have less aggression toward themselves and others is very important to consider. There are Drive Theories, along with the General Aggression Model (GAM) and the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis that all have to be addressed in order to have a complete understanding of aggression and its many related issues. While it may be easier to simply tell the person to "get over it," that is really not the way to handle any kind of aggressive behavior. Depending on the particular, specific issue the person is facing, he or she may not be able to "get over" whatever the problem is.

The Drive Theories

The Drive Theories of Aggression suggest that external conditions are the cause of aggression (Anderson, Buckley, & Carnagey, 2008). These conditions create a motive that makes a person want to injure or harm other people. When that occurs, people look for ways in which they can do bodily or emotional harm to individuals around them. There are many reasons why a person would want to do this, and there are several different types of Drive Theories that are worthy of note. When external conditions become too much of an issue and a person tries to harm others, it is because he or she has too much pent-up, overt aggression...

This can be why a person "snaps," because so much aggression has built up over time that the person finally simply cannot take it any longer. At that point, he or she loses control, and has to do something to make sure he or she is able to reduce the pain, anger, or frustration that is being felt. Lashing out at another person is one of the ways in which those problems can be reduced, so as to make the person who is struggling feel better.
The Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

Among the most famous Drive Theories is the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis. This states that frustration does not always lead to aggression, and aggression does not always come about because of frustration, but that the two are strongly linked to one another, and often intertwined (Dill & Anderson, 1995). In short, many times when a person is aggressive, it is because he or she is frustrated to the point of not feeling as though it is possible to react in any other way. That frustration can become too much to handle, and lashing out at another person in an aggressive way can come from that. This does not mean that being aggressive as a response to frustration is a good idea, of course, or that there are not many other, healthier ways to react, but only that people can struggle with the idea of how they respond to others when they are already frustrated by people or events (Anderson, Buckley, & Carnagey, 2008). By doing this, they can take their frustrations…

Sources used in this document:
References

Anderson, C.A., Buckley, K.E., & Carnagey, N.L. (2008). Creating your own hostile environment: A laboratory examination of trait aggression and the violence escalation cycle. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34, 462-473.

Anderson, C.A., & Bushman, B.J. (2002). Human aggression. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 27-51.

Dill, J.C., & Anderson, C.A. (1995). Effects of frustration justification on hostile aggression. Aggressive Behavior, 21: 359 -- 369.

Feenstra, J. (2013). Chapter 10: Aggression. Social psychology. San Diego: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Aggressive Behavior in Children
Words: 3713 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Proposal

Adolescent Aggressive Behavior Quantitative Research Proposal: CBT and Psychopharmacological Treatments For Children with Disordered Aggressive Behaviors Quantitative Research Proposal: CBT and Psychopharmacological Treatments For Children with Disordered Aggressive Behaviors Aggressive behavior and adolescents poses a significant threat to public safety and the peaceful functioning of families within a community. Treatment of this problem is an important issue for the adolescents, their families, and the communities in which they live. There are many reasons for aggressive

Media and Aggressive Behavior the
Words: 1156 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

Acceptable forms of behavior need to be modeled and reinforced while unacceptable forms of behavior need not be supported. This all needs to be done before these acts and violent behaviors become imprinted as a part of normal behavior. Individuals are still going through hormonal and physical changes far into their twenties; neuronal connections are also still being developed during this time (Perry 2013). This means that if appropriate

Social Work Theories Human Behavior Is Very
Words: 1534 Length: 6 Document Type: Creative Writing

Social Work Theories Human behavior is very difficult to predict on a consistent basis. The amount of stimuli that the human mind intakes causes an infinite amount of possibilities that the person can choose from. Luckily for professional social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists conducting many experiments have developed certain theories that can explain human behavior. These models are tools that healers and doctors can use to help identify and eventually treat

Video Games and the Increase in Adolescence Aggressive Behavior
Words: 3903 Length: 11 Document Type: Thesis

exciting about video games is you don't just interact with the game physically -- you're not just moving your hand on a joystick, but you're asked to interact with the game psychologically and emotionally as well. You're not just watching the characters on screen; you're becoming those characters. Nina Huntemann, Game Over Violent Video Games: Do they Cause Violent Behavior? Disasters such as school shootings in Colorado and in other academic institutions

Behavior Intervention Plan for Emotionally
Words: 2178 Length: 7 Document Type: Essay

When this occurs, an adult assists him in finding an alternative activity. Prevention Strategies Prepare peers by explaining that Derrick does not know how to appropriately greet them. Let them know that the teachers are working on teaching Derrick how to say "hi" and touch a friend nicely. Encourage the children to help Derrick say "hi" the correct way. Make an effort to monitor Derrick during high risk times or activities

Theory Methodology and Human Development
Words: 1376 Length: 5 Document Type: Dissertation or Thesis complete

Theory Methodology and Human Development Analyze a selected topic from a social scientific perspective by doing the following Explain the significance of a suitable question, which you have formulated, for social scientific analysis. The impact that video games, as a form of media entertainment, have been a matter of concern for politicians, parents, and legislators. However, the results generated from the scholarly literature are not in agreement; researchers continue to disagree about the

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now