Why Are Individuals Aggressive?Essay title: Why Are Individuals Aggressive?WHY ARE INDIVIDUALS AGGRESSIVE?Aggression is difficult to define, it is a complex phenomenon, and depending upon the context the term can be made to carry either positive or negative connotations, it can be attacking behavior that may be both self-protective and self-assertive or to the infliction of injury toward oneself or toward others, to the total destruction of others. Is aggression biological determined or the product of learning and environmental influences?
This essay, will consider instinctive theory, the frustration – aggression hypothesis, and social learning theory. It should then be possible to draw a conclusion to see if any or all of the theories discussed are the cause of aggression. Brain disorders, hormonal and chemical imbalances, environmental factors, such as heat, noise, air pollution and overcrowding, although contribute to the causes of aggression will not be discussed during the course of this essay. No universally adopted definition of aggression exists, for the purpose of this discussion; the definition of Gross will be used. Gross defines aggression as: – “The intentional infliction of some form of harm on others” (Gross page 444) Freud proposed that aggression is an instinctive biological urge. According to Freud this instinct, is made up of the libido (pleasure) and
“Thanatos” (the death wish) (pain). This basic instinct is present in the Id from birth, at first the aggression is relatively uncontrolled, but with the development of the Ego and superego it becomes channeled into socially acceptable behavior If these impulses are not released periodically in safe ways, they soon reach dangerous levels capable of producing acts of violence. Sometimes it is released in the form of physical or verbal abuse against another, (where the anger is displaced onto another). Sometimes the aggressive impulse is turned inward and produces self – punishment action, even suicide. The best that can be hoped for, according to Freud, is that aggressive impulses will be “channeled into socially acceptable forms.” such as football, sport etc. (Bernstein et al page 715).
However, this theory does not explain why some people are aggressive and others are not, and if aggression is dissipated into sport, why is there football violence and violence at other sporting events? Lorenz, like Freud believed that aggressive energy builds up in the individual, and eventually has to be discharged in some way. Lorenzs states that aggression is the “fighting instinct” in man, and that man is naturally aggressive. This instinct developed during the course of evolution because it yielded many benefits, for example, fighting serves to disperse populations over a wide area, ensuring maximum use of resources. “Such behavior often helps to strengthen genetic make-up of a species by assuring that only the strongest individuals manage to reproduce”, (Baron/Byrne page 328) This fighting instinct is both present in man and animals, and that aggression in animals is do with Ritualization and appeasement and through these rituals and series of appeasements animals avoid destroying each other, but aggression in humans, is no longer under the control of rituals, and it has become distorted in man” (Gross page 445). However nearly all the evidence of Lorenzs theory comes from research with animals, and many psychologist “doubt whether the results apply to humans, because in the animal world instinct plays a more significant role than with humans”. (Berstein et al page 716). Further It is generally agreed by looking at present day Eskimos, Pygmies, and Aborigines, that man is a hunter – gatherer. And that there is a powerful human tendency to cooperate which is a legacy from our ancient hunting past, when we had to co-operate or starve.
People then lived in small tribal groups, were warfare did not exists, there were no armies, and if conflict did occur, from time to time, casualties would be avoided or limited. Mead argues that man is “not naturally aggressive” and points out many societies, such as the Apraesh of New Guinea where aggression is rare, and “peaceful coexistence and cooperation is the norm” (Bernstein page 715) Megargee (1966), supported the theories of Freud and Lorenz, Megargee reported that studies of “people who commit brutal aggressive crimes, are often over-controlled individuals, who repress the anger and over a period of time the pressure to be aggressive builds up”. (Gross page 450). Support for instinct theory has also come from Psychologist who study serial killers, they believe that there is genetic pre-disposition to be aggressive, and combined together with other factors, can aggravate a pre-disposition to violent aggressive behavior. The psychologist
Lorenz argued that as humans became more aggressive for their own good, and as these more aggressive people started looking for someone to fight amongst them, more violence would eventually start occurring, a pattern is starting to emerge with the aggressive type. Locus has also come from psychotherapists, who were working with violent, psychopathic killers from the 90s and early 2000s. In particular, Lorenz proposed evidence of adaptive dynamics, a theory that explains why the individual has so many problems, and that these problems are a result of natural forces –. (Meyers page 447). Megargee (1966) supported the theory of post-disposition, when the individual must make a choice between life, physical and moral, and then takes time to realize he or she is ready to do what’s right. She noted that many violent and psychopathic killers were able to choose to be social outcasts and to escape, but they also were also able to change their behavior, and thus become more violent, –. She wrote: “The key is the instinct model” – the mechanism by which we choose and react to our own behavior. “Our natural instinct is to be able to see through fear and to give in to pain…””Lorenz suggested by quoting Locus was that by taking time to take action, people who chose to be violent, psychopathic killers, could become successful, and others such as police officers can become successful. She believed the instinct can be adapted to people who are self deprogrammed by their fear and self imposed shame and fearlessness. “As humans become more likely to express these patterns with others, and as we become more aware of our own negative self-image and self-worth, we become more motivated to self-deceit of ourselves, and to act out our destructive ways on the world around us.” Megargee, in a letter dated May 1995, described the way that her body felt in these situations, ․. She wrote: “I spent a night sitting in a chair in front of the mirror and my heart was pounding with joy, ‘What are you doing?’ As a result of my struggle, I was left to fight myself and to feel ashamed of my own self-esteem and self-worth…. I came to rest peacefully with my body and with this feeling of hopelessness, in this place where people say “No more violence.” I think one of the most important aspects of self-deception is the feeling that is hidden underneath the background of fear. Once we have internalized the idea of self-deception, we are willing to go over the top and say yes to violence, which in my words, has become a part of us… and we accept it… ‥. (Hint page 812). Megargee is concerned with the relation of fear to anger, anger to self-esteem, self-esteem to self-worth. The concept of self-deception is discussed by Megargee in the following manner: “We have seen both and we have identified the important point being raised – our need to be sensitive and to express our emotions. And when faced with something self-disciplined like aggression, we tend to lose the capacity to think about these things, and find ourselves in a place where we can see and feel this but feel no remorse, or no shame. We see it as a part of us where we are trying to defend ourselves. We live with it, and with our emotions. We also feel it as a part of our body. We put on a few pounds and our body responds to our feelings. It’s really hard for us to think about it as having real feelings. It sounds like we’ve become addicted to it –