Aggression

Aggression is any type of behavior or action intended to harm others. While multiple definitions exist in the literature, it is generally described as any behavior directed toward a living being that aims to cause harm and is motivated by the intention to inflict damage.

• Physical Aggression: Refers to behaviors that cause physical harm to the target individual, such as hitting or injuring.
• Verbal Aggression: Involves using verbal means to harm the target individual, such as insults or demeaning statements.
• Hostile Aggression: Behaviors carried out with malicious intent and the purpose of causing harm, which are not sanctioned by law or society. Murder and assassination are cited as examples.
• Instrumental Aggression: Aggression that is socially accepted when carried out within the framework of morally acceptable goals for the group. Parental discipline is an example.
• Permitted Aggression: Aggressive acts that are not required by social norms but do not violate them. Self-defense is an example.

Aggressive feelings are an internal state that cannot be directly observed. They arise in various ways and from different sources. Some of these sources include:

• Instinct: This theory has been largely abandoned by psychologists.
• Frustration: Individuals who are disturbed or attacked by third parties tend to feel aggression toward those individuals.
• Blocking: One of the fundamental propositions in psychology is that “blocking tends to provoke aggressive feelings.” Aggression is particularly likely when blocking is perceived as arbitrary.
• Emotional Arousal: When individuals react to behaviors in their environment in a way that leads them to perceive the environment as hostile, they experience anger, which may then manifest as aggression.

Based on these examples, the causes of aggression are examined in two broad categories: internal and external. Internal causes include instinct and sociobiological factors, while external causes include social learning. Excessively controlled or uncontrolled behaviors, as well as certain disorders, can increase aggressive tendencies. From a sociological perspective, economic poverty and social unrest are among the causes of aggression. The ecological model published by the World Health Organization identifies poverty and economic inequality as social factors contributing to violence. According to this model, poverty hinders efforts to prevent violence and widens the gap between social groups. Half of the world’s poor population lives in conflict zones, as exemplified by countries such as Somalia and Afghanistan.

^{Crime rates and poverty table (Credit:} The Economist. ⁾

Individuals are more likely to display aggressive behavior when they feel angry. However, not all anger leads to aggression. People often become angry yet behave peacefully or refrain from aggression altogether. In summary, anger alone is not a sufficient factor for aggression. Examples of other influencing factors include:

• Learning: Unlike in animals, aggression in humans is not instinctive but emerges based on how it is learned.
• Reinforcement: When aggression is rewarded, individuals are more likely to repeat it.
• Imitation: Individuals, especially children, tend to imitate those they perceive as powerful.
• Cueing: Frequent exposure to environmental cues that trigger aggression is also considered a contributing factor.

The characteristics of the aggressor influence aggressive acts, but sometimes the characteristics of the victim can also serve as contributing factors. For instance, the target’s gender, sexual orientation, religious identity, race, and ethnic background may play a role.

The origin, development, effects, and contributing factors of aggression are highly complex, and social psychologists have not yet reached consensus on many aspects. One point of agreement is the need to reduce aggression and its effects. This behavior, which constitutes a problem at both national and international levels, has vital implications for human well-being.

According to Freud’s catharsis theory, aggression is similar to eating. When a person is hungry and eats, their hunger gradually diminishes and ends. Aggression, similarly, is thought to follow this pattern. Fear of punishment is also one of the factors that reduce aggression. The presence of a deterrent punishment lowers an individual’s level of aggression.

Relying solely on external factors to reduce aggression is certainly not entirely effective. Therefore, self-control is crucial. Individuals must have the ability to regulate their own behavior. Signs of the victim’s pain, that is, visible indications of suffering, tend to inhibit further aggression, except in cases of extreme anger. On the other hand, increased economic well-being also contributes to reducing aggression.